Are Artificial Sweeteners Safe?

You've heard about the health risks that too much sugar in your diet can cause: increased insulin levels, diabetes, obesity, loss of important minerals, hormonal disturbance, food allergies, paralysis of the immune system, increased risk of cancer and other chronic diseases. You may be substituting artificial sweeteners, hoping to avoid these health risks.

According to Drs. Joseph Mercola and Kendra Degin Pearsall, popular artificial sweeteners such as saccharin, aspartame (brand name Nutri Sweet & Equal) and sucralose (brand name Splenda) are neither healthy or safe, but are more dangerous than sugar itself. Aspartame and Splenda are prevalent in diet soda pop and snacks. And don't expect the FDA to protect you - just remember all the drugs they previously approved that are now in the headlines because of lawsuits.

Saccharin was discovered by accident in 1879 by scientists who were researching Toluene, produced when making gasoline from crude oil and is highly toxic. A researcher spilled some on his hand and found it tasted sweet.

Aspartame (Nutri Sweet & Equal) was originally developed as a drug to treat peptic ulcer disease, and accidentally found to taste sweet. Senior FDA scientists and consultants protested approving the release of aspartame products because of disturbing findings in animal studies, seemingly flawed experimental data, and the absence of extensive premarketing trials on human beings over a prolonged period. Side effects reported less than one year after aspartame products hit the market were: headaches, dizziness, aggressive behavior, memory loss, extreme numbness, suicidal tendencies, severe mood swings, seizures, cardiac arrest and death. Manufacturers are now abandoning aspartame and replacing it with sucralose because of the health concerns and controversy surrounding aspartame.

Sucralose (Splenda) was discovered when a graduate student misunderstood a request for "testing" as a request for "tasting" it. It was made with a highly poisonous chemical added drop by drop to a sugar solution. It is advertised as "Made from sugar so it tastes like sugar." which is deceptive. A number of people are suing the makers of Splenda. Problems experienced by some people shortly after ingesting Splenda include: headaches, depression, seizures, panic, anxiety, numbing of the limbs, rashes, fatigue, bloating, diarrhea, stomach spasms, and elevated blood sugar. Symptoms disappeared in these people as soon as they stopped using Splenda. I can personally attest to this, as I have eczema and control it through diet and supplements. Last year, my husband and I tried a new weight loss/ fat burning energy drink called Celsius which contained Splenda, and every time I drank more than half of a bottle, I would within minutes have an eczema breakout.

There is so much more to the story of these artificial sweeteners than I can cover here. If you want more information, you might want to read "Sweet Deceptions" as it is a real eye-opener. Check back for Part 2 of this post, which will cover safe alternatives to sugar and artificial sweeteners.