Which Sweeteners Have Aspartame? Are They Bad for the Body?

By Shannon Azares, Christian Post Contributor Thursday, May 18, 2017

The current decade has found a fad that may turn out to be more dangerous for people if done the unhealthy way. Magazines and other media forms are relentlessly marketing the slim body and the seemingly endless benefits of losing weight. As a result, companies are producing products that contain fewer calories and can benefit someone looking to slim down. But are these products really beneficial?

According to Dr. Joseph Mercola, a substance found in artificial sweeteners such as NutraSweet, Spoonful and Equal-Measure called aspartame is probably the most dangerous substance found in anything edible and ingestible. Aspartame is common in sweeteners that do not contain the common sugar which companies claim to be the highlight of these products, especially when losing weight.

Composed of 40 percent aspartic acid, 50 percent phenylalanine and 10 percent methanol, aspartame can be found in over 6,000 different products, including diet sodas. When ingested separately, the substances that make up aspartame can be beneficial to the body. But when combined, these same substances can overexcite the nervous system and at its worst, cause seizures and death.

A recent study has found that diet sodas, which contain a dangerous amount of aspartame, is associated with higher risk of stroke and dementia. This can be explained by the effect of aspartic acid, which can stimulate one's brain cells to death; and phenylalanine, which can break down the brain's natural makeup, which causes one to be more susceptible to chronic illnesses, such as Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's.

Aside from diet soda, aspartame can be found in other products such as chewing gum, jellies, baked goods, coffee, fruit juice, ice cream and yogurt. These products are usually marketed to someone who would like to drop a few pounds by cutting down sugar intake and calories. As a result, they turn to artificial sweeteners that contain aspartame.

Because of the recent findings on this topic, people are advised to be cautious in choosing brands and products that contain the substance.