Is aspartame really bad for you or is it just a conspiracy??

naturopath in training

There isn't enough proof either way. Everything is bad for you if you have too much of it. Are you drinking one or two diet cokes a day, or a whole case? i wouldn't worry about it. Too much sugar would be worse.

Well - has the FDA ever approved aspartame? don;t think so

My brother can drink 1 12 oz can of any diet soda with aspartame, and within 20 minutes have a 2 hour migraine.
So you know what his opinion of it is!

And what does aspartame break down to when absorbed into the body - hmmmmm - you need to do some research

all the best

Merry Christmas

The fear is that aspartame causes cancer. When it first came out the studies on rats showed the rats having high cancer rates. The argument was that rats small, human big. the amount of stuff needed to give a rat cancer is minimal compared to a human.
So although there is evidence that aspartame might cause cancer, it hasn't been proven yet.

No, aspartame is NOT bad for you. People used to believe it caused cancer but newer research has proved that wrong. Current research shows its safe to consume but at the same time, different studies always change what's believed to be correct. If you're not sure, just like anything else in nutrition, it's all about moderation. Personally, for artificial sweeteners, I like Splenda because it tastes the most similar to real sugar. It's made from real sugar that has been altered by attaching chlorine atoms to it...so its basically a chlorinated form of sugar. With such a structure, your body doesn't recognize it as food, therefore it contains zero calories.

The answer is determined by your definition of "bad"

"It is true, says Hattan, that aspartame ingestion results in the production of methanol, formaldehyde and formate--substances that could be considered toxic at high doses. But the levels formed are modest, and substances such as methanol are found in higher amounts in common food products such as citrus juices and tomatoes." from Sugar Substitutes: Americans Opt for Sweetness and Lite at http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/1999/69...

I do know one thing. I am highly allergic to alcohol and formaldehyde. Aspartame breaks down in the body as methanol and formaldehyde. All things in moderation. How many Diet Drinks does a person drink per day with aspartame in it? For me, One 12 oz can also gives me a headache and diarrhea. All bodies are different. So if the side effects are within your accepted definition of "good", then continue to use aspartame.

Good luck. As for me. I drink Distilled water.

Had to quit drinking it some years ago as I could not focus went from making A's to failing grades. Went from 1st chair violinist to out of the orchestra. I have known others with like stories