Aspartame has been given a 'posh' new name, but don't be fooled, this stuff is toxic.

[solo]

I don't know how many other parents ban this stuff from their Dc's diet.
I don't let it pass my Dc's lips if I can help it.
The link makes some interesting reading.

TOXIC

YOur link is to Aspartame controversy - not aspartame, which has been banned in several countries - now tell me there is no risk

lol at Wiki being more reliable

I don't knowingly touch the stuff. Hopefully all products will still be marked up as containing phenylalanine (sp) so we can avoid it.

phenylalanine is labelled on foods so that people with PKU (inability to breakdown phenylalanine) know it's there and can avoid it. PKU sufferers can have brain damage if they have more than tiny amounts of phenylalanine. You would know if you or one of your children had PKU, it's one of the conditions they check with the heel prick test.

Phenylalanine is an essential amino acid, cannopt be made by humans and is needed for normal development. It's in a huge range of foods.

Fishie, anyone can dispute a Wiki article. The point I was making is that the claims made in the article are referenced - they are backed up by reliable and authenticable source material. The blogs that Solo has linked to on the other hand are not referenced, they are not based on good-quality research and they are in the main the unsupported assertions of people with axes to grind - so called 'nutritionists' with detox programs to sell etc.

I wasn't suggesting that anyone take the Wiki article on trust - far from it. I was suggesting that you check out some of the links cited in the references - links to reputable studies.

is there a list of products anywhere?

i have sweetner in coffee - it is all artificial sweetner?

Here is a link to the FSA www.food.gov.uk/safereating/chemsafe/additivesbranch/sweeteners/55174 advice as a starting point. Aspartame is always shown in the ingredients - we avoid it.

chewing gum contains aspartame which reacts badly with caffiene and causes depression and paranoia...my MIL studied the subject....I found it to be very true...through experiments over 3 months.

well certainly this (and other things dubbed 'scare') brings out all sorts of very peculiar people. but it is a $$$$ market so one cannot help being cynical about big business.

i avoid anything which isn't proper food and have personal reasons for avoiding aspartame.

custy i know you are on atkins but you should be able to eat something sweet without resorting to chemicals. although not diet drinkies alas, it'll be soda water and vodka for you... are you really hung up on the sweet?

I adore diet coke but am well aware it contains aspartame or AminoSweetner as it's now going to be known.

Is there any cola that doesn't contain aspartame that I can convince my taste-buds to like or am I going to have to go cold turkey?

that is very interesting dorcas, mentally running through all the people i know who use gum almost none of them drink coffee and vice versa. maybe there is an instinctive avoidance of bad reaction.

The links I've dropped in here were just as(quick)examples ~ bad or not, you can look up your own information; I just wanted to let you all know of the change in name so that you know to avoid it if you so wish.

Thanks for this, solo. I remember once reading Hugh FW saying that when you check the ingredients list you should ask yourself: 'would I normally pick a bottle of off the shelf?' E.g. a bottle of aspartame/ aminosweet/ monosodium glutamate, etc etc. In other words, if any ingredient doesn't sound like an actual food it's best to avoid it.

He has a point Speedy! How are you my dear? !

I avoided it for years because I simply don't trust these things and anyway don't drink those sort of drinks (not being holy; I just don't like them). DH, however, took a bit of convincing and only recently decided that aspartame wasn't a good thing.

Now, if it ain't sugar in the thing then we don't get it.

Solo, I'm a bit knackered at the mo. Got loads on so have been rather stressed trying to get it all done. How are you?

Jux - hear, hear on the sugar thing - I always think it's best to go for the full whack rather than the low-fat/ sugar versions, but just have less of it.

I keep a bottle of squash with sugar in the car as I find that wherever we go, all that is offered is sugar free squash containing aspartame. People think I'm being precious but I don't care. DD has epilepsy and ADHD so I'm not taking any chances.

Thanks solo !

thanks for that, solo.

I avoid buying stuff with artificial sweetners anyway, horrible things. Prefer food any day!

I found some High(Hi?)Juice in Lidl the other day without aspartame in it. £1.08 for a good sized bottle. No idea what it tastes like though. Will ask Ds.

Speedy, it's typical isn't it? always too much to do when there's less energy to give.

Shockers, my friends look at me like when I say my Dc's can have water or milk. But they are getting used to it now.

Yes, I think stress is an activity magnet - it lures more jobs in until you're too overwhelmed to move. I recognise the symptoms these days - accidental spill in the kitchen has me cursing 'I haven't got time for this!!' Okay, time to take a step back.

We have a cleaner starting next week . Now all I need is a cook, a PA, a masseur (preferably a sexy, male one) and a personal chauffeur, and I'll be happy. Oh, and for all of them to do it for free - for the love of their craft!

How's your ME these days?

ME is very bad right now ~ thanks for asking

A cleaner? oooOOOoooh! will have to pay to chat with you soon!

Just take it easy(ish) while you still can!

Oh and if you happen to get an overspill of keen to please applicants who'll work for the love of it; pass them my way won't you?