Aspartame sweetener used in Diet Coke a possible carcinogen, WHO's cancer research agency to say - s

[douglas9]

Source: Reuters

LONDON, June 29 (Reuters) - One of the world's most common artificial sweeteners is set to be declared a possible carcinogen next month by a leading global health body, according to two sources with knowledge of the process, pitting it against the food industry and regulators.

Aspartame, used in products from Coca-Cola diet sodas to Mars' Extra chewing gum and some Snapple drinks, will be listed in July as "possibly carcinogenic to humans" for the first time by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the World Health Organization's (WHO) cancer research arm, the sources said.

The IARC ruling, finalised earlier this month after a meeting of the group's external experts, is intended to assess whether something is a potential hazard or not, based on all the published evidence.

It does not take into account how much of a product a person can safely consume. This advice for individuals comes from a separate WHO expert committee on food additives, known as JECFA (the Joint WHO and Food and Agriculture Organization's Expert Committee on Food Additives), alongside determinations from national regulators.

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/whos-cancer-research-agency-say-aspartame-sweetener-possible-carcinogen-sources-2023-06-29/

[IronLionZion]

1. Maybe all that diet coke will catch up to TFG

[Irish_Dem]

2. I confess I had the same immediate thought.

[SomedayKindaLove]

6. Trump actually died years ago

The formaldehyde from drinking Diet Coke is preserving his organs and making him a walking/talking Zombie.

[marble falls]

21. TFG is really JFK Jr. You read it here first direct from Q.

[piddyprints]

7. He's going to be that guy in the horror stories

who just won't die. Or if he does die, he comes back to life and chases you in the dark.

A little Aspertame won't hurt him.

[no_hypocrisy]

9. Nah, he's like Rasputin.

Or a cockroach.

[IronLionZion]

13. Ra Ra Rasputin, Russia's greatest love machine

[Mysterian]

27. Boney M. kicks ass

I discovered them on Black Mirror, when they played Ma Baker.

[IronLionZion]

28. Ma Baker

[Lokilooney]

43. First heard that from an animated version

&ab_channel=timy_g

[Chi67]

3. Dammit!

I love aspartame! Diet Coke, Fresca, Diet Squirt...etc. Way better than high fructose corn syrup! Yuck!

[jimfields33]

18. We're in more danger getting into our car everyday. Enjoy your diet cokes. I am!

Instead of wasting time on these stupid studies, they should be focused on getting rid of cancer once and for all, so we don’t have to worry about it.

[forgotmylogin]

26. I'm a Splenda/liquid Sucralose person myself.

I know that's no better, and from what I understand that's why I prefer the "zero" versions of diet drinks that use ace-k instead of aspartame. I've heard all the "it changes to formaldehyde!" and "it's derived from antifreeze!" arguments about aspartame and other sweeteners. Saccharin also caused cancer also - but it actually tasted like poison!

(Just looked it up: Coke Zero does use aspartame, but less of it in conjunction with other sweeteners.)

In my opinion, Coke Zero tastes more like original Classic Coke, where Diet Coke tastes more like "new Coke" when they switched from sugar to corn syrup to save money.

[womanofthehills]

29. The best cokes are the bottled ones from Mexicio

Made with sugar.

I eat really healthy- all organic vegs & fruits plus grass fed and range chicken but I really love my Mexican cokes. They are great with a meal - all that acid digests your food.

[Lokilooney]

42. In a blind tast test they perfered American

That is if they don't know what they are drinking, this breaks it down...
https://www.seriouseats.com/coke-vs-mexican-coke

Food is more phycological than most people know.

[LeftInTX]

46. It's also made with high fructose corn syrup

[womanofthehills]

52. If it's bottled in Mexico, it's made with Mexican cane sugar

Mexican Coke
In the United States, Mexican Coca-Cola, or Mexican Coke or, informally, "Mexicoke", refers to Coca-Cola produced in and imported from Mexico. The Mexican formula that is exported into the U.S. is sweetened with white sugar instead of the high-fructose corn syrup used in the American formula since the early 1980s. Some tasters have said that Mexican Coca-Cola tastes better, while other blind tasting tests reported no perceptible differences in flavor. This should not be confused with the domestic version of Coca-Cola sold in Mexico, which since 2017 may contain the artificial sweetener sucralose, with a can containing one-third less sugar than the export product.Wikipedia

[LeftInTX]

68. Nope..it's only for export to the US

Coke sold in Mexico now has high fructose corn syrup. Some makes its way to the US.

if it’s in a glass bottle with Spanish writing with a more aggressive ‘Coke bottle’ shape but sans “Hencho” (these are popular in Hispanic grocers in CA and TX) then it’s Coke from Mexico made with HFCS.

