Since the beginning of March, those of us who pay attention to food trends, legislation restricting small local organic farmers, and the harm that is coming from much of it have been hearing about the government’s plan to add aspartame to milk…and supposedly with no labeling. What I read was confusing to say the least!
To correct what they believe are misleading media reports of wanting to hide ingredients in milk, the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) has issued a statement making it clear that if the petition is approved, the added sweeteners would be included in the ingredient list, consistent with existing FDA food labeling requirements.
Changing the Identity of Milk
The NMPF really does want to add aspartame to milk and especially for schools. but the scariest thing is that they want to change the definition of what milk is altogether!
(source- US News)
According to the actual petition by the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) and the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) at the Federal Register, the request is for the FDA to amend the standards of identity for milk and 17 other milk and cream products. That includes heavy cream, eggnog, sour cream, non-fat dry-milk, and yogurt, and others.
As The Slow Cook stated, “The dairy industry has a lot riding on keeping things murky: For decades, milk sales have been plummeting, but sales of flavored-milk have tripled. It would be very helpful if the nation’s medical doctors all stood behind the dairy industry’s campaign to put a carton of chocolate milk on every kid’s cafeteria tray… It’s all part of a well-oiled public relations campaign.”
US News states, “The dairy industry wants to boost sales by putting aspartame in milk, with school lunchrooms being a primary target.” They felt the students turned up their noses at milk products labeled “Reduced Calorie” and would instead turn to the items filled with sugar causing weight gain.
Some of their other reasoning was that products that included honey or sugar didn’t need special labeling, so why should alternative sweeteners such as aspartame?
Some schools have removed flavored-milk altogether because the children won’t drink it if it’s not flavored. Their taste buds are so accustomed to sugary flavors they can’t drink the real thing! This results in “less consumption of milk by children and less consumption of milk’s important nutrients.” They feel allowing the use of FDA-approved sweeteners (including aspartame) in flavored-milk will allow those consumers who want a lower-calorie flavored-milk to have that choice.
Suddenly it’s like calories are worse than the toxins. Such a mixed up way of thinking!! Here are 3 that quickly come to my mind:
1.) It’s deceitful and not really an effort to train kids in critical thinking of what is really good for their bodies.
2.) The ‘Reduced Calorie” label alerts many health-conscious consumers to chemical additives and sweeteners such as aspartame; to remove it from packaging would not be helpful.
3.) It is deceptive to allow additives such as aspartame, Equal, or NutraSweet without warning; those who react (and those who don’t) to these chemicals would be at higher risk. The damage from these chemical additives are CUMULATIVE, and aspartame has now been linked to 92 adverse health problems.
(source by Natural News)
3.) Personally, I feel pasteurized milk from conventional, feed-lot cows is problematic with trace antibiotics and hormones. Multiple contaminants requires ultra-pasteurization which kills all the good life-giving bacteria and enzymes. Do we really need children drinking more of that?
Raw milk from local farms with healthy cows is the best way to go.
I strongly feel the need to help get this information out to parents. Many already know, but I hope that others who haven’t heard, WILL hear. Will you help get the word out about the dangers of this highly toxic substance and the damage that it can do? I thank you ahead of time.
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Thanks for reading!
Gillian says
THANK YOU for posting this article (and the previous one). I had no idea about adding this to the milk products. I am not sure if this affects Canada (where I live) but I’m sure over time, it will (as everything does). My goal is to move and have our own cow to milk – just now waiting on God to allow that to happen. In the meantime, I am going to read up more about this. Thank you again.
Jacqueline says
You are welcome, Gillian, and thank YOU! I hate to be so negative, but this time I just couldn’t be quiet. Blessings!
Toni says
I had no idea, either! We used to keep dairy goats when our daughter was in 4-H. They are easy for children to handle and milk and require less space. After reading this I think we need to restock the pasture. Thank you for the information.
Jacqueline says
I love goat’s milk. I think it is the BEST of all. We are very thankful for the raw cow’s milk, but still like goat best. We have a cow share and make organic hay for our farmer besides our own. If you do get milk goats again, let me know if you take photos!!
Robin says
This scares me to no end. I quit using and consuming aspartame about 8 years ago it gave me a lot of problems things like joint pain, hair falling out, memory problems, dizziness and weight gain and several other miseries. Yes, WEIGHT GAIN. The first month I quit I lost 22lbs and I wasn’t dieting the other things took longer to go back to normal. I still get bouts of dizziness now and then that have lasted several days. Please, please, please don’t use this poison avoid it like plague and also keep away from SPLENDA the chlorine in it is very bad for you.
Jacqueline says
Thank you, Robin, for sharing your story. Thank you for speaking out! Blessings!
Nabila Grace says
Goodness…what a shame 🙁 I wonder if they have already added it into the milk and milk products. At this point I wouldn’t be surprised.
Jacqueline says
Nabila,
There is some reason to think not yet. The FDA has until some time in May to rule according to the petition, but I could be wrong…
JES says
I really appreciate this kind of information. Though we drink our own goat’s milk, I do like to know what it going on in the “real world” so to speak. You can sometimes be a bit sheltered living in the middle of nowhere on a farm and homeschooling! This is scary stuff that needs to be shared with family and friends… (which is what you are doing, thank you!)
Jacqueline says
Yes, JES, I prefer to shut out the terrible state of affairs, but it has been impressed on my heart and mind to speak out about it! Please pray that innocent and those very busy with real life duties and family will hear and take action to teach their children about these dangers and that their children will LISTEN and have understanding! I appreciate you SO much!!
Charlotte Moore says
This is a shame. If we adults put stuff in our body that we know could harm us it is our fault. A child doesn’t know and seems as they will have no choice. How lucky for the people that home school and raise their own food and have their own milk. This is too scary. LORD help us!!!!!
