I know it's been done to death but can you help me about aspartame

[hatingmyjob]

I am fairly laid back about food with my DCs. I am careful about the amount of sugar they have and they are naturally fairly good eaters (ie not too fussy) but I am concerned that I have totally missed the whole aspartame thing.

I have just got back from my weekly shop and I am horrified that nearly everything I pick up has aspartame in it (may be a slight exageration!).

Can anyone tell me what squash they buy that doesn't have it in and also, has anyone found decent fruit yogurts that aren't full of sugar for DCs.

I have always drunk a lot of diet coke and having just read a website about it's side effects I am stopping as of today (I suffer with both migraines and some mild anxiety and I am wondering if this is the cause?)

Sorry for the rambly post - am hungry and tired and a bit confused!

tesco own brand hi-juice has no aspartame.

decent fruit yoghurts try yeo valley or rachels. otherwise buy plain and add your own fruit.

i should say not all tesco own brand hi juice!! just the ones that aren't 'no added sugar'

also lidl do an aspartame free hi juice.

SOme Tesco Hi Juice does have Aspartame in. But most don't. Vimto doesn't. It's also called NutraSweet (or Natrasweet)

Diet COke has Phenylalanine in which is one of the main ingredients in Aspartame.

shop in sainsburys. none of their own brand squashes or soft drinks contain aspartame

Rocks organic squashes. And they are lush.

We have Rachel's organic or Yeo Valley yogurts (big pots) and I don't even look at the sugar proportions. The children really don't eat much sugar and I'd rather they enjoyed their yogurt than were forced to eat something entirely worthy.

thisisyesterday it's interesting you should say that becaus eI was thinking as I strolled round Tesco that they do seem to market junk type food much more than Sainsbury's. I also know that our local Sainsbury's sell te Yeo Valley that ruddynorah mentioned but Tesco don't.

Thanks for all the tips. I think I will have a read up and may well switch supermarkets. I always used to shop in Sainsbury's but switched when money was tight. I think it's time to go back!!!!!

Actually some sainsburys hi juice has aspartame in too.

Good point about the yogurt bibbity. I suppose it's easy to get over zealous.

really? their own brand? because I remmeber them putting signs up about having no aspartame in anything... i will investigate this and get on my high horse if i find out they were lying!!!!

OH dear. I have just looked online and its not Sainsburys High Juice at all!

So sorry!

oh phew! i was all ready to check the bottles next time i was in lol

sorry

i think i was recalling looking at all the robinsons juices which are next to the HIgh Juice in our Sainsburys.

@ OP.. If you're worried about headaches and anxiety there's more going on in Diet Cokes than just aspartame... caffeine, ascorbic acid & colourings, if you have too much of them, will affect you.

Like most chemi-foods, in small doses aspartame is not harmful. If your children were to have a glass of squash and a fruit yoghurt each day it would be unlikely to amount to damaging quantities - especially if they eat plenty of natural foods like vegetables & grains as the bulk of their diet.

I am very concerned about aspartame as my DD has been drinking Robinson no sugar squash for years, don't buy the stuff anymore in case aspartame is causing DD mood swings. Contacted Britvic.com and received a very informative reply listing several drinks without aspartame the helpline number is 0800 032 1767 or contact Britvic customer services via the website for the list of drinks.

Just a tip for anyone who likes to read the ingredients list, take a magnifying glass with you the information on the labels is so tiny to read. I think the manufacturers do this on purpose so we can't read whats in the product, clear on the front but a blur on the back

until recently only no added sugar drinks contained aspartane, but now it seems to be in all squashes and even the "added sugar" have aspartane in as well

i avoid this horrible stuff

i have found the answer is to drink the slightly more expensive added sugar high juices, or rocks cordials

even the non diet fizzy drinks now normally contain it, where as no long ago it was only diet

The Rock's squashes are gorgeous. I love the lemon one (very sweet). We are aspartame free too. I just can't believe it's good for you. OK sugar ain't great either but at least I know what it actually IS.

wow thisisyesturday

i never new that about sainsburys.... even waitrose normal squash has aspartane in it...

i dont normally go to sainsburys, (but can park there free for town if a spend a fiver there) so next time i will be stocking up on no aspartane containing soft drinks

(whispers i didnt believe you so checked myself on sainsburys on line and you are right, no aspartane (or phenylanline) in any of there own brand drinks )

Here, here for the Rock's squashes. The Bottlegreen and Belvior (extremely lovely) cordials also have only natural ingredients (if you consider refined sugar a natural ingredient, which I do for purposes of purchasing squash!).

Otherwise, fizzy water with lemon and is most refreshing! Try it for a while and you won't miss the sweetness, honest!

Although Rocks, Belvior and Bottlegreen are more expensive, they are sometimes on special offer, so it's worth stocking up!

I try to avoid aspartame and other artificial sweetners and have found them in baked beans (the low sugar ones), cakes, yoghurts and, as others say, 'normal' squashes and fizzy drinks. Not good.