The sticker on this version of Mexican Coke lists both sugar and high fructose corn syrup as the sweeteners.As for the Mexican version blended with sugar and high fructose corn syrup, it ranked just a hair above the sucralose-sweetened Coke. It wasn't quite as off-putting but definitely didn't have the fizzy swagger of either the U.S. or cane sugar Mexican Cokes.

https://www.expressnews.com/food/article/mexican-coke-san-antonio-cane-sugar-17843506.php

Depends on where you buy them. Mexico has 3 bigger bottlers and a few smaller ones:

BEPENSA, that got the Yucatan Peninsula, works with corn syrup.

FEMSA, who got from Tabasco to Mexico Valley, and Tamaulipas, uses corn syrup with some substitutes to reduce the caloric content.

Arca Continental, that got the northern side of Mexico works with both corn syrup, and cane sugar right next to the US to catch some sales across the border.

You wouldn't find any cane sugar coke inside the country.

“Mexican coke” aka Coke made in Mexico switched to HFCS long ago. It’s cheaper and more accessible. Which makes it a wise business decision.

“Mexican Coke” the BRAND of Coke exclusively made in Mexico to be sold in the US is still cane sugar. You can find this at some groceries in the US (with cases being sold at most CA grocers) a ton of Mexican restaurants, and if you’re lucky in cases at Home Depot, Costco or Sam’s Club.

How do you tell the difference? The latter comes in a glass bottle and is clearly labeled “Hencho en Mexico” and a white label to fulfill American laws/guidelines affixed to it if you buy it at a grocery store and not a restaurant.

If it’s glass bottle with English writing on it, it’s probably some nostalgic B.S. I have neighbors who think their mini glass American bottles are Mexican coke and don’t have it in my heart to correct them.

https://www.latimes.com/food/dailydish/la-dd-mexico-soft-drink-tax-mexican-coke-20131104-story.html

[womanofthehills]

69. I live in New Mexico and my bottled coke says Hecho en Mexico -Retornable

Envase Exclusivo PARA Refresco - The Coca Cola Company Hecho en Mexico

The wording on these bottles is all in Spanish - some have a paper label listing ingredients, some have No ingredients listed and say to go to Coca-Cola.com.mx

Corbonated water, cane sugar, caramel color, phosphoric acid, natural flavors, caffene

I live outside of a small town of 900 people in the middle of NM - which actually has a three block downtown, I can buy Mexican coke at our grocery store, either of our two dollar stores or drive 40 miles to Walmart & buy it there.

If you look at the labeling on the mini coke glass bottles in six packs - it lists corn syrup as the second ingredient. I never buy these.

Coca-Cola that is hecho en México (made in Mexico) contains cane sugar rather than high-fructose corn syrup, the current whipping boy of the food world. Hipsters and the trendy restaurants they patronize have known about Mexican Coke for some time now, and bodegas in Los Angeles have stocked it to appeal to their Mexican-American customers. But in recent years, Mexican Coke has been appearing in the wide aisles of Costco, signaling a broader interest.

Smithsonian Magazine

[LeftInTX]

70. Well, that's what Mexico says. The cane sugar is for imports

Did you read the SA-EN and La Times articles?

The pure cane sugar Coca-Cola is made in Mexico expressly for export to the United States. The version with high fructose corn syrup has the same calorie count and, as I said, contains markings that indicate it is sold in Mexico, too.

However, if you own a mom and pop and bring up coke from Mexico it will likely have HFCS.

Here is the wiki In 2013, a Mexican Coca-Cola bottler announced it would stop using cane sugar in favor of glucose-fructose syrup.[12] It later clarified this change would not affect those bottles specifically exported to the United States as "Coca-Cola Nostalgia" products.[4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican_Coke

Mexican coke sold at Walmart will contain cane sugar. Mexican coke at mom and pop markets may contained HFCS. Green tops are marketed in Mexico and often contain HFCS. They are sold in the US too. Their sale may or may not be "legal" because I don't know food resale laws. If a mom and pop brings up coke from Mexico, they can just say that it's for a party and customs won't care. I don't know if they are allowed to says, "We're gonna sell it". Don't know the law.

[womanofthehills]

71. Interesting - because the green toped cokes never list ingredients

The red topped cokes have a sticker that says they are made with sugar and the green topped list NO ingredients. I usually avoid the green tops as the caps don't seem put on as well as the red but now I'll avoid them because they probably contain corn syrup. To me, the green tops never taste as good as the red. Thanks!

