Updated 4/2019
Since aspartame-containing products first hit the U.S. market in the mid-70s, doctors I worked with commented on tumors skyrocketing in the general population. There was also the mysterious rise in diseases such as fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue.
Indeed, as an RN in the operating suites during the 70s/80s, it was certainly a topic of interest as we talked among ourselves. While I worked in the heart room, my best friend went into neurosurgery. We discussed the rapid rise in the numbers of brain lesions. The experience made such an impact on me that as a new mother I shied away from foods containing this additive.
Is Childhood Cancer Becoming More Common? See the stats.
I am asking you to do your research and read labels prior to purchasing children’s vitamins on the retail shelves, many of which have ‘quietly’ switched to aspartame and acesulfame K (another name for aspartame).
Also, beware of baby foods and yogurts which contain may aspartame. Be a label reader! If you find a company that does add it, let them know you are aware of this. Please consider making your own baby food, so you know what’s really in it.
Don’t be fooled to buy a health food labeled “No High Fructose Corn Syrup” to find there is an even worse ingredient – Aspartame.
Here are some (just some) of the products to BEWARE of:
Children’s Advil Jr. Chewable contains aspartame:
Kids Multivitamins With Aspartame
Leading Edge Research asked some questions and found other pharmaceutical companies with products that contain aspartame, many of them for children!
To see the complete list of these children’s multivitamins for smaller chains stores like CVS, PIGGLY WIGGLY, PAYLESS, ECKERD, OSCO, MARSH, MEIJER, SHOP’N SAVE, PAY’N SAVE, PEOPLES, etc. go here. (Check labels as formulations are subject to change).
And note that these are only the companies that bothered to respond to the request:
- Children’s TYLENOL chewable tablets
- Junior Strength TYLENOL chewable tablets
- PEDIACARE Cold-Allergy Tablets for Ages 6 to 12 (and other formulas)
- CENTRUM Jr. Vitamins
- MYLANTA Natural Fiber Supplement, Sugar-Free.
- METAMUCIL, Sugar-Free
- ALKA-SELTZER PLUS Night-time Cold Medicine (all three formulas)
- BUGS BUNNY Vitamin Products (ALL)
- FLINTSTONES Plus Calcium Multivitamin Supplement (and other formulas)
- DIMETAPP Cold and Allergy Chewable Tablets
- HEALTH BALANCE Children’s Chewable Multivitamin
- ZOO CHEWS Animal-Shaped Chewable Multivitamin
- EQUATE Chewable Vitamins Animal-Shaped (with Iron)
- MEIJER Circus Shapes Children’s Vitamins
- ANIMAL SHAPES Chewable Vitamins ( several formulas)
The #1 Children’s Vitamin Brand in the US contains ingredients that most parents would never intentionally expose their children to. (source)
What’s going on with Flintstones Vitamins (for some reason this page has been taken down!) which proudly claims to be “Pediatricians’ #1 Choice”? Produced by the global pharmaceutical corporation Bayer, this wildly successful brand features a shocking list of unhealthy ingredients, including:
- Aspartame
- Cupric Oxide (Cupric Oxide is listed as a Hazardous substance)
- Coal tar artificial dyes (FD&C Blue #2, Red #40, Yellow #6)
- Zinc Oxide
- Sorbitol
- Ferrous Fumarate
- DL-alpha tocopherol (synthetic vitamin E)
- GMO Corn starch
(Check labels as formulations are subject to change).
“Most pharmaceutical companies, like Bayer, the developer of the Flintstones vitamins, do not have the best track record. Bayer is a German chemical and pharmaceutical company founded in 1863. In 1925, it became part of IG Farben, a German chemical industry conglomerate. This chemical company had board members that were responsible for the creation of the Federal Reserve, like Paul Warburg (2), who sat on the board of the Federal Reserve as well as I.G Farben. It was a corporation well connected with the Rockefeller’s, and the second largest shareholder in Standard Oil. The investment was part of a pattern of reciprocal investments between the U.S. and Germany during the Nazi years (3). It’s well known that IG Farben was closely connected with the Nazi’s.
