Some people go bananas when they hear this, some even go grilled chicken with red whine...
I see the snark is strong within you. Since you've decided from your experience that aspartame causes depression, let's take a very simple example that will challenge your feelings.
Aspartame has three components: phenylalanine (the most common amino acid), aspartic acid (another amino acid), and methanol.
A 12 oz. Diet Coke contains the following:
The average banana contains 60 mg. of phenylalanine, 146 mg. of aspartic acid, and 21 mg. of methanol
So, combining your experience with simple math and basic reasoning, we can conclude that bananas do, in fact, cause depression.
How about a better example?
A 3 oz. piece of grilled chicken, eaten with a cup of tomato juice, contains the following:
So, a small piece of grilled chicken with just a cup of tomato juice will give you almost 12 times more phenylalanine than the amount of aspartame found in a can of Diet Coke; 33 times more aspartic acid, and more than 4 times the amount of methanol.
There better be a closet full of Prozac in your house should you ever get so brave as to take on 3 ounces of chicken with a glass of tomato juice. Either that, or put yourself on suicide watch.
I know your feelings, er, I mean, experience, causes you to believe this sweetener causes depression. Aspartame is blamed for all sorts of afflictions, but when you bother to consider some very simple science, It's all pretty silly, really.
Some people can’t tolerate aspartame, I’m one of them too, extreme gastro-intestinal (instant). Same with anything ending in -tol, malitol-sorbitol-xylitol, etc.(my dentist loves me-no sugar free gum or mints for me)
Bananas, Chicken and Tomatoes?
No issues.
Everyone is different
I too think there’s something wrong with aspartame and I’m glad I can’t consume it - I used to years ago - caught up with me.
Eating out in restaurants can be ‘exciting’
It’s by no means silly.
Assuming, of course, that the ONLY metabolic breakdown products of aspartame are phenylalanine, aspartic acid and methanol. Assuming it NEVER breaks down in half, or quarters or 60/40. Assuming that no one could possibly have an enzyme variant that, for example, leaves an odd methyl group stuck to what was once an innocent amino acid.
And of course, I’d also have to neglect my own personal experience, the deliberate test of the hypothesis, the deliberate repeat of the experiment with the same results, and the same results happening after accidental and unknown at-the-time exposures.
Who am I gonna believe? You or my own lyin’ eyes?
You tell me.