Can someone tell me why aspartame is so awful?

[chonky]

I really want to kick my Diet Coke habit, and it would help for me to understand the horrors of what aspartame does to me. It'll give me the kick up the backside that I need. Can anyone help please (we need hunker back )?

I read it can be carcenogenic - other than that I don't know but that alone is enough to put me off. Also, any artifical sweetener actually increases your sweet tooth, because your body realises it isn't getting the sugar it thinks it is and wants more sweet stuff to maintain the 'fix', so you're going to crave chocs and biccies more and more.

It causes hyperactivity in kids.

It can clean a dirty penny.

It tastes fake and gives you a false buzz.

Water is so much nicer!

Wean yourself off it gradually and switch to a fruit juice if you need sweetness.

Information here

Also, if you need a buzz, there was a scientific test that showed you only needed to taste sugar to start acting as if you had more energy - so even if you have a mouthful of something with real sugar in and spat it out you'd still feel you had more energy. Can't remember the explanation for it but they proved it scientifically.

Blimey, that's scary reading!

Thanks everyone - that is interesting (and very scary) reading. The mention of formaldehyde has done it for me. Time to stick to fruit juice and water.