This may very well be a touchy subject so… #dontshootthemessenger

There are lots of artificial sweeteners that are used as food additives, but today we are mainly focusing on Aspartame 951 because it is a really common additive found in food, beverages, gums and more.

After conducting extensive research into this additive when we added it to our Additive-Free Lifestyle app, not only can we not believe that it is still used, but we also cannot understand how it’s not banned!

But first, let’s take a trip down memory lane to when we were kids… the most common ingredients to sweeten foods were things like sugar, pure maple syrup, or honey.  And yes, we know that sugar isn’t great at all (in fact, it’s been shown to be 8 times more addictive than cocaine!), but aspartame puts even sugar to shame!

Then cut to the 1980s when the low-calorie or ‘lite’ phase within the food industry kicked in and everyone wanted low or zero-calorie sugar alternatives.  This led to these artificial sweeteners being created and added to so many of our foods.

What are artificial sweeteners?

They are sugar substitutes used as food additives that provide the sweetness of sugar without the calories.

Sounds good, right? Unfortunately, it’s not.

They may be derived through chemical synthesis or from plant extracts.  Artificial sweeteners are also sold in various forms such as pills/tablets, powders and liquids.

The most common artificial sweeteners are aspartame (also known as NutraSweet or Equal), sucralose (also known as Splenda), neotame, acesulfame potassium, cyclamate, and stevia.

Stevia is a bit of a hot topic because there are natural stevia and processed stevia.

Then there are sugar alcohols, the most common ones being xylitol, erythritol (aka monk fruit), and sorbitol.

Jo went through a period where she was cooking with monk fruit sweetener, but as she learned more and more about it, she felt it best for her to go back to the basics to sweeten food using things like honey – particularly raw honey.  Raw honey is by far better than processed honey where all the nutrients have been stripped out of it.  It is also important to know how the Apiarists treat their bees and pay attention to raw honey that comes from bees that are well taken care of, as opposed to processed honey where the bees are most likely not treated well at all.

We like to source our own raw honey from as close to us as possible via farmer’s markets or direct from the beekeeper.

🔥 HOT TIP FOR ALLERGY SUFFERERS

Did you know that if you consume honey from local hives in your area you get exposed (in tiny amounts) to the things you’re allergic to, which can make you less sensitive to them, thus supporting and reducing your allergic reactions.

There are a lot of beekeepers who will sell directly to the public if you have a hunt around your local area.  Even check out your local Facebook Marketplace as you are likely to find some on there.

What sugars do we prefer to use?

We try and get back to basics as much as possible, so our fave ones are:

  • 100% pure maple syrup
  • Raw honey
  • Organic raw sugar
  • Rapadura sugar
  • Coconut sugar

Ok… back to aspartame!

What is aspartame?

As stated above, aspartame is an artificial non-saccharide sweetener 180-200 times sweeter than sucrose and is most commonly used as a sugar substitute. It was first approved for use in the United States in 1981. It can also be known as NutraSweet or Equal.  It is chemically processed and made from aspartic acid and phenylalanine.

Where can it be found?

It is most commonly found in ‘diet’, ‘low fat’, ‘zero sugar, ‘zero calorie’, ‘sugar-free’ foods, and drinks.

The list is long, but here’s a guide to give you an idea of where to find it:

  • Soft drinks (Sprite, Diet Coke, Pepsi Max etc.)
  • Cordial
  • Sports drinks (ie. Zero Gatorade)
  • Energy drinks
  • Confectionary
  • Jelly
  • Yoghurt
  • Flavoured milk
  • Puddings
  • Nutrition bars
  • Ice-cream
  • Hot chocolate powders
  • Fruits and vegetables in vinegar, brine, or alcohol
  • Fruit and vegetable spreads
  • Fruit and vegetable juice products
  • Flour products
  • Biscuits
  • Cakes
  • Pastries
  • Tabletop sweeteners – Equal and NutraSweet
  • Sport foods
  • Coffee
  • Coffee substitutes
  • Tea
  • Herbal infusions and similar products
  • Custard mix
  • Custard powder and blancmange powder
  • Dairy and fat based desserts
  • Dips and snacks
  • Sauces and toppings (including mayonnaise and salad dressings)
  • Soup bases
  • Pharmaceutical products

So, when we say it’s everywhere… it really is EVERYWHERE!

