If you drink Diet or Zero Calorie drinks, you’ve got to hear this. The International Agency for Research on Cancer just declared the popular artificial sweetener, Aspartame, as a possible carcinogen. (1) That means there’s evidence it can cause cancer in humans, specifically liver cancer.
You’ll find aspartame in so many “sugar free” products, like chewing gum, energy drinks, diet drinks, and snacks.
I see a lot of people trying to dismiss this news and say it’s not a big deal…
“Cancer scare around aspartame is mostly unfounded: Lovers of Diet Coke have little to fear“ – The Economist (2)
“Aspartame may be linked to cancer, but officials say it’s safe“ – Houston Chronicle (3)
“Aspartame Isn’t Great for You, But It (Probably) Won’t Kill You” – Bon Appétit (4)
The truth is, there were (and still are!) many reasons to avoid Aspartame even before this news broke.
Here are the facts:
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Number one: Aspartame is an artificial ingredient.
It’s not real food.
Aspartame was originally created in a lab during pharmaceutical development. It was found to be sweet on accident when a researcher licked his finger! (5)
It was never intended to be used in food, but somehow the FDA green-lit it and now it’s added to thousands of products on grocery store shelves. It’s safety has been questioned ever since! Many studies have linked Aspartame to cancer over the years, but the FDA has done nothing to stop its use. (9)
A 2022 study found that aspartame drinkers are more likely to get cancer:
A peer-reviewed study in France found that people are more likely to get cancer if they consume artificial sweeteners (such as Aspartame). The researchers studied the diet data of over 102,000 french citizens over a 10 year period (2009 to 2021). People who consumed artificial sweeteners often (Aspartame and Acesulfame Potassium) were more likely to get cancer. Specifically breast and obesity-related cancers. Heavy Aspartame intake was associated with a 22% increased risk of breast cancer! (10)
Making things worse… Aspartame can contribute to weight gain by encouraging sugar cravings.
Although artificial sweeteners have no calories, research finds they stimulate your appetite, increase sugar cravings, and promote fat storage and weight gain. (6) When you eat something sweet – even when it has no calories – your brain is tricked into wanting more calories because your body is not getting enough energy (i.e. calories) to be satisfied. So you keep craving sweets, eating sweets, and gaining weight.
This is why a lot of people never reach their full health potential or weight loss goals, because they are constantly being pushed around by these chemical artificial sweeteners that trick the brain and body.
In one study, researchers from the University of Texas discovered that drinking sodas made with artificial sweeteners may expand waist size, which is a risk factor in type 2 diabetes. (7) People who drank sodas had 70% greater increases in waist circumference compared with people who didn’t drink diet soda. Those who drank 2 or more diet sodas a day had 500% greater waist circumference increases! And in a following study they found that Aspartame raised fasting blood sugar in mice. (7)
Do you know anyone who buys products with Aspartame? Check the list below and share this post with them!
You’ll find aspartame in products labeled “diet” and “zero sugar”, and it’s not just in drinks. Aspartame is in some frozen pops and kid’s snacks.
- Diet Coke
- Diet Pepsi
- Sprite Zero
- 7UP Zero
- Diet Mountain Dew
- A&W Zero Sugar Root Beer
- Diet Snapple
- Minute Maid Zero Sugar Drinks
- Gold Peak Diet Iced Tea
- Sugar Free Jell-O Cups
- Sugar-Free Red Bull
- Crystal Light
- Country Time Zero Sugar Lemonade Mix
- Sugar-Free Gum (most major brands)
- Mrs. Butterworth’s Lite Pancake Syrup
- Fudgsicles
Next time you see someone defending the use of man-made chemicals like Aspartame… Make sure you question WHY.
Are they getting funding from BIG Food companies that use Aspartame? Sometimes that’s the case! (8)
So, what do you think of this news? Tell me in the comments!
Xo,
Vani
References:
- https://www.who.int/news/item/14-07-2023-aspartame-hazard-and-risk-assessment-results-released
- https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2023/07/13/why-a-cancer-scare-around-aspartame-is-mostly-unfounded
- https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/health/article/houston-aspartame-artificial-sweetener-cancer-18200775.php#:~:text=After%20taking%20a%20dietary%20exposure,not%20pose%20a%20health%20concern.
- https://www.bonappetit.com/story/aspartame-carcinogenic#:~:text=Today%2C%20the%20FDA%20states%20on,of%20body%20weight%20per%20day.
- https://www.saveur.com/artificial-sweeteners/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2892765/
- https://news.uthscsa.edu/related-studies-point-to-the-illusion-of-the-artificial/
- https://foodbabe.com/dont-let-internet-trolls-stop-you-from-sharing-the-truth-about-our-food/
- https://www.cspinet.org/article/aspartame
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35324894/
This has been a toxic chemical used in the food industry for DECADES, and they are JUST recognizing it NOW as a “possible carcinogen” …. shameful beyond words. Actual every day white sugar – no matter how many negative effects it has on health – is better than this toxic chemical!
I’ve know for years it was bad. But I do spread the word when I read more that you’re revealing constantly because people just don’t get the truth. The government doesn’t give one iota about our food nor our health. Makes me nauseous. Most people today don’t want to cook their own food. Instead they take their littles out for poison. I try hard to give my grandchildren the best of food I can prepare. Thank you so much for continuing to dig and reveal what’s in the food most people buy everyday.
So what drinks are better for you?
water
Water from RO carbon filter – it’s almost pure H2O (needs nutrients)
ORGANIC green & black tea
Organic coffee (guaranteed organic)
Not rainwater (has graphene from ChemTrails)
Not utility water (has 16 allowed minerals)
Nothing with FLUORIDE
Water
Another aspect of this product is that it gave me a constant yeast infection for years. This was before the remedy was available over the counter. Finally my X read the insert on the monostat and it stated aspartame caused yeast infections. That was over 30 years ago. I haven’t had a yeast infection since.
It’s not the aspartame, it’s the aluminum cans the soda comes in. But that’ll come out in 30 more years. Maybe.
According to the National Library of Medicine:
Non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS), especially in form of diet soda, have been linked to metabolic derangements (e.g. obesity and diabetes) in epidemiologic studies. We aimed to test acute metabolic effects of NNS in isolation (water or seltzer) and in diet sodas.
Whay are diet soda drinkers usually heavy? And it is SO addictive.
This makes me want to cry. I’m angry! In 1981 I was pregnant with my first child. I became hypoglycemic. I was told to use aspartame. My daughter just had her kidney removed stage for cancer at the age of 40. That’s not her only health problem!
Could aspartame be the reason?