My friend owns the grocery store and the Coca Cola man brings them all. Maybe he brings some from Mexico when they are low.

Actually, I make my own kombucha and drink more kombucha than coke because sugar and corn syrup that aren't organic often have high glyphosate levels. You also need sugar to make kombucha but the longer it ferments the less sugar it has. I am one of those people who craves acid drinks - maybe I'll try lime water.
.

[cannabis_flower]

67. Watch the switch.

If that becomes big news or it gets banned , they’ll switch to Sucrolose. I hope, much better taste. Aspartame tastes nasty to me.

[OnlinePoker]

4. I wonder if this will be similar to the "saccharin causes cancer" scare from the 70's.

That turned out to be false after the mechanism that caused bladder cancer in lab rats was shown not to work the same way in humans. Also, if I remember right, the rats were being fed the equivalent of 40,000 cans of soda worth of saccharin per day to induce the cancer.

[LymphocyteLover]

12. any one study can be flawed but if the WHO makes a conclusion

it's probably more solid

[mahina]

22. WHO's to say?

Lol

Agreed

Its not on my menu.

[LymphocyteLover]

24. ha!

[womanofthehills]

37. Agree - it's an agreement by world scientists after looking at world studies

There are so many toxic chemicals in our air and water - it’s probably not a good idea to keep drinking this stuff as it seems to mess with your gut bacteria. It causes leukemia and lymphoma in rats.

[Happy Hoosier]

5. Whatever. It helped me beat diabetes.

T2 Diabetes killed my Mom. When I was diagnosed with it, I was determined to reverse it. I did. One component of that was that I allowed myself as much Coke Zero as I wanted. It worked. I reversed my diabetes two years ago and still have good A1C and Insulin numbers.

I'll take that over Yet Another Shitty Associative study any day.

[womanofthehills]

31. Some new studies say it can co tribute to diabetes

“A growing body of research suggests that artificial sweetener may disrupt the body's ability to properly metabolize glucose, which can be a risk factor for diabetes and cardiovascular health issues. “ https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/artificial-sweeteners-health-risks-heart-disease-blood-sugar-rcna46717

[Happy Hoosier]

41. My own experience suggests otherwise.

I am sample size of one, but I went from an A1C of 10.6 and a metabolic mess… (shitty LDL type ratios and triglycerides) to an A1C of 5.5 with fantastic ratios. I was extremely insulin resistant and now my insulin levels are completely normal. Works for me.

[BootinUp]

8. A lot of shit is a possible carcinogen. Let us know

when they figure it out.

[LymphocyteLover]

10. I used to drink that stuff but it started making me feel weird

haven't touched it for 30 years now

[womanofthehills]

38. Same here - it's been 30 yrs or more since I had a diet coke

Never liked the taste either - always tasted chemical like instead of food like.

[TeamProg]

11. Apparently it kind of tricks our bodies into believing it's a protean

so it affects us in more ways than just tasting sweet.

Or thereabouts!

Ask your Dr.

[BootinUp]

15. "possibly" nt

[GAdem2016]

14. The key phrase is this one:

"For example, an adult weighing 60 kg (132 pounds) would have to drink between 12 and 36 cans of diet soda – depending on the amount of aspartame in the beverage – every day to be at risk."

The information that is missing, however, and which is critical to evaluating the impact of this risk on oneself, is the relative risk associated with consuming that amount of diet soda.

If this risk was identified in a large epidemiological study, it's quite possible that a very small increase in relative risk would be identified as significant. A very small increase in relative risk can result in a large population attributable risk if exposure to the risk factor is very common (like with diet soda). That means, *from a population health perspective*, it may be of interest to reduce exposure to that risk factor.

However, what that *doesn't mean* is that individuals need to alter their consumption of diet coke or other aspartame-containing products because the increase in relative risk to them as an individual may be extremely small.

This is why this sort of reporting drives me batshit. The journalists like short, pithy, scary headlines to grab readers but they don't provide sufficient information for the reader to evaluate the true importance of the information being reported.

[BootinUp]

17. The information should "probably" spur additional studies

but it is not very useful for consumers except as an attention getter.

[womanofthehills]

58. Sounds like you are still quoting a study

IARC does no studies itself but makes its decisions after reading mega studies.

Another problem can be combining foods, chemicals etc. IARC also says aflatoxin, glyphosate, and lots of other compounds are possibly carcinogenic. So if you eat peanuts (high in aflatoxin), American GMO foods like corn, oats and soy and drink diet drinks at the same time, you might be getting larger exposures.