Jacqueline says
Yes, Lord help us. But I hold to this truth, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?” Romans 8: 35 Warm hugs to you, Charlotte!!! Have a very blessed day, my friend, and I hope you have sunshine there where you are!
Elizabeth@Warrior Wives says
Can you clarify this for me? I read the article and I read the petition and what I got from that is that the dairy industry is only asking to label FLAVORED milk differently, not all milk. Right now, if they use aspartame in a flavored milk, they are required to label it on the front as “low calorie” which they think is less appealing to kids. They want to be able to just call it “chocolate milk” without the “reduced calorie” label. The ingredient list will still include aspartame. And when they are asking for other dairy products to be labeled that way, they mean the same thing. Am I reading the entire thing wrong? It’s still dumb…kids shouldn’t be drinking flavored, sugared milk but I’m not sure it’s actually unethical.
Jacqueline says
It is my belief that when an industry with such lobbying power asks to do something such as add a dangerous neuro-toxin (which they have chosen to call a safe additive) to children’s drinks to get them to drink more (b/c it is addictive) so the schools will purchase more, I think that is crooked and wrong. Like Lindsey said, “I just don’t understand why we feel the need to tailor food and drink to every child’s childish desire. For thousands of years children ate what you put in front of them, yet all of the sudden there’s this push to sweeten everything up to ensure they will eat … but how is this ensuring their health?” Yes, aspartame will be listed, but it is all a ploy to increase sales; it is not for the true good of the consumer. Please read what Elizabeth wrote about the cumulative effects…if it increases their consumption and then harms them…that is unethical. I am an RN…I took an oath (which for the record is not said by the graduates from med school anymore) when I graduated in ’74 to “first do NO harm”!!! Why can’t we live by the golden Rule? We live in a very sick world! Literally!
Jacqueline says
Also, Elizabeth, to more fully answer your question, I have copied this portion of the petition: “…on March 16, 2009, requesting that FDA amend the standard of identity in part 131 (21 CFR part 131) for milk (§ 131.110). Specifically, the petition requests that FDA amend § 131.110(c)(2) to allow the use of “any safe and suitable” sweetener in optional characterizing flavoring ingredients used in milk.”
So it does include plain old milk! (See the 131.110)
Immediately following that sentence it goes on to add the kinds of milk, “The petition also requests that FDA similarly amend the standards of identity for 17 other milk and cream products. Those standards (hereinafter referred to as the “additional dairy standards”) are as follows: Acidified milk (§ 131.111), cultured milk…”
It is not just flavored milk unless I am reading this totally incorrectly. Hope that helps. Thanks for your question.
Jacki M says
This month marks 1 year of our family switching to raw milk. I can’t drink anything else now. We are moving soon to a state that doesn’t allow even farm sales, so looks like a cow will be added (or a goat) to our little homestead.
One day it will become well known again how good raw milk is.
Jacqueline says
I pray you are right!!! But I am sad for all those who can’t have a cow or goats 🙁 Thanks for stopping by, Jacki!
Lindsey @ Road to 31 says
I just don’t understand why we feel the need to tailor food and drink to every child’s childish desire. For thousands of years children ate what you put in front of them, yet all of the sudden there’s this push to sweeten everything up to ensure they will eat … but how is this ensuring their health?
It drives me nuts when people always put sugar on their children’s fruit. I have seen this happen, and I think, “Aren’t you just setting them up to want sugar on their fruit for the rest of their lives?”
Is it all important, No … but it is something that is becoming more and more prevalent in our culture and modern times and like you said, its just good to get the information out there so that people can KNOW and make an educated decision about it for their family.
Jacqueline says
Oh, dear! Sugar on fruit?! Where has the old-time wisdom gone? Yes, that would make me a bit nuts, too! The thing I am concerned about is that it changes how we process information and at some point the brain is so damaged that it can’t process correctly and mistakes are made…grave mistakes in how to react in peace and wisdom…thanks, Lindsey…”But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.” 2 Thess. 3:13
LeeAnne, Style N Season says
Goodness, that’s scary! Well, I drink milk everyday since I was a baby, and now that I have a baby and breastfeed him, I need milk even more for both of us. I consume powder milk, and it might not be the freshest, but still, it’s nutritious milk.
Visit me:
LeeAnne, Style N Season
http://stylenseason.blogspot.com
Mrs. Sarah Coller says
Thanks for the party! Hope you’re having a happy day!
Blessings,
Mrs. Sarah Coller
Kelly B says
Oh my goodness! I had no idea about this, thank you! Seems like it is one thing after another, you can hardly shop at a grocery store anymore. I would so love to do more things of my own, like own a cow and grow a garden. We are in a townhome, so no place for such things. Any great suggestions…anyone? Thank you, again!
Jacqueline says
Kelly,
Yopu might consider asking around to see if there are any local farmers that produce raw. You health food store would know. Also, there are about half the states that allow private citizens to sell or work out an arrangement for raw milk.
Here is a great place to start. I’m not sure how often it is updated: http://www.realmilk.com/real-milk-finder/
Blessings to you as you consider this!
Kimber says
Wow! I had not heard of this at all! Thank you soooo much for posting. While our family eats a plant-based (vegan) diet, it’s important for me to know things like this for the sake of extended family members. Aspartame is HORRIBLE and it breaks my heart that these “professionals” think it’s ok to give to anyone, much less innocent kids. Science and food as God intended just don’t mix….
Thanks again for posting this information. 🙂
Alix says
This makes me sick. Aspartame is so dangerous. Thanks for linking up with wildcrafting wednesday!
Gail @http://biblelovenotes.com says
I think aspartame is the most dangerous artificial sweetener. This is definitely bad news and one more reason to be extra careful what we are eating.