Sweeteners are used to replace sugar for 2 reasons; they have less or no calorific value, and they are cheaper to produce. Artificial sweeteners are a billion dollar industry involving some of the biggest names in the game. You will find them hiding in thousands of products including; diabetic products, crisps, cakes, biscuits, savoury snacks, fizzy drinks, squash, yoghurts, chewing gum, ready-meals, diet products, products aimed at children (low-sugar or tooth-kind), low-carb foods, puddings, cereals, shakes, hot chocolate, salad dressings, laxatives, gelatin deserts, breath mints, vitamin tablets, and children's and adults medicine. You can also buy artificial sweeteners in boxes and jars to use as a sugar substitute for table use and baking. You will find them in many products labeled 'low-sugar' or 'no added sugar.'

The following are all artificial sweeteners; (sometimes foods are labelled 'contains [a source of] Phenylalanine' and some have brand names such as NutraSweet, Canderel, Equal, Splenda, and Benevia, as well as others).

* Acesulfame K; there has been doubt in the past about the safety of this additive, asit has been linked in animal tests to tumors, leukemia, and respiratory problems. It is currently accepted as safe. Due to its bitter after taste, is often used alongside Aspartame, which can be combined in such small amounts that it need not be identified on packaging.

* Saccharin E954; once carried the warning in the US "Use of this product may be hazardous to your health. This product contains saccharin which has been determined to cause cancer in laboratory animals". It was since shown that the animal experiments did not prove the same effect on the human body and the warning was removed. Saccharin is still linked to various problems in sensitive people such as eczema, asthma, rashes and loss of feeling in the extremities. The US government National Toxicology Program lists saccharine as an 'anticipated carcinogen' (cancer-causing chemical). The American Medical Association has recommended limiting the intake of saccharin in young children and pregnant women. I noticed that this was an ingredient in my children's toothpaste.

* Sucralose; also known by the brand name Splenda, is made by treating sugar with chlorine. Animal tests have shown organ damage, growth problems, and a reduction in white blood cell count. These tests have been dismissed by the manufacturers as being inconclusive or insufficient. Hundreds of industry tests have shown the products safety. Ten of these were conducted on healthy human subjects, but no tests have been made on the effects of long-term consumption.

* Sorbitol, Manitol, Isomalt, Xylitol, Lactitol; sugar alcohols which may cause reactions in sensitive people, such as; flatulence, diarrhea, and organ damage if consumed in large amounts.

* Aspartame E951 (hold on to your hats); a widely used chemical cousin of MSG, also known as NutraSweet and Canderel. Once allegedly listed by the Pentagon as a biological warfare agent, and first tested on monkeys in 1967. Out of 7 fed aspartame, one died and 5 others suffered seizures. Later research at Washington University showed that one of the main constituents of Aspartame produced brain lesions in baby mice. In 1998 the University of Barcelona conducted experiments showing that Aspartame broke down in the body to form formaldehyde, (a neurotoxin), and further lab-tests at Arizona State university showed that when heated it broke down to form Methanol, another poison.

The most recent lab research at The University of Liverpool measured the toxic effect of Aspar

tame on nerve cells when it was combined with the widely used colour, Quinoline yellow (E104). Results showed that the combination of the additives had an effect 7 times greater than when tested independently. The additives prevented normal nerve cell growth and signaling. Hundreds of other experiments have been conducted over the years, and despite repeated health scares, research, commissions, reviews, reports and court hearings, Aspartame has found its way into thousands of products. There are over 90 documented symptoms associated with Aspartame including; headache, dizziness, balance problems, mood swings, sickness and diarrhea, seizures, vision disturbance and deterioration, rashes, tiredness, hypoglycemia (low blood sugars), depression, manic episodes, hyperactivity in children, brain tumors, memory loss, and death.

Most complaints refer to neurological disorders, and in 1994 78% of complaints to the US Adverse Reaction Monitoring System were linked to Aspartame. Research conducted by the Sweetener Industry and the American Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) has always shown this product to be perfectly safe. Reviews of these studies have alleged some of them to be flawed, poorly conducted, misrepresented and biased. The Hyperactive Children's Support Group suggests that Aspartame is removed from children's food.

It was believed that these low-calorie and calorie-free sweeteners would help wage the battle against weight gain and obesity, and they are part of the multi-million dollar diet industry. However, the US which is the worlds largest consumer of sweeteners, also has the world largest obesity problems. It is now believed that sweeteners are partly responsible for the increase in weight problems; they encourage people to eat large amounts of 'diet' products which are unhealthy, and often still fattening. Research published in the International Journal of Obesity reveals that artificial sweeteners may actually promote obesity by tricking the body into thinking that foods contain few calories. It is also thought that sweeteners such as Aspartame make the body crave sugar and other carbohydrates.

I think that you can see now, that this is a sticky subject, and it is difficult to really know how safe or effective sweeteners are. But, there is one definite scientific fact available; sugar is safe. Use in sensible amounts, stay active and brush your teeth well.

Sweeten foods with unrefined brown sugar, honey, apple juice or apple puree. As with salt, you can retrain your brain to enjoy the taste of less sugar. Encourage children from a young age to enjoy drinking water rather than sugary and sweetened drinks, offer plenty of naturally sweet fruit and vegetables such as carrots, peppers, and squash. If you are concerned about the health effects of sweeteners, read the back of packaging carefully, make your own food and offer children good quality chocolate rather than dubious sweets. Try some Organic treats and snacks as these cannot contain artificial sweeteners and other baddies.

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