Bayer held the patent for the pesticide Zyklon B, the chemical used in gas chambers. Some of IG Farben’s directors were accused as war criminals, while others continued on with the agenda we see taking form today. We can see a conflict of interest through the companies shareholders when it comes to the creation of pharmaceutical products.” (source)
Infant Pedialyte
In general, children should not be exposed to diet chemical sweeteners under any circumstances; through medications, in foods, drinks, gums, candies, or flavored waters. And there are over 10,000 products your children are exposed to that contain aspartame and other chemical sweeteners on the market today – many not labeled as sugar-free.
As of July 2000, ALL Pedialyte products, including flavored and freezer pops, contain the chemical sweetener acesulfame-K, plus artificial colors, and artificial flavors.
Gerber Replenish Oral Electrolyte Rehydration solution also contains Asesulfame K.
One-A-Day and Centrum Chewables are some of the most popular.
This site (this site has been taken down!!) warns us that there are often differences between website labeling and product package labeling. (Check labels as formulations are subject to change).
Many of Wal-Mart’s brand “Equate” products contain aspartame
All Diet Sodas
Lesser-known diet sodas brands contain aspartame
Ricola ‘sugar-free’ lozenges (check ingredients as not all have aspartame)
Of course, Equal and NutraSweet, your tabletop sweeteners
Check out the Smucker’s Sugar-free line
Also MANY brands of coffee creamer products
Kool-Aid products
Crystal Light Pure Fitness and their other products
Most gums, breath fresheners, and mints
What’s on that happy little rack full of sweets, sugar-free breath mints, and colorfully labeled gum that’s “recommended by doctors who chew gum”?
Great Value and Royal sugar-free gelatin desserts~(check labels as ingredients/formulations are subject to change).
All sugar-free Jell-O brand instant puddings,
Jell-O brand gelatins (jello), and Jell-O brand snack packs
Almost all sugar-free candies
Slim-Fast, SnackWells, hot chocolate mixes, Dannon’s and Yoplait yogurts
Fiber-One by Yoplait and Nestle products
Breakfast cereals and drinks ~General Mills, Carnation, and others~(check labels as they are subject to change).
Please Stop Consuming Aspartame
For those who have brought or stocked up on aspartame-containing products, a reputable grocer will arrange to refund you for these products, opened or unopened. Be gracious and tell him/her the products make you sick. The grocer can return them to the manufacturer for a store refund. The manufacturer should get the message. So, will the grocer.
Finally, for those taking aspartame who simply want to observe a healthy diet, replace your aspartame with real sugar or honey. Although it may have more calories, it offers a far better solution than being poisoned. Those who want to manage their weight problems are advised to seek a healthier course of action like eating more whole foods, vegetables and fruits and getting regular exercise. True and sustainable weight loss cannot be achieved through a quick fix without a change in lifestyle. Set a personal example to be healthy and watch yourself regain your life.
Instead of aspartame, consider using honey (preferably raw and local), pure maple syrup, organic un-refined Sucanat or Rapadura (or Florida Crystals) which have all the naturally occurring trace minerals, or buy or grow stevia herb. I am also checking out coconut sugar.
Your Symptoms Should Disappear
Dr. Janet Hull counsels aspartame victims worldwide and has witnessed nine out of 10 clients restore their health by following the Aspartame Detoxification Program.
Begin with detoxifying your body of all residual chemical toxins from aspartame’s chemical make up of phenylalanine, aspartic acid and methanol and their toxic by-products, and within 30 days your symptoms should disappear.
The solution of some of your family’s medical problems may be as far away as your fingertips; get a copy for an interesting and eye-opening read this summer.
<—–Excitotoxins: The Taste That Kills by Russell Blaylock, M.D.
