One of the reasons aspartame is said to cause weight gain is by making people feel as though they saved the calories on diet soda so they can eat more food than if they didn't.
Another reason is aspartame is said to cause depression which leads to eating more.
A source also said that formaldehyde in the aspartame stores in fat cells in the hips and thighs, and may cause problems with blood glucose control.
Whatever the case may be I would consider diet soda or just soda to be something to be enjoyed in moderation, just as all sweets and foods.
I heard a lot of disturbing facts in the video and in my sources, but found if it is unsafe it is for all people, not just diabetics. I do not think this is a topic I will quit looking into just because the assignment is over. My husband lives off of diet sodas at work, so I really would like to know more.
My argument will be based on artificial sweeteners, do the pros outweigh the cons.
References
Farley. A, "Symptoms of Aspartame Poisoning."LIVESTRONG.com. Demand Media. Web.16 August 2013.
"Aspartame." American Cancer Society. American Cancer Society. Web. 28 May 2014.
Humphries, P, Pretorius, E., Naude, H.Direct and “Indirect Cellular Effects of Aspartame On the Brain” European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Nature Publishing Group.2008. Library
Database.
Really interesting information, it confirms some of my personal opinions about aspartame. To read that people seem to want to trade off the calories from the soda, and the negative effects made a lot of sense to me. I feel many times, not just about food, we have the impulse to try and make a justification to indulge. I would like to know what the new sweeteners like Splenda and Truvia might be like in comparison to aspartame. Is there enough data to even know yet? It seems like it took years to learn of aspartame, and I wonder how long it will be until the data comes in on the new sweeteners, and how many people will have their health negatively impacted in the meantime. Thanks for a thought provoking post.
ReplyDeleteChristina, I am now informed on soda like I never have been before. Your post was strong, and to the point. Good work here. What I found interesting about your post was the chemicals/ ingredients they put in soda and other foods. Are these ingredients really that bad? Also, what else is put in our food(s) that can be deadly or toxic to our insides? It really makes you want to think twice about eating or drinking something that is bad for you, doesn't it? I do see how the effects of aspartame can contribute to human related things like depression, weight gain, and cause glucose problems. I'm a coffee drinker, I have recently cut down on how much I drink due to these issues. It makes sense when you really think about it. I agree with what you've presented; I don't see how nay one couldn't. You're very persuasive in this debate. Very good information, and well thought, detailed post.
ReplyDeleteNice job! Madison