[Auggie]

16. Diet Pepsi?

[Oopsie Daisy]

19. Bring back TaB!!

[Duppers]

34. YES!

[Karma13612]

51. 🤣🤣🤣

Back in my twenties I lived on “TaB” and naturally -sweetened-with-sugar chewing gum! 🤣🤣🤣

Aaaand, I was mixing highly toxic cytotoxic chemicals, I.e. chemotherapy meds, in horizontal flow hoods without a mask. Ahh, the good ol’ days (the late 70’s) before we cared about our bodies!

Fast forward to 69 years old and I’ve mended my ways. But was it enuf? We shall see.

🤷‍♀️❤️🤣🙋🏼‍♀️

[womanofthehills]

53. In 70's, Uni I went to had photo darkrooms & litho printing classes with no ventilation

We even had lead and uranium in jars in ceramic classes. Our prof used to make beautiful orange bowls with uranium glaze. My best friend got walking pneumonia from spraying lead glaze on her pottery.

Then, my city, ran out of pyrethrums and some city pesticide sprayer worker took it upon himself to spray our neighborhood with some old outdated malathion (carcinogenic) he found in a shed. Whole neighborhood got sick. Plus, I remember my grandfather with a pesticide pack on his back spraying fruit trees we were playing under.

Most of us have been exposed to so much stuff - it’s amazing all I’ve had cancer wise is two mini melanomas. When I was a kid, thought nothing of being in the backseat of my parents car with both of them smoking and the windows closed.

[Karma13612]

62. I hear ya!

And no seatbelts, right?

🤣❤️

[Warpy]

20. Most studies so far are studies of confirmtion bias

Aspartame has been in wide use for decades now and I'm sure there is adequate epidemiological evidence out there to mount a proper study of possible side effects.

I'm still pissed off about cyclamates, probably the most palatable artificial sweetener so far. It gave lab rats in Canada fed a massive overdose of it bladder cancer and the button was pushed and they went back to saccharine until aspartame came out.

My own take is that all these substances have to be viewed with a risk versus benefit equation in mind. Fewer cases of HFCS induced diabetes might be a benefit, as well as reduced damage from diabetes if it develops should be weighed against a tiny increase in a rare cancer.

Like it or not, we're programmed to prefer sweet things. Artificial sweeteners can mitigate some of the harm caused by fully metabolized sugars. And until or unless the epidemiological work is done, I'm going to look at the WHO's massive weasel word "possible" and take this article with a pound of salt, a substance more dangerous than that pound of sugar.

[womanofthehills]

30. From what I know about IARC, they compile research from around the world.

A growing body of research suggests that artificial sweetener may disrupt the body's ability to properly metabolize glucose, which can be a risk factor for diabetes and cardiovascular health issues.

For the study published last month, Israeli researchers asked 120 people to consume four artificial sweeteners — aspartame, saccharin, stevia and sucralose — for two weeks. Participants consumed six sachets of sweetener per day, which is within the Food and Drug Administration’s acceptable intake.

The researchers observed changes in the makeup and function of participants' gut microbes, which help break down food and ward off disease-causing bacteria. The changes were not seen in people who did not consume artificial sweeteners. https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/artificial-sweeteners-health-risks-heart-disease-blood-sugar-rcna46717

[Warpy]

33. I read that study elsewhere

and the changes were seen with sucralose but not aspartame.

I'm ignoring the whole wretched mess in favor of something that has a bad name among food faddists: moderation.

[womanofthehills]

60. Probably ok in moderation if a person has an otherwise healthy diet

But many people are into fast foods and highly processed foods.

[Warpy]

61. And food fads, don't forget those

The "all carbs are bad" people are the most extreme these days.

https://time.com/5381570/low-carb-diets-longevity/

Most people lose some weight and crack and eat a potato or something. This study covers people who are diet zealots.

No paywall or Medicalese.

[Karma13612]

50. Just to clarify, stevia is not artificial.

But I get your point. It isn’t sugar.

Which is a good thing!

Thanks for sharing!

[Attilatheblond]

23. Rumsfeld put in a new FDA boss to speed up approval

https://www.arizonaadvancedmedicine.com/articles/2013/june/aspartame-history-of-getting-fda-approval/

Aspartame has been controversial since day one. Searle, the manufacturer, had failed to win FDA approval for 16 years and was under investigation for performing fraudulent studies. Aspartame was suddenly approved in 1981 when Donald Rumsfeld, former CEO of Searle and new member of President Ronald Reagan's transition team, appointed a new FDA commissioner.