For a Kool-Aid alternative this summer (the sugar-free varieties contain aspartame) consider this identical-tasting, quick and easy, drink that is sweetened with natural stevia herb! ———–>
Help protect your health and the health of those you love from being seduced by the sugar-free diet craze. This is meant to inform, not scare, and I hope you will share it with your husband and older children. Let them read it for themselves; it may make a difference. The last thing we all want is to be unwittingly debilitated and dumbed-down!
We, and our children, need all the wisdom and critical thinking skills possible in this world. “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will.”~Romans 12: 2
Become A Label Reader
The key is to become a LABEL READER and consider boycotting these companies that sell this poison. Manufacturers do change their ingredients from time to time based on costs and availability!
Do it for yourself and for your family. If you are thirsty, there is nothing better to quench your thirst than good, clean water!
What products with aspartame are you aware of? Would you add the name of those products to the comments so that others might learn of them?
“True healthcare reform starts in your own kitchen, not in Washington.” ~Anonymous
If you’ve been encouraged or informed by something you’ve read here at Deep Roots, please consider liking my page on Facebook, joining us on Pinterest, or subscribing to the helpful email resources. Thank you!
Thanks for reading!
Toni says
Wow, Jacqueline, thank you for such a great post on aspartame. I gave it up years ago when I realized my vision was being affected by Diet Coke. I had no idea how far reaching it’s claws have become. We do need to read the labels of anything we intend to bring home to our families. Thank you for doing all the research and putting this post together. Have a great week!
Roxy says
Good Morning! Thanks so much for keeping so many in the know of these very dangerous chemicals. My sister told me just the other day that the only game that uses pure sugar was Dentyne as when I fly I have to chew gum! Happy Summer to you, dear friend!
Roxy
Robert says
I could not find where Kook Aid, no sugar added, had aspartame and Ricola only uses it in its unsweetened products. This article seems like it was done from second hand knowledge. I can not stand aspartame but misinformation is not helping the cause.
Jacqueline says
Robert, there is no misinformation here and definitely not second hand info. I researched this and wrote it all. Ricola has sugar-free products with aspartame and so do the sugar-free Kool-Aid products. Go to the store and look at the actual products. I have peppered the post with the caveat that ‘ingredient lists are subject to change’ and as manufacturers receive complaints for their products occasionally they will go from aspartame to acesulfame K (potassium) in an effort to appease the customer and still make huge profits. It has a lot to do with using the cheapest (least expensive) products. https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=A0LEVjyDvrpTlgsAd9APxQt.;_ylu=X3oDMTByMG04Z2o2BHNlYwNzcgRwb3MDMQRjb2xvA2JmMQR2dGlkAw–?qid=20081111125942AAR5rYE
This is just one of the sugar free Kool Aids (Cherry) on amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Kool-Aid-Sugar-Cherry-1-34-Ounce-Canisters/dp/B001EQ5DG0 Scroll down to see ingredients under ‘Important Information’ section. Yep, there is aspartame in it!
I hope that helps!
Rachel @ day2dayjoys says
Great resource Jacqueline! So many people are misinformed@
Lana says
It is sad how so many are ruining their health with the over consumption of diet sodas. We have carefully avoided artificial sweeteners because we knew they made us unwell but it seems that if you are addicted to them then the side effects are masked. Coca-cola actually refers to diet soda drinkers as ‘users’.
Jacqueline says
Interesting insight on the term users…’users’ are the losers! Thanks, Lana.
Debby says
I was concerned when men’s one a day vitamins was on list as my son is taking these. I didn’t see aspartame on ingredient list. Is it only in chewable form that has the aspartame? Thanks
Stephanie Davis says
I came across this post on Facebook. So glad I found it. I’ve been aware of the sugar free foods for awhile and the effects of aspartame. I didn’t know it was in the yogurt I’m buying for my children. So thank you for the heads up!
