diet soda? (Page 5)

Sorry, i got sidetracked fro about 12 hours, but I'm back to correct one huge omission: I drink diet Dr. Pepper (unless it's race day, in which case it's regular all the way).

Drink soda, not people.

Edited by tmwelshy 2005-04-22 2:58 AM

Sounds like fun to me!

I should own stock in the diet coke company.  LOVE IT.  Still drinking despite everyone say it makes you fat (diet keep in mind) its bad for you blah blah blah blah.  I have drastically cut down on the amount I drink.  At one point I gave it up for a week because everyone was telling me that was why I couldn't lose weight.  Didn't lose a pound without it. Screw it.  Its my only vice, I've given up about every other food I like.  I'm keep the DC.  Purist. Don't like the line vanilla etc.  YUCK  Diet pepsi is yucky too

Kudos to Miko. A polite, reasoned response and a great primer for evaluating internet claims in general.

On a (tangentially related) topic, did you know that J.K Rowling (author of the Harry Potter books) is a Devil worshipper?!

http://web.archive.org/web/20000815214418/http://www.theonion.com/o...

I wish the original "Onion" article was still online..it had great pictures too...

nope, the aspartame sweetner is not my friend. Haven't tried any with Splenda yet.

Just remember, at least diet coke is not as bad as those dang dolphins!

http://www.bluealien.org/subdomains/anti-dolphin/fear.php

Despite the fact that this thread has gotten way too serious, (well, it may not be a fact, I haven't vetted my sources carefully),  Whizzer's comment made me think... is is safer to drink diet soda or swim in a pool?  Or open water, for that matter, where someone in a boat may have peed and dumped out a warm diet soda?

Man, I haven't been called a snarky snark snark since like...third grade. I think my widdle feelings are hurt. I need a coke.

someone in a boat may have peed and dumped out a warm diet soda?

You're right - we got too serious! Thanks for bringing a laugh back in...

Yep, had it a couple weeks back. Definitely recommended, but not as readily available!

> Barbara Mikkelson

The point I am making is that not only do these persons have absolutely no scientific expertise in this area, but they have not read the research on aspartame. That discussion I posted on Snopes is one of many examples of evidence of this. When prompted to discuss actual research, all they can do is admit they don't have the expertise and link to web sites. Those sites are either written by the manufacturer's PR organizations, government beaurocrats, studies funded by the manufacturer, or persons completely unfamiliar with the research.

On the other hand, I gave three examples of experts. The first one happened to be a reprint listed on www.dorway.com, but had no association with that web site. It is a review of the research be an independent scientist and the results related to funding sources. This scientist has conducted research on aspartame and is familiar with the 1000+ studies conducted. There are numerous citations in this document:
http://www.dorway.com/peerrev.html

Another link I listed way a transcription of a letter from a former FDA Investigator who is also familiar with the research:
http://www.dorway.com/betty/fdainves.txt
Again this is a transcription and has little to do with the dorway.com web site.

Here are further transcriptions of statements by independent physicians and scientists, many of whom I have spoken with an confirmed that they are familiar with reading the research (not just abstracts):
http://www.nancymarkle.com/doctors.html
Again, these statements have nothing to do with the web site owner.

The final quote I used was by another independent neuroscientist familiar with the research. He was referring to a European study showing significant formaldehyde accumulation in the brain, liver, kidneys, etc. after ingesting only 10 mg/kg of aspartame for a short time:

"These are indeed extremely high levels for adducts of formaldehyde, a substance responsible for chronic deleterious effects that has also been considered carcinogenic.

...

"It is concluded that aspartame consumption may constitute a hazard because of its contribution to the formation of formaldehyde adducts."
[Life Sciences, Vol. 63, No. 5, pp. 337+, 1998]

Here is his comment:
"It was a very interesting paper, that demonstrates that formaldehyde formation from aspartame ingestion is very common and does indeed accumulate within the cell, reacting with cellular proteins (mostly enzymes) and DNA (both mitochondrial and nuclear). The fact that it accumulates with each dose, indicates grave consequences among those who consume diet drinks and foodstuffs on a daily basis."

Other web sites that cite independent research and looks at the manufacturer research in detail includes:
http://www.holisticmed.com/aspartame/abuse/

I agree that one should go to independent experts. That is why statements and web sites created by PR organizations and research paid for by the manufacturers or trade groups is suspect. I would say the same thing about statements by the manufacturer's competitors. In addition, I would go straight to scientists who have conducted independent research on aspartame. That is the point I was trying to make.

- imogene-runner

I always thought this stuff was not good for you, but looks "harmless" after reading this. Isn't this in EQUAL?
Hope this info is helpful....

Aspartame Fact Sheet
Aspartame, used by more than 100 million people around the world, is found in more than 6,000 products. This low-calorie sweetener has been extensively researched and more than 200 studies have been conducted. Aspartame is approved for use in more than 100 countries.

Description: Aspartame is a nutritive sweetener made by joining two amino acids (protein components) -- L-phenylalanine and L-aspartic acid, with a third component called a methyl ester group. Very little is needed for a sweet taste, making aspartame virtually non-caloric.
Relative Sweetness: 180 to 200 times sweeter than sucrose.
Metabolism: It is digested as a protein. The components are metabolized normally.
Assets: Aspartame has a sugar-like taste. It enhances some flavors and is appropriate for many applications. When aspartame is combined with other low-calorie sweeteners, they enhance each other so that the combinations are sweeter than the sum of the individual sweeteners.
Limitations: Aspartame is not suitable in applications that require prolonged exposure to high temperatures as it loses sweetness. However, it can successfully be added to recipes, and an encapsulated form is now available for commercial baking. It also is used successfully in beverages, but does lose its sweetness in liquids over an extended period of time. (The rate of change is gradual and is determined by temperature and acidity.) Persons with PKU (phenylketonuria) must restrict their intake of phenylalanine. As such, all U.S. products containing aspartame are labeled: “This product contains phenylalanine.”
Applications: It is approved for use in any category of food or beverage, including tabletop sweeteners, carbonated soft drinks, refrigerated and nonrefrigerated ready-to-drink beverages, frozen desserts and novelties, puddings and fillings, yogurt-type products, baked goods and candies.
Safety: Aspartame has been extensively studied in animals and humans for more than two decades. In 1981, when the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) first approved aspartame, it noted: "Few compounds have withstood such detailed testing and repeated, close scrutiny, and the process through which aspartame has gone should provide the public with additional confidence of its safety." FDA has affirmed the safety of aspartame 26 times over a period of 23 years.
Status: Aspartame is classified as a “general purpose sweetener” by FDA and is approved for use in all foods and beverages. Aspartame is approved for use in more than 100 countries and is the sweetening ingredient in 6,000 food and beverage products.

Well, yeah. That's what I've been talking about. Do just a little research before assuming what you "always heard" or "always thought" is accurate.

Rather than citing other sources with questionable credentials I refer to my own study:

6 diet pepsi's x 365 days x 13 years = 28,470 diet pepsi's x 12 oz = 2,669 gallons

Results:
Have run more than 13,000 miles
Have cycled more than 26,000 miles
Have lost more than 80 lbs
Health excellet
Teeth intact
Mental condition debatable
Don't buy the aspartame conspiracy, although looking at the way I did it is amazing to think I could have filled a small swimming pool with Diet Pepsi.

but isn't "phen phen" the product taken off the market (aspartame is similar) I'm not sure if I can believe everything I read, though!!

But soda could be harmful if you drink a lot.

*welshy looks around, wondering who you people are arguing with as every one else has gone home...*