What are the possible reactions to aspartame?

Reactions can manifest over time and may not happen immediately with reports of this additive having major long-term side effects, such as leukaemia.  Asthmatics should also avoid it as it may cause respiratory issues.

Evidence suggests that consumption of aspartame when pregnant may promote weight gain and learning difficulties for the baby. Studies identified pregnant and lactating rats altered gut microbiota of their offspring causing impaired adiposity and glucose intolerance (diabetes) in early life. This finding is despite no direct consumption of sweeteners by the offspring (meaning this came from breast milk).

Aspartame may increase appetite, leading to weight gain.  Yep… ironic, we know! An ingredient that is added to low-calorie foods as being a better alternative to sugar to avoid weight gain actually causes weight gain because it makes you hungrier, thus making you eat more and consume more calories.  It also encourages your sweet tooth and leaves it wanting more, when in fact you may want the opposite to lessen your sweet food/drink cravings.

It may affect gut health by disrupting the balance and diversity of bacteria living in the gut.

Some research suggests that aspartame can be linked to cancer including lymphoma, leukaemia, urinary tract tumours and neurological tumours.

It may also be linked to neurodegenerative diseases such as alzheimer’s, parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis and seizures.

It may cause toxicity to the kidneys, liver, and salivary glands.

It’s interesting to note that our Mum was a massive… we’re talking massive consumer of not just diet coke but also low-fat, low-calorie foods, and drinks.  In 2019 she was diagnosed with leukaemia and went through hell battling it.  Now, we must say that we don’t have the proof or science to conclude that the consumption of these products caused her leukaemia, but as more and more studies come out it is important to get super curious about these things, to become better informed and better aware of these fake ingredients that are ending up in our foods and drinks.

How do you avoid it?

As harsh as it sounds, stop consuming it, and remove it from your diet completely.

It’s important to understand that the years and years of marketing you have been exposed to that low-calorie or low-fat foods are better, is simply that… a clever marketing tactic that’s been used for decades to get you to believe that a low-fat diet is the better way to live.  In actual fact this is not the case when you learn about the nasty additives, such as aspartame, that exist in these foods/drinks.

We know that it can be hard to untrain your brain/body to not want these things anymore when you may have had prolonged periods of consumption, but we promise it can be done.  At the end of the day your health is paramount and too important to not be your main concern.

The thing to realise is that you don’t need to freak out about not drinking your fave soft drink or whatever it might be that contains artificial sweeteners anymore because you can swap things out.

It’s a mindset shift in that… stop focusing on what you can’t have and focus on what you CAN have. Turn the negative into a positive because we all know that a negative mindset only begets more negativity.

Instead, focus on all the new and exciting foods and drinks you can try that don’t contain nasty ingredients that are going to damage your health.

What can you swap it to?

Drink water, mineral water or 100% fruit juice.  Jo weaned herself off her Diet Coke addiction over to water and one kombucha a day.  Yes, it took time, but it was definitely worth the effort.

You could even make your own cordial concentrate (it’s so simple to make) and have a bit of that with mineral water to create your own ‘soft drink’.

Search the supermarkets for natural ‘soft drinks’ that have good, clean ingredients.  If you’re unsure of the ingredients use our Additive-Free Lifestyle app to scan the label and see.

When cooking use natural sugars like coconut sugar, rapadura sugar, dates, date syrup, organic raw cane sugar, or raw honey.

LOWER your sugar intake wherever you can because it’s more addictive than cocaine – that’s a fact.

Do what you can with the best you have – if out for dinner enjoy a lemon, lime and bitters if that’s what you want but it’s the everyday habits that matter.

What about other family members that drink or eat food with artificial sweeteners?

We get this can be really hard, especially when it comes to spouses because they’re adults who can make their own decisions. The only thing you can do is educate them on the risks of artificial sweeteners. The same goes for your children, educate them as best as you can so that, hopefully, they will take on board that information and make better informed decisions

The best you can do is lead by example and tell them how much better you feel knowing you’re not consuming these nasties any longer.

Consider getting our Additive-Free Lifestyle app on a family package so your spouse can have it on their phone too, where they can scan ingredients when shopping to make better food and drink choices.

At the end of the day, you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make them drink… they have to do that themselves.

Good luck! We know you’ve got this, and you can make the changes necessary to better your health.

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Much love,
Jo & Tracey x