Erin says
I grew up frequently consuming artificial sweetener, both saccharine and aspartame. My parents believed (and still do) that if it says “light”, “lite”, “lowfat”, etc then it must be healthy. I was a slim child but started battling weight gain at 16 and even as a college athlete was rather hefty. I first heard about the dangers of aspartame about 18 years ago and have avoided it ever since. Once I cut it out of my diet I quickly lost 15 pounds. Today I am 40 years old, just found out I am expecting our 7th child and really don’t ever “diet”. I just try to eat real foods and avoid processed foods and I stay around a size 4 or 6. The one thing I am a stickler about, and the one thing other people seem to freely give my children, is aspartame. We now homeschool, but when my daughter was in preschool I was chatting with the teacher about their Valentine’s Day party. She assured me that there wouldn’t be too much sugar because they always served sugar free Kool-Aid. I was very upset and requested that my daughter be given water. I’ll never know if she obeyed my request, but am still shocked at how little thought people give to what they feed children, especially not their own!
It happens everywhere, church, birthday parties, homeschool co-op… I can’t keep it completely away from them but do avoid ever buying anything with it in the ingredients.
Jacqueline says
Wow, you and I are alike on the Kool-aid thing. It actually made me so upset one day that I had to quietly leave so I wouldn’t get angry. When I think of the damage to developing brains and especially the fallout with behavioral, self-control, and critical thinking skills being lost for these children…forming them for a lifetime with terrible health consequences. I wish all Mamas knew and really understood the ramifications.
Blessings of peace and grace in this pregnancy, dear one 🙂
Allie says
Great resource! Thank you for sharing this.
Hilary says
Thank you for this well researched post, Ms. Jacqueline. We generally avoid all artificial sweeteners, but recently when we had a household sickness, I bought some chewable Vitamin C tablets from the drug store. The children took them for a few days, but they are definitely on the way out since I’ve read this. Vigilance is the key to keeping this stuff out of the developing systems of our children! Thanks for encouraging me not to let my guard down.
Blessings to you! Hilary
Cheyanna Rose says
Hi miss Jacqueline. I would love for you to stop by my blog and share some of your great posts on our link up.
God bless!
http://thelifeofanotsonormalamericanteenager.blogspot.com/2014/07/redefining-normal-saturdays-1.html
Sherri says
Thank you! I pass on your articles because of the good information they contain. I was ignorant to the prevalence of aspartame until I was trying to find a gum without it. I was shocked to find out that almost all of the mass marketed gum, including the “regular” ones had aspartame. I’ve been changing what we use at home to more natural sweeteners. Now if I can just get my husband away from Splenda!
Thankful for God's Grace says
This is all very concerning to me so I just went through my fridge and pantry…everything listed sugar, not aspartame. I will definitely be reading more labels! Thank you for sharing this type of information because many of us just don’t know! I wish more women would share what they know so we can learn. Most of us are not trying to poison our families or anyone else’s … We aren’t aware of the danger. Most of us are willing to learn so mamas, please share!
Jacqueline says
I am glad to do it as I love Mommas and children. Also to glorify the Lord and bless families. Thank you for telling me your experience 🙂
Thankful for God's Grace says
Would you be willing to email me about this post?
Jacqueline says
Yes, I am doing it right now 🙂
John Winiarski says
Hi Jacqueline my name is John I was just wondering if you could tell me do Ludens sugar-free cough drops‘s contain aspartame. I’ve been drinking diet A&W root beer for the longest time. I watch my diet very closely but I’ve noticed I’ve been gaining weight could this be why thank you in advance
Jacqueline says
John, you would have to look at the specific Luden’s cough drops you purchase. Most sugar-free brands use aspartame or splenda, etc. The formulations the companies use change all the time. I just always read the ingredients. And yes, weight gain is common with aspartame.
Katie@SimpleFoody says
Thank you for being so thorough with this post. I’m sad to find out I have a couple of these products in my pantry!
Christen says
I was wondering what you use as a fever reducer for very young children and any other possible alternatives for medicines and vitamins. Thanks.
