The Dangers of Aspartame

Aspartame is made up of three toxic chemicals:

1. Phenylalanine (50 %) - Phenylalanine decreases the amount of serotonin in your brain, which leads to mood swings, depression and an increased appetite.
2. Aspartic Acid (40%) - Aspartic Acid is a neurological toxin comparable to MSG.
3. Methanol (10%) - Methanol, also known as wood alcohol, a deadly poison.  In the body, methanol breaks down into formaldehyde, which passes freely through your blood brain barrier to cause brain damage.  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommends limiting consumption of methanol to 7.8 mg/day.  A one-liter aspartame-sweetened beverage contains approximately 56 mg of methanol.

Aspartame can be found in nearly 6000 products, such as, cereals, soft drinks, yogurt, breath mints, pharmaceuticals, supplements, multi-vitamins, artificial sweeteners (NutraSweet and Equal), sugar-free chewing gum, etc.

The Department of Health and Human Services has identified 91 symptoms associated with aspartame, the number 1 reported symptom being headaches, other symptoms include dizziness, mood changes, nausea and stomach pain.

Shared with:  the healthy home economist