Posted on 09/14/2022 8:47:05 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
New study raises concerns about diet sodas
Wednesday, a new study was published in the BMJ:
Artificial sweeteners and risk of cardiovascular diseases: results from the prospective NutriNet-Sante cohort
The researchers found a potential link between the consumption of artificial sweeteners and heart disease.
The study involved over 100,000 adults in France.
The researchers concluded that "the findings from this large scale prospective cohort study suggest a potential direct association between higher artificial sweetener consumption (especially aspartame, acesulfame potassium, and sucralose) and increased cardiovascular disease risk. Artificial sweeteners are present in thousands of food and beverage brands worldwide, however they remain a controversial topic and are currently being re-evaluated by the European Food Safety Authority, the World Health Organization, and other health agencies."
According to the article, the objective of the study was to research "the associations between artificial sweeteners from all dietary sources (beverages, but also table top sweeteners, dairy products, etc), overall and by molecule (aspartame, acesulfame potassium, and sucralose), and risk of cardiovascular diseases (overall, coronary heart disease, and cerebrovascular disease)."
According to the FDA:
Aspartame
Aspartame is approved for use in food as a nutritive sweetener. Aspartame brand names include Nutrasweet, Equal, and Sugar Twin. It does contain calories, but because it is about 200 times sweeter than table sugar, consumers are likely to use much less of it.
FDA approved aspartame in 1981 (46 FR 38283) for uses, under certain conditions, as a tabletop sweetener, in chewing gum, cold breakfast cereals, and dry bases for certain foods (i.e., beverages, instant coffee and tea, gelatins, puddings, and fillings, and dairy products and toppings). In 1983 (48 FR 31376), FDA approved the use of aspartame in carbonated beverages and carbonated beverage syrup bases, and in 1996, FDA approved it for use as a "general purpose sweetener." It is not heat stable and loses its sweetness when heated, so it typically isn't used in baked goods.
Aspartame is one of the most exhaustively studied substances in the human food supply, with more than 100 studies supporting its safety.
FDA scientists have reviewed scientific data regarding the safety of aspartame in food and concluded that it is safe for the general population under certain conditions. However, people with a rare hereditary disease known as phenylketonuria (PKU) have a difficult time metabolizing phenylalanine, a component of aspartame, and should control their intake of phenylalanine from all sources, including aspartame. Labels of aspartame-containing foods and beverages must include a statement that informs individuals with PKU that the product contains phenylalanine.
Acesulfame potassium (Ace-K)
Acesulfame potassium is approved for use in food as a non-nutritive sweetener. It is included in the ingredient list on the food label as acesulfame K, acesulfame potassium, or Ace-K. Acesulfame potassium is sold under the brand names Sunett and Sweet One. It is about 200 times sweeter than sugar and is often combined with other sweeteners.
FDA approved acesulfame potassium for use in specific food and beverage categories in 1988 (53 FR 28379), and in 2003 approved it as a general purpose sweetener and flavor enhancer in food, except in meat and poultry, under certain conditions of use. It is heat stable, meaning that it stays sweet even when used at high temperatures during baking, making it suitable as a sugar substitute in baked goods.
Acesulfame potassium is typically used in frozen desserts, candies, beverages, and baked goods. More than 90 studies support its safety.
Sucralose
Sucralose is approved for use in food as a non-nutritive sweetener. Sucralose is sold under the brand name Splenda. Sucralose is about 600 times sweeter than sugar.
FDA approved sucralose for use in 15 food categories in 1998 and for use as a general purpose sweetener for foods in 1999, under certain conditions of use. Sucralose is a general purpose sweetener that can be found in a variety of foods including baked goods, beverages, chewing gum, gelatins, and frozen dairy desserts. It is heat stable, meaning that it stays sweet even when used at high temperatures during baking, making it suitable as a sugar substitute in baked goods.
Sucralose has been extensively studied and more than 110 safety studies were reviewed by FDA in approving the use of sucralose as a general purpose sweetener for food.
