Aspartame

HL PLEASE READ THIS.

Aspartame is made of

1. Aspartic acid (which becomes aspartate in your body) - 40% by composition

Aspartate, a neurotransmitter, facilitates the transmission of information from neuron (nerve cell) to neuron, however, too much of it in the brain stimulates the neurons to death. The scariest thing about this is, you don't notice symptoms till at least 75% of your brain cells are gone.

2. Phenylalanine - 50%

This is an amino acid (basic protein compound) that is normally found in your brain. However, eating aspartame, especially together with carbohydrates, can lead to excessive levels of phenylalanine in your brain. So what? This can reduce the levels of serotonin, a hormone which regulates sleep and is also a neurotransmitter. Then you get sleep problems, anger, anxiety, and emotional disorders such as depression. Can also cause schizophrenia and make you more susceptible to seizures.

3. Methanol - 10%

Poison alert! Methanol is oxidised into formic acid and formaldehyde in your body. Formic acid leads to a rise in blood acidity, and formaldehyde, a toxin, allergen and carcinogen, is what we used to "fix" tissues for biology, or you can say to "preserve" the dead fish or whatever animal. I'm unable to check right now (dinner cooking downstairs) but IIRC formaldehyde is the main preservative used to "embalm" the cadavers for med students to do dissection. If you've been to the Body Works exhibition you'll remember there's a funny smell in the air - that's the formaldehyde. It stinks! And if you get some of it on your finger, the skin and underlying nerves will die. At least, that's what my tutor told me d:)

From Wikipedia - "An aqueous solution of formaldehyde can be useful as a disinfectant as it kills most bacteria and fungi (including their spores). It is also used as a preservative in vaccinations. Formaldehyde solutions are applied topically in medicine to dry the skin, such as in the treatment of warts. Many aquarists use formaldehyde as a treatment for the parasite ichthyophthirius."

Eew! As a preservative in vaccinations???

Symptoms of methanol poisoning include vision problems, headaches, dizziness, nausea, queasiness (did I get this word right?), weakness, numbness, memory lapses.

SO..... in WHAT can you find Aspartame?

Sugar substitutes eg. Equal, NutraSweet - use these to kill ants in your kitchen, hah!
Diet drinks eg. Diet Coke, Diet Pepsi
"Sugarless sweets" eg. Lakerol, Ricola, Eclipse (DH's current fav)
Chewing gum
Some brands of yogurt
Some vitamins (Redoxon!) and cough drops

So always check the INGREDIENTS on what you buy, "Sugar-free" may not necessarily be healthy, nor "Diet" foods and beverages. Don't eat or drink anything that has "Artificial Sweetener" on its ingredient list. Less calories but more toxins, is not the way to go.

(And they always taste very artificial.)