Aron from Winslow asks," Is it true that NutraSweet has bad side effects and are there any other healthy sugar replacements?"

That is an excellent question and the answer is yes. NutraSweet, also know as equal and Aspartame. It is found in over 4500 products in the US and is used by millions of people. It has been linked to several symptoms such as headaches, blurred vision, dizziness, mood changes, numbness, cancer, stomach and intestinal disorders and muscle cramps. Although many of these people do not experience any of these symptoms, one should be aware of them and the potential connection between the severity of the symptoms and the amount of NutraSweet that is consumed.

If a person does not pay attention they may be consuming very large quantities of sugar replacement without even knowing. This artificial sweetener is hidden in so many places that one may have to actively look for it. Some of the foods include diet drinks, gum. Yogurt, cakes mixes, candy bars and most sweet diet foods.

One of the possible reasons that these side effects occur is because of how NutraSweet is digested in the body. When it breaks down, it forms methanol and formaldehyde. Methanol is also known as "wood alcohol" and most people know how poisonous that is. Also formaldehyde is a strong chemical used to preserve all sorts of things, except those we eat.

A good natural sugar replacement is the herb stevia. It is calorie free and in the powdered form it is 300 times sweeter than sugar. It is used around the world and claims 41% of the sweetener market in Japan. According to Dr. Julia Whitaker MD, "there have not been any reports of toxicity with stevia, which is consumed by millions around the world." Stevia is available in most quality health food stores. If they don't have it in stock they can usually order it. Thanks for the question, Aron.

Original publication The Town Line newspaper South China, ME 04358
Information contained herein furnished by Nadeau Chiropractic Wellness Center
2135 N. Belfast Ave, Augusta, ME