New study raises concerns about diet sodas
Wednesday, a new study was published in the BMJ:
Artificial sweeteners and risk of cardiovascular diseases: results from the prospective NutriNet-Sante cohort
The researchers found a potential link between the consumption of artificial sweeteners and heart disease.
I hardly drink any soft drinks.
I’m skeptical. Where is the study?
Research 101:
Correlation is not causation.
CC
Sure when you factor in the “bacon double cheeseburger super sized with a Diet Coke” phenomenon. I love the taste of diet soda, and it really helps me maintain my weight bc I’m a calorie counter. I rarely drink alcohol, so I basically never need to enter drinks into my food app. It makes life a lot easier.
The article is on so called diet drinks but the focus is on artificial sweetners. Stevia is natural so it is not included.
Anybody than wants to read more on this google Dr Weil and Sucralose/Aspartame or Stevia.
Dr. Weil says to avoid artificial Sweetners such as Splenda (Sucralose). He says it is better to use moderate amounts of sugar.
The only non-caloric sweetner he would use is Stevia, an herb.
Any drink that has Sucraloe in it, I put it back that includes Bang energy. I am trying to avoid them. Grab a green tea or water instead.
Correlation does not imply causation. Unless direct evidence is found linking the ingredients in diet soda to strokes, there’s no reason not to believe that people who love to drink diet sodas just tend to be people living unhealthy lifestyles making them more prone to strokes.
Safe and effective.
unconvinced, but based on my own limited knowledge, recommend erithrotol, which often is mixed with stevia.
From what I read, erithritol is the only one that doesn’t raise blood sugar levels.
The others may raise blood sugar levels, but the effect may be less if you use them all the time.
But stevia is almost never sold in pure form. Usually mixed with erithritol, sometimes with other artifical sweeteners.
But the package will say “Stevia” even though it’s not the first ingredient.
I suspect the study is biased by the sugar industry.
When we were about to go out into the aisle with the cart, I opened the door and realized she had heated the cereal. I lifted one of the cups off the tray and this gross, black, sticky goo was underneath each one. On heating, the Splenda had melted into a tarry black mystery substance.
Research reveals that when sucralose is heated to above 248 °F (120 °C), it may dechlorinate and decompose into compounds that could be harmful enough to risk consumer health.
One of my doctor friends is an oncologist. He advises his patients to stay away from all soft drinks. I took his advice to heart and haven’t touched them in over 20 years.
Research Stevia. Its non of that crap.
It was fun having to explain what the sticky black goo was to all 132 passengers. And give them each a little plastic airline cup to pour their cereal into.
Dear Editor etc...
https://www.bmj.com/content/378/bmj-2022-071204/rapid-responses
[Snip]
“Whereas in the text of the article, the authors correctly mention that causation may not be derived from the results of the study, their abstract and main tune of the text leads readers to the understanding of sweeteners as a cause of the disease. The wording ‘risk factors’ may help, but for a long time it has been misused as a synonym for causative factor.”
Ahh, no. Its not 1970 and we arent talking about TAB. This crap is snuck into damned near everything for everyone.
Young people all over are drinking this garbage because their idiot parents told them its safer and will help them avoid diabetes. Little toddlers have no choice and dont know any better but are regularly drinking this stuff because companies we knew (Little Hugs, Tang, etc) as kids have changed the ingredients we had for for a cocktail of manmade garbage that contains two or three of these in the same product.
Ive been watching labels and avoiding this stuff since it came out but most people dont realize where it has been added in products they trusted. That chewing gum youve always used? Yup, its in there now. “Healthy” juices? Yup, full of it. Those fruit cups that are soooo good for your kids? Yup, there too. How about some light yogurt? Whipped sweetener. Speaking of sweetener, that “creamer” so many of you use in your coffee? Many of those are full of it too especially the flavored ones. You should have stuck with that evil racist dairy.
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