Jacqueline says
Christen,
We have only used baby aspirin once to bring down a fever in our children. What we have done, though, frequently when they were small and once for out infant twins (7 months) was to use a warm bath (~95 degrees) and let their bodies do the work. Their temps were over 102 and creeping up. We didn’t panic, but took them to the tub and added essential oils for babies (https://deeprootsathome.com/safe-essential-oils-for-children-babies/) followed by a room temp toweling off and sleep. The lavender helped them sleep and the fevers broke in the night as I stood watch. A fever is a wonderful God-given tool to help kill the invading virus or bacteria.
I want to alert you to use of aspirin or any other compound as a fever reducer that contains aspirin. http://reyessyndrome.org/aspirin.html This is a real threat especially for the little ones. MOST of the time a warm bath (with its radiator effect to help gently cool the body) works beautifully if we don’t allow them to chill. Have a big towel ready and once they are dry dress them so they don’t get too hot. sponging of the neck, chest, under arms and face also helps for a lesser fever. This may also help: http://www.babycenter.com/404_how-can-i-reduce-my-childs-fever-without-using-medicine_10338495.bc
God bless you, dear Mama.
Gerber says
Hello Jacqueline,
I noticed you listed Gerber in your article as a company that uses aspartame in its food products. Gerber does not use aspartame as an ingredient in any of its food products. If you or your readers have any questions about Gerber products and its ingredients we invite you to call the Gerber Parents Resource Center day or night at 1800-4-Gerber.
Regards,
Your friends at Gerber
Jacqueline says
Thank you for letting us know!
Pamela Davis says
I have been avoiding aspartame for a while now and I was just looking at my lHempz ip gloss ingredients and saw that it had aspartame in it. Is this something to avoid as well and cause side effects? I have been using it for a long time and never realized it. I have never notice this in any beauty product before.
Jacqueline says
Pamela,
Yes, I would avoid it as we usually lick it off our lips in the course of a day. My daughter knows children who eat their lip balm 🙁 Burt’s Bees is free from bad ingredients, but I would keep reading ingredients and they change the formulas from time to time. That is what I currently use. Glad you saw that!
Blessings 🙂
rebecca gunzenhauser says
i have both a contact and consumption reactions to aspartame. if i used a product like that lip gloss or got a food product on my skin, lips or in my mouth, the area it comes into contact with swells, stings and then gets numb for hours… if ingest it i get hives, severe migraines, and as i’ve gotten older the reactions have gotten more serious…now i need to carry an epi pen for anaphalactic shock, and it is happening more often as the labeling laws have made it more difficult to recognize. i have my presciption medications screened now for all artifical sweetners, not just aspartame, as it shows up in more and more medications. my last reaction was just a few weeks ago because i failed to recognize an artificial sweetner in an over the counter medication. it was the worst reaction i have ever had and took over a week to recover from. i am absolutely overwhelmed trying to avoid artificial sweetners and keeping track of alternative names that can be used to identify them in labels, and keeping track of products that do not even have to list the artificial sweetners except as something as fague as “flavors.” i have known about the aspartame allergy since i was a child, but over four decades later it is MUCH more difficult to avoid. schools and teachers have to delcare their classrooms peanut free zones, restrict foods that can be brought in as snacks and treats for dairy or peanut allergies, and many people have life threatening allergies to shellfish…yet those of us who know well the life threatening allergic reactions we have to aspartame and other artifical sweetners are not just left to fend for ourselves, we are misled by labeling or lack there of. i had no idea that the stuff i had to drink for a scan, liquid barium, had aspartame in it. it nearly killed me and people in the medical community seem absolutely clueless to the sources of it. even when they are documenting my allergies, they will fail to include the aspartame/all artificial sweetners in my records. the computer system of one local hospital rejects aspartame or other artificial sweetners as a medical allery and automatically deletes it. doctors and nurses regulary dismiss my allergy and fail to include it in my records or care orders. i didnt understand until recently why going to the dentist was such a nightmare for me. i endured days of swelling, pain,bleeding, blistering, then numbness and severe migraines. not one dentist ever listened to my questions and concerns nor did they offer any help with the symptoms. i wonder now how many