Back on 30 September 1980, a public Board of Inquiry advised against the approval of aspartame, stating: "The Board has not been presented with proof of a reasonable certainty that aspartame (NutraSweet) is safe for use as a food additive under its intended conditions of use." In 1981, however, the FDA approved aspartame for consumer use based on studies that seem tainted by heavy financial interest in its approval.

To many medical practitioners and consumer interest groups, the approval was a gross betrayal of public trust. "To think that there is even a reasonable doubt that aspartame can induce brain tumors in the American population is frightening. And to think that the FDA has lulled them into a false sense of security is a monumental crime," writes Dr. Russell L. Blaylock in Excitotoxins. In 2005, twenty-five years after the initial Board of Inquiry's caution against approval, numerous adults and children consume aspartame-sweetened products on a daily basis, despite reservations regarding its safety.

The next time you pop open a can of diet soda, pause for a moment to consider what exactly you're drinking. As the aspartame gets broken down in your digestive tract, a metabolic by-product called DKP appears. According to Dr. Blaylock, when your stomach processes DKP, it produces a compound very similar to N-nitrosourea, a powerful brain tumor-causing chemical. In addition, aspartame contains methanol, which the body breaks down into formic acid and formaldehyde. Formaldehyde is one of the main substances pumped into a dead body during the embalming process.

Now, when I'm dead, the morticians can pump formaldehyde into my body. Before then, however, I don't want to be pumped full of any chemical used in the embalming process, and I'm sure you don't, either. According to Dr. Blaylock, formaldehyde accumulates near DNA and causes serious damage. "Drinking even one diet cola a day can cause formaldehyde buildup in cells, so that the amount of the toxin increases daily," he writes in Health and Nutrition Secrets.

You can visit the website for Equal, which says that aspartame-induced tumours, migraines, seizures and nervous system disorders are just "urban myths." If you believe that, you probably also believe the aspartame industry's argument that the studies that resulted in the condemnation of their products were based on lab rats instead of humans. Just take note, however, that "spontaneous brain tumors in laboratory rats are extremely rare," according to Dr. H.J. Roberts in Aspartame (NutraSweet): Is It Safe?. So before you believe what the manufacturers of aspartame products would like to tell you, consider first the fact that for extensively-studied, generic laboratory rats, "brain tumors are extremely rare before age one and one-half," according to Dr. Blaylock. Afterward, compare that observation to study results cited by Dr. Blaylock that indicate "aspartame-fed rats developed two tumors by 60 weeks of age and five tumors by 70 weeks." Now, do you still believe it's an "urban myth?"

In light of the truth regarding the safety of aspartame products, it is ironic that consumers often turn to no-calorie diet products because of concern for their health, especially in regard to obesity. The aspartame industry promises consumers a reduction in calories without having to drastically change their diet. Unfortunately, misinformed consumers believe this. To the more informed readers out there: Don't beguile yourselves chasing false promises. You can lose weight by maintaining a healthy lifestyle through exercise and good food choices. The NaturalNews website can provide you with information you need to start making these changes. Additionally, if you want a truly natural way to sweeten your foods and drinks, try stevia. You can learn more about stevia at NaturalNews's stevia archive. The right information is available to you, but it's up to you to discern the good from the bad and make healthy lifestyle choices.

Internet site reference: http://www.naturalnews.com