Aspartame/Splenda -- did you know?

[Diva of Dragons]

Oh, also...DH designed the fire protection system for the Nutrasweet factory. Everything that goes into it is toxic and highly flammable!!

FYI......I don't like the after taste of Stevia. We have switched to raw Agave nectar! It is soooo good!

 

[Pin Wizard]

Knew about them both and stay away from them. I'll stick to saccharine as my artificial sweetener of choice for a quicker death. Sugar is out due to diabetes.

Cass...watch the gum and soda. I quit chewing Trident because of the sweetener they now use. And I e-mailed the company and told them why I quit using their product. Same with diet soda, sugar free ice cream. Gave them all up.

Aspartame's problems have been out there online for years. I wouldn't touch that or Splenda.

 

[aprilgail2]

I have not used any artificial sweeteners since before I was pregnant. I will not alllow my duaghter to have any either, in fact her Dr recommends not letting any child under 12 use artficial sweeteners, something about messing with their brains. I also would not use any kind of margarine, just plain NASTY. I don't use enough butter to even worry about switching to margarine plus it tastes disgusting.

 

[Beca]

I totally agree with Aspartame and Splenda....really bad for you!! However, I also have a bad reaction to Stevia. I am not sure if it is an allergy or what (it is plant derived), but it makes my throat feel like hamburger. I will have to give Agave nectar a try.

As to the Secret antiperspirant....I can attest to that first-hand. I got a lymph infection from Secret....although, any anti-perspirant can do it. The aluminum used is a heavy metal that is toxic to you if the doses are too high. Add to that, the number of soft drinks we consume from cans, and the foods we eat that have been cooked in aluminum cookware (or even the "foil packets" that are so popular for cooking) and bakeware...it can get really toxic. My infection started with general weakness, and lethargy. Then, I noticed my armpits seemed "puffy". I began to notice that my arms got tired doing daily things (cleaning, or whatever) and seemed "heavy". The cincher was when I woke one night with my armpits burning....like they were on fire, and noticed I had dk blue/green veins running up and down my arms. I went to the doctor, and the first thing she said was, "You don't use Secret Platinum do you?" "Umm...well, actually...."

Anyway, now I have to avoid ALL anti-perpirants containing aluminum, and had to do a heavy-metal detox. I can no longer drink from cans, and have switched all my cookware to stainless steel (except for my bakeware...can't find any, and I am NOT switching to silicone).

Oh....the other thing I am supposed to "watch" my intake of.....baked goods. The baking powder in baked goods contains aluminum. I now purchase aluminum-free baking powder from Whole Foods for anything I cook at home.

It's a big lifestyle change, but after a year....I feel much better.

 

[DISUNC]

we rather die then get fatter

Does anyone remember Gilda Radner on SNL singing the Love/Rock song to saccahrine?

 

[DISUNC]

All I ever heard was that NutraSweet is NO GOOD for kids! Forget why!

And when I use to go to the UK....you could get none of these. They only had the brown unbleached sugar!

 

[imsorry]

We try to avoid artificial sweetners, high fructuose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, etc. I never use butter or margarine - only olive oil (exept when I bake, which is very rare, i use butter). You really have to read the labels on everything you buy. Since I stopped working I stay home many days. If I am not leaving the house I don't even use deodorant. When I go out I have switched to deodorant, not anti-perspirant.

What surprised me was when I got my last prescription for Prevacid. They switched my capsule to a "solutab" that dissolves on your tongue. Problem is it contains artificial sweetner.

Does anyone know if 5.1 mg of phenylalanine per tablet is considered a lot? I think I should switch back to the swallowed capsules.

 

[Pop Daddy]

Does anyone remember Gilda Radner on SNL singing the Love/Rock song to saccahrine?

yes, i remeber because she included my hometown, it was titled "I left my saccahrine in Akron"

 

[Christine]

I used aspartame for years with no issues (or so I thought). Finally, I was just have a bizarre number of symptoms: rapid heart rate often and bladder irritabilty were the worst.

I finally just cut it out. What REALLY improved was the bladder issues I was having. I also have far less incidents of rapid heart rate.

Now, I just drink regular sodas. Occasionally, I have gone to a fast-food drive through and the server has "slipped" me a Diet Coke. I usually drink it but by that evening, my bladder symptoms return.

 

[redbirdgrad]

It's like everything else they've been pumping in foods for years - some people have bad reactions, some don't. Soy is always publicized as good for you too - but take a look at the critics of that too, alot of people have bad reactions to the soy fillers. But it's cheap and companies use it.

 

[zalansky]

I used to use Splenda in my coffee in the morning until I read articles similar to these a few months back. The calorie content in a teaspoon or two of sugar is so minimal that it doesn't pay to use Splenda. I also stopped drinking diet sodas, except when I have pizza now & then. Better to have cut back alot than not at all!

 

[JoBird]

I only have this to add to the thread:

My DH used to work for a company that is VERY well known, they sell a lot of Health and beauty products, including deodorant/antiperspirant. Let's just say that he no longer wears antiperspirant, only deodorant, and when it was time for our DD to wear it, he said "not my daughter..."


