The Nov. 17 issue of the Journal Environmental Health Perspectives?(published by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences?of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services) carried an article that studied Aspartame's (NutraSweet or Equal are common brands) effect on cancer risk.??The doses of aspartame?include?normal levels that people would actually consume.? The rats were studied by autopsy and had a much higher rate of cancer than would have been expected.? The lead researcher?Morando Soffritti, MD said the results speak for themselves.? The manufacturers of these sweeteners claim that 30 years of studies have proven that synthetic (artificial) sweetener can be safely used.? The common sense response to this dilemna really is simple.
Natural sweeteners like honey, maple syrup, agave nectar, and molasses have been used for thousands of years with a great safety record.? They do cause blood sugar to increase and add calories to the diet.? Other sweeteners that are lower calorie or have no calories at all include:
- Stevia (I like Jay Robb's product)
- Xylitol
- Sorbitol
- Chinese Magic Fruit
Common Sense would dictate that you should err on the side of caution.? There are always two sides to every argument and I want you to be able to recognize that each party has an interest in proving their point.? If artificial sweeteners break down to methanol (wood alcohol) and formaldehyde (a known cancer producer) it would probably be wise to limit your exposure to them.? There is at least one recent study that strongly suggests this.? If the manufacturer of the product claims that the study is flawed and "doesn't count" they could be protecting their financial interest or really being scientific.? The researchers developed the study to look for something interesting.? Increased risk of cancer certainly fits the bill.? I'm not saying that either group lacks integrity.? I'm only concerned that your viewpoint and judgement is unclouded.? It doesn't really matter what motivates each party.? What matters is that you eat, drink and enjoy foods that will make you feel and function optimally.? Artificial sweeteners probably don't fit the bill.? Common sense isn't really that hard is it?