people diganosed with gum disease might have actually started out having reactions to the artifical sweetner used in dental products. xylitol seems to be the safest product in oral care products for me. the chemical bond at the end of the molecule differs from all other artifical sweetners, as explained by a very patient pharmacist who kindly helped me do some research. after i had the reation to the aspartame in the liquid barium, i searched every product i used in the house. sodium saccarine (saccarine is the same as Sweet & Low), was in every dental product i owned. i quickly called my dentist and asked about this chemical and if it was in the stuff they used to polish teeth, their dental floss, floride rinses, etc. it was. now i have to make arrangements for dental care through my dentist that is sodium saccarine free…and i should be grateful i dont have to endure that pain anymore but it makes me angry that i ever once had to endure any of it. i used to hate brushing my teeth it burned and hurt so bad. 20 years ago, i used to grow stevia in my garden. it is the sweetner store shelves called truvia. the plant disappeared from the market. this spring is the first time i have been able find it to plant in my garden. it is native to south america and has been used safely for thousands of years by people who live in areas in which it is a native plant. when see the labels on products for people who have nut, dairy or shellfish allergies, i wonder why those of us with life threatening allergies to aspartame and the other artificial sweetners are left to fend for ourselves as the FDA allows it to be used in more and more products other than our food, including medications-both prescription and over the counter-and products like lip gloss or chapsticks. and, as they allow it into more and more products, they continue to allow the labeling laws to become easier to hide or omit these chemicals making it difficult for consumers to identify the very thing that could result in serious reactions…and in my case with aspartame, loss of life. anaphalactic shock is no different for an aspartame allergy than it is for a peanut allergy or allergy to insect stings. i learned at a very young age that i felt better and was healthier if i stuck to a diet that involved as little processed food as possible, food i made myself at home from ingredients as close to the source of the whole food as possible, and foods in a vegan diet that avoided processed replacements for meat like tofu or tvp (texured vegetable protiens). it is more expensive and time consuming to cook and eat this way; but, it is healthier. i feel better in my battle with “invisible chronic disease” and i am much safer regarding my allergy to aspartame (which is what i react the most severely to, but includes all artificial sweetners…even sorbital now-which is everywhere). after the severity of this last reaction to an over the counter pain medication, i feel like i dont have a choice to anymore to do things any other way…unless products are labeled with transparency, and the use of alternative names that confuse consumers (acesulfa… potassium), and the allowance of complete omission of these chemicals in products is reversed. for me, it doesnt matter if it is lip gloss or an advil liquid gel or a food/drink product…it will cause a reaction however i am exposed to it. one of my biggest fears is having a medical emergency and someone not effectively communication my allergy or recognizing that an artificial sweetner is in a medication or product i am given while in a state i am unable to double check. the american diabetes association still recommends aspartame containing products as safe for people with this disease. yet if you do just a little research on studies that have been done, aspartame begins to damage the pancrease, liver and spleen after as little as five years in some diabetic patients. there are other alternatives that are safer, and countries that have used these alternatives for diabetic patients for decades. corporate greed and politics do much more damage to the public and our safety than most people realize. until i began speaking up about my personal experiences, i had no idea how many extended family members and friends had moderate to severe reations to not just aspartame, but the entire group of artifical sweetners. just because we can synthisize it chemically does not mean it is safe for all people, animals or the environment. i hope people keep avoiding these products so that the power of the consumer begins to get the attention of companies that use these chemicals. one small triumph, yoplait no longer uses aspartame in the light yogurt…but what did they replace it with? one hopes it would be something like stevia (truvia) or the a new one i found made from mong/mung fruit… if we want fewer calories and to avoid cane and beet sugars and corn syrup, there ARE alternatives that occur naturally that some cultures have used for generations and even thousands of years.