Jo

 

[Fitswimmer]

I drink one can of Coke Zero with my lunch and put one Splenda in my tea at night. That's it. I've given it up for Lent and haven't really noticed a difference.

The most important thing is BALANCE. If you drink a 6 pack of diet soda a day, and eat lots of other "diet" things with artificial sweetners it probably isn't good for you. For most people, using this stuff in moderation isn't going to do anything horrible.

I went the soy route a couple years ago and started using soy milk because it was supposed to be so good for me. Not for me, after about 3 weeks I was miserable. As soon as I stopped, I felt better.

Sweeteners are the same thing-some folks will be fine with them in moderation, others should stay away entirely.

 

[agnes!]

This is a great thread - kind of turning into "Healthy Living & Food Choices" - what a lot of informative posts. Thanks everybody.

As to food choices/health living - We have about 1/4 acre, but...
We have a fairly big garden(two kinds of corn, tomoato plants, peppers, green beans, herbs) and are mostly chemical-free/organic. The vegetables didn't do very well this year - our drought this past summer really did a number. But this year our various fruit trees did *really* well, we have a total of 17 (including the fig trees). Our trees are all dwarf or super-dwarf (but we still have to prune them a lot). We have three different kinds of plums (and two kinds were truly spectacular this year), peaches, two apple varieties - Jonathan & Fuji (the Fujis are stil going string. They are technically not supposed to be ripe until October but we've been eating them for about a month). We have quite a few different kinds of berries - several varieties of blueberries, red raspberries, wineberries, black raspberries, dewberries and blackberries. Our three cherry trees have not borne fruit yet - I think I need to go out and maybe threaten to make them into kindling ...

agnes!

 

[Christine]

This is a great thread - kind of turning into "Healthy Living & Food Choices" - what a lot of informative posts. Thanks everybody.

As to food choices/health living - We have about 1/4 acre, but...
We have a fairly big garden(two kinds of corn, tomoato plants, peppers, green beans, herbs) and are mostly chemical-free/organic. The vegetables didn't do very well this year - our drought this past summer really did a number. But this year our various fruit trees did *really* well, we have a total of 17 (including the fig trees). Our trees are all dwarf or super-dwarf (but we still have to prune them a lot). We have three different kinds of plums (and two kinds were truly spectacular this year), peaches, two apple varieties - Jonathan & Fuji (the Fujis are stil going string. They are technically not supposed to be ripe until October but we've been eating them for about a month). We have quite a few different kinds of berries - several varieties of blueberries, red raspberries, wineberries, black raspberries, dewberries and blackberries. Our three cherry trees have not borne fruit yet - I think I need to go out and maybe threaten to make them into kindling ...

agnes!

Uhhhh....I think I'll be stopping by on my way home from work today!!!

 

[Miss Jasmine]

Interesting thread! I admit I have slipped and have had a few diet cherry cokes. I need to get back on the no artificial sugar bandwagon (and I include high fructose corn syrup in that category). Trans fats are also a banned substance in our home. We use Smart Balanace spread (light for day-to-day items, regular for cooking/baking). Peanut butter...I also use Smart Balance.

The thing that gets me about Trans Fats and the FDA is that a food can still have just under 0.5 grams per serving and a manufacturer can claim the product is trans fat free per serving. Read the ingredient lists carefully.

As far as deodorant/anti-perspirant, I have been using Adidas brand that is an "asorb-deo". Instead of the aluminum it uses cotton. Works good enough for me. Lately though it has been more difficult to find. Breast cancer runs in my family and I don't want to take any chances.

Soy...since I have started eating more soy I think my thyroid started acting up. I am trying to cut back on the soy but I don't drink regular milk ( ) so any milk is soy, plus I am addicted to Boca "chicken" patties. I also love soy cakes (like rice cakes). Ack. Anyway, I have cut back, but I need to do more.

 

[need_a_Disney_fix]

I tend to shy away from foods that would make my body say "huh?".

 

[taylor1293]

Aspartame is nasty! I won't let my kids have it nor did I have it when I was pregnant.

However, I drink diet soda, about four a day. Therefore, I ingest it daily! If there are negative effects, I guess I'll just have to deal with them as they occur

 

[louey]

I only have this to add to the thread:

My DH used to work for a company that is VERY well known, they sell a lot of Health and beauty products, including deodorant/antiperspirant. Let's just say that he no longer wears antiperspirant, only deodorant, and when it was time for our DD to wear it, he said "not my daughter..."


Jo

So which brand of deodorant does he use?

 

[TinkerbellMama]

I only have this to add to the thread:

My DH used to work for a company that is VERY well known, they sell a lot of Health and beauty products, including deodorant/antiperspirant. Let's just say that he no longer wears antiperspirant, only deodorant, and when it was time for our DD to wear it, he said "not my daughter..."


Jo

We don't wear anti-perspirants, either, and I'm sure it's for the same reasons! Deodorant works just great for us!