The Dangers of Artificial Sweeteners
By Susan Palmquist
Back to school
time often means thinking about what to put in your child’s lunchbox. If you’re like most parents,
you’re probably concerned about the increasing rate of
childhood diabetes and obesity.
But before
you to decide to switch to foods and drinks containing artificial
sweeteners, you should know that a recent article
in The New York Times reported that giving
your child things like diet sodas could be doing more harm than
good.
Beware of aspartame
One ingredient you should be especially cautious about is aspartame.
It’s estimated that more than 100 million people in the
United States, including a large percentage of children and
adolescents, drink aspartame-sweetened drinks on a regular
basis.
“Aspartame was not developed as a sweetener but as a treatment
for people suffering from peptic ulcers. It’s been associated
with hyperactivity, irritability, aggression and concentration
problems. Since children’s brains are still developing,
they are highly vulnerable to the chemicals it contains,” says
Jane Hersey, director of the Feingold Association, a New York-based
non-profit organization of families and professionals who are
dedicated to helping children and adults apply dietary techniques
for better behavior, learning and health.
The masquerade
Aspartame is often sold as Equal and Nutrasweet® and is made
of the amino acids aspartic acid, phenylalanine and methanol
(also known as wood alcohol). Once ingested, aspartame is changed
in our bodies to formaldehyde, according to Hersey. And should
it be exposed to heat — for example, a can of diet soda
sitting out in the sun — aspartame becomes even more toxic.
Even if you
don’t see the words aspartame written on the
ingredient list, don’t think it’s safe to consume.
When the patent for aspartame was running out, the manufacturer
developed a new and more potent version of the synthetic sweetener.
By adding 3-dimethylbutl to aspartame, scientists increased its
sweetening power. It’s now listed as neotame.
Hersey says
that although the FDA approved neotame in 2003, Europe has
still not accepted it. Although neotame is not marketed
directly to consumers as a tabletop sweetener, it’s used
in several hundred different food products and often combined
with other artificial sweeteners. Many times it’s used
in foods without even being listed because the FDA doesn’t
require labels to include ingredients that make up less than
one percent of a product.
So
what’s
the best advice for a parent?
“
One thing the Feingold Association isn’t against is sugar,” says
Hersey. “We’re not saying it’s good, but it’s
not bad. Many times parents report that their children became
hyperactive after they eat something like sugar-coated cereal
without realizing that the cereal also contains artificial colors
and additives that are the most likely culprits.”
Hersey points out that many children eat sugar-laden foods on
an empty stomach, which often causes the hyperactivity. She adds
that while research is still in progress, there’s some
evidence that you don’t necessarily lose weight when you
consume products containing artificial sweeteners.
“If your child is used to eating sweet things, don’t
think they can be weaned off those foods overnight,” she
says. “Cut down on the sugar content gradually so their
taste buds will get accustomed to less sweetness. Switch to a
low-sugar chocolate pudding; if they like M&Ms®, buy
brands such as Sunspire. And cut back on the sugar you add to
things like cakes and brownies.”
Even smaller community stores are now stocking foods like natural
cookies, gummi bears and jellybeans.
Watch out for products containing high fructose corn syrup,
which can lead to weight gain.
And even
if you’re not sending your child off to school
with food from home, be aware that school lunch entrees can be
deceiving when it comes to ingredients like sugar.
“We checked the pork patties served in one school cafeteria
and found nine different versions of corn syrup,” says
Hersey. But don’t assume that it’s impossible to
change the foods that are served at your child’s school;
Hersey suggests visiting http://www.school-lunch.org for ideas
on how to promote healthier school lunches.
© Susan
Palmquist
NFO
Vegetarian Lifestyle Editor Susan Palmquist is a freelance
writer who specializes in food, health and wellness topics.
She is a contributing editor for Garden and Hearth
Publishing. Her weekly column “Eating
Well on a Budget” can be viewed every Friday.