Jacqueline says
Dear Rebecca, I am so sorry for this horrible plague in your life. I know it is very dangerous for some and for many who do not recognize the underlying (hidden) damage it does. I *think* I know how you can be detoxed to make the toxicity very much less. Respond to me here and I will email you with info. I am praying for you. May God preserve you and strengthen you now!
Cindy says
Yoplait has removed the aspartame from its products so you don’t have to avoid it anymore.
There seems to be some confusion over unsweetened kool-aid (the small packets that you add your own sweetener to) and sugar-free kool-aid which has aspartame added to it. In my opinion its better to buy the unsweetened version, then you can add the kind and amount of sweetener you choose.
Jacqueline says
Absolutely agree, Cindy. It is confusing! Thanks for the info on Yoplait’s yogurt label.
yvette says
Airborne, that wonderfully marketed “stay healthy” product, now has artificial sweetener in it. I always check labels, manufacturers are sneaky!
Jacqueline says
EW!!! Thanks for sharing that, Yvette! I am glad to know and sure others are, too!!
Blessings!
LuckyMe says
“I have peppered the post with the caveat that ‘ingredient lists are subject to change’ and as manufacturers receive complaints for their products occasionally they will go from aspartame to acesulfame K (potassium) in an effort to appease the customer and still make huge profits.” So does this mean that acesulfame K (potassium) is good or bad or the same as aspartame?
Very eye opening and informative. Thank you!
Nicole says
Great info! Only think you need to do is update the Yoplait Yogurt. They took out the aspartame.
Mary Ann says
Hi, just ran across your website while browsing for info to use in a home group for our church. I plan on giving a talk on this sweet sweet poison. This is a subject I take very seriously as I have experienced its effects first hand. I cannot stress how dangerous this aspartame is. As I understand it was introduced to the pentagon as a biowarfare toxin. I know this sounds like craziness but I did find this info on several websites. Even if all the websites I visited are wrong I still know what it did to me and only by Gods grace was I shown what was causing my problems. When I stopped drinking the diet pop, my symptoms went away. It took a month or so to feel better but I did. If there is anyone out there with unexplainable symptoms and you use aspartame just stop for a month and see if it helps. I suspect we will someday find out just how bad this stuff really is.the spiderweb of how it was approved by the FDA is full of bribery, faulty scientific data and down right criminal activity. Follow the money. If a product in in over 6,000 products then you know it is making Monsanto soooooooo much money that they will stop at nothing to see that it remains in those 6,000 products. Discouraging. MA
Jacqueline says
Thanks for your powerful testimonial, Mary Ann! It is all true!
sommer says
Good morning! I’ve been looking for a list of foods andb products that DON’T contain aspartame but I’m only finding the opposite (which is still helpful). A friend mentioned aspartame toxicity to me and my research suggests that many of my medical problems might be caused by aspartame. I am interested in seeing iif avoiding this sugar substitute will help me. Thank you for your website article!
Jacqueline says
You are welcome, Sommer! The best way to avoid aspartame is not to buy sodas, processed food, and always read labels in the store as you shop. I hope to do a few posts on my favorite foods from Trader Joe’s but I relaize they aren’t everywhere. You can lock into a list of items you know are safe and stay with them. I hope that helps a little bit 🙂
alliyah gumbs says
I would like to know the specific candies that contain aspartame because I want to stop eating the one that do. THANK YOU
Jacqueline says
Alliyah Gumbs, it would be nearly impossible to list them all. Simply read the ingredients label! 🙂
Clydeine Admahick says
I found that chewable vitamin C, contains aspartame.
Jacqueline says
Eek! Thanks, Clydeine, for alerting us to it. I suppose then we need to avoid chewables because of flavor additives. All the more reason to read labels.
God bless you 🙂
Luis says
Jacqueline,
How do you reconcile what you say here with the fact that the FDA, EFSA and the American Cancer Association say that there is no proof that aspartame causes health issues. With the exception to those with Phenylketonuria. I am diabetic and recently bought some sugar free instant oatmeal from Wal-Mart that contains aspartame. In order to be sure that I WASN’T eating something harmful I quickly googled it and read articles on the FDA and ACA’s websites that it was very safe. Today I was looking a little closer and found your page which seems to fly against these other articles. Before I decide if I am going to eat the oatmeal I wanted to know where you are getting your information, what conclusive studies, etc.. Also if this is so bad, I would imagine there has to be lawsuits against the manufacture of aspartame, the companies that are putting it in their food and against the Federal Government for approving it for use. Can you point me to these lawsuits?
I am not being synical, but trying to understand this product before deciding.
Jacqueline says
Hi, Luis,
I guess I am not buying what big corps are telling us anymore. As an RN, I overheard neurosurgeons talk about the up swing in tumors beginning in 1985-ish. It was released as ‘GRAS’ for soft drinks in ’83. I personally know (more than I can count) friends that have had deleterious effects from consuming products with aspartame (seizures, dizziness, ulcers on legs, blacking out, severe HAs and migraines, and the list goes on) and these same symptoms stopped when they stopped consuming the products they frequented. I have a close relationship with a pilot for a large airline carrier and there are warnings because other pilots have lost their medical after “an event”. I write about that here: https://deeprootsathome.com/aspartame-the-most-dangerous-food-additive-on-the-market-3/
Actually, this is old news. Industry-funded research will always support its own best interests. Here you go, Luis:
http://www.oshmanlaw.com/product-liability/aspartame/
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/08/03/just-how-bad-is-aspartame.aspx
http://www.rense.com/general51/poison.htm
See the ‘Government action and voluntary withdrawls’ section here: http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Aspartame
Personally, I wouldn’t feed aspartame containing foods to my family, but we live in a free country…at least for now, though the truth is often suppressed and altered for means of personal greed. I hope this is helpful for you, Luis, and I am glad you are asking question!
colleen says
Hi Jacqueline,
I do not allow aspartame in my home or allow my daughter to have it. I have Multiple Sclerosis and from day one my neurologist strongly advised against having anything with aspartame in it. When I do I look like I had a stroke… my face droops and my leg drags. I wish people would stop buying products with it in the ingredients and realized their health is more important. Thank you for all you research!!
Jacqueline says
Colleen, thank you for your testimony. Importantly, it is never too late to stop using it. Many people have had a reversal of symptoms (migraines, headaches, vision issues, dizziness, muscle wasting, and the list goes on…) when they stop cold. You can also detox from it with this simple protocol: https://deeprootsathome.com/how-to-detox-aspartame-the-sweet-poison/
God bless you, Mama, for being diligent with your daughter 🙂
Lulu McC says
Dear Jacqueline,
I have come to realize that the mainstream “sugared” candy may have aspartame in it even though it is not labeled as such. I am very sensitive to this poisonous substance for in the past when I had some, my left knee hurts and becomes stiff. If I continue to eat enough of it, more joints start to hurt. When I stop eating it, everything goes back to normal and have no pains. This is a very consistent phenomena with me.
Now I avoid all sugar free products – no diet sodas, sugar-free candy and the like. However, just recently, I began eating mainstream candy such as Snickers, Butterfingers, M&Ms, Milky Ways, etc. – all candies that are supposed to be made with sugar. The same could be said of the mainstream “sugared” sodas. I mysteriously get these same “aspartame” symptoms when eating/drinking these products, just like I do with the sugar-free, aspartame products. Please note that this does NOT happen when I eat more organic candy from Whole Foods, Trader Joes, and the like.
First, I would like to ask if you have heard anything about this and if you could confirm if these mainstream candies have sneaked aspartame into these products? I strongly suspect they have.
Second, I wanted to warn your readers to be very careful eating/drinking mainstream products and urge them to purchase more organic brands just in case this is true.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Jacqueline says
Lulu,
Thank you for your warning! I would not be surprised at all to find aspartame in powdered sugared products and the other candies you list (plus others)! Blessings, friend!