More:

The Aspartic acid, in aspartame, is also an excitotoxin. An excitotoxin, is a deleterious substance that excites or over-stimulates nerve cells. This occurs in the brain, as well as the peripheral nerves, because aspartic acid, in free form, is an absorption accelerant & easily crosses the blood-brain barrier.

This pathological excitation of nerve cells creates a breakdown of nerve function, as we will see. Basically, they are a group of compounds that can cause special neurons within the nervous system to become overexcited to the point that these cells will die.

That’s right, they are excited to death. Excitotoxins include such things as monosodium glutamate (MSG), aspartate, (a main ingredient in NutraSweet), L-cysteine (found in hydrolyzed vegetable protein) and related compounds.

What makes this all the more intriguing is that “excitotoxins” appear to play a key role in degenerative nervous system diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, Huntington’s, ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) and many others.

But the story doesn’t stop there. It appears that an imbalance of these excitotoxins during critical periods of brain development can result in an abnormal formation of brain pathways; that is, a “miswiring of the brain.” This may lead to serious disorders such as behavioral problems (hyperactivity, aggression, attention deficit disorders, learning disorders, poor learning ability, and ADD)-and a lifetime of endocrine problems such as menstrual difficulties, infertility, and premature puberty.

Many care facilities for the elderly stopped using anything with aspartame years ago, after noticing a lot of issues with residents who used the sweetener. Anecdotal for sure, but care givers can be pretty good observers. And reading the above with Trump in mind might just be an Ah-HA moment when one things of his behaviors and his claims that he doesn't drink or do drugs.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/donald-rumsfeld-and-the-s_b_805581

Yes, that Donald Rumsfeld, the "knowns and unknowns" guy who remarkably executed some of the worst decisions in American foreign policy and got a medal for it. I have been reading up on this strange chapter in the history of Donald Rumsfeld and have learned two things. One, the chemical additive aspartame is very potentially a cancer and brain tumor-causing substance that has no place in our food. And two, the reasons and means by which Rumsfeld helped get it approved are nefarious at best, criminal at worst.

[Karma13612]

49. I believe there are warnings

Against use in those with phenylketonuria.

I remember feeling kinda trippy and strange after having a piece of gum once many years ago. It was some offered to me, not my own stash. Asked to look at the package and noticed the ingredients included this aspartame stuff. Another time it happened again with a lifesaver candy. Looked at the packaging again and sure enuf, aspartame.

That was it for me. No aspartame, no asulfame, no splenda (I used it until I researched and discovered it is sugar that is chemically altered), and no saccharine.

My acceptable sweeteners are: Stevia, monk fruit sweetener, xylitol, honey, sugar.

[bedazzled]

57. They caught Searle cutting cutting tumors out of rats in their trials

Replacing dead rats too


Never touch their stuff

Look up Dr Adrian Gross. He was the real deal

[Bayard]

25. I'm sure the risks from obesity far outweigh any risk from aspartame

I had already rid myself of my Diet Coke addiction, but I'm sure its in plenty of other things I eat. When I make something myself, like morning coffee, I always use stevia.

[womanofthehills]

39. Interesting- many nutritionists & body builders now into the carnivore diet

The majority eating mostly meat, eggs and fruit. Now- suddenly- lots of them are including honey in their diets. So I started researching honey. …

“Honey--a novel antidiabetic agent”

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus remains a burden worldwide in spite of the availability of numerous antidiabetic drugs. Honey is a natural substance produced by bees from nectar. Several evidence-based health benefits have been ascribed to honey in the recent years. In this review article, we highlight findings which demonstrate the beneficial or potential effects of honey in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), on the gut microbiota, in the liver, in the pancreas and how these effects could improve glycemic control and metabolic derangements. In healthy subjects or patients with impaired glucose tolerance or diabetes mellitus, various studies revealed that honey reduced blood glucose or was more tolerable than most common sugars or sweeteners. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22811614/

[Bayard]

45. Sounds kind of like the keto diet

I did that for a year, and lost a good bit of weight (its found its way back now.) Plus, my nephrologist told me recently that such a diet is hard on your kidneys--its harder for them to process meat.

I would think honey would raise your blood sugar. Will save this article. Thanks!

[DFW]

32. Here in Europe, aspartame has been used, AND known as a possible carcinogen for decades

Not enough definitive evidence of danger, plus enough people willing to take the risk.

I just avoid it. There is enough cancer in my family already. Both my parents, all their siblings, plus one cousin, who died of it at age 41. I look at it the same way I look at people who smoke far enough away from me so I don't have to breathe in whatever it is they are doing to themselves. I don't want it, for me or for my family.

The issue of who pays for the treatment for people committing slow suicide is a stickier matter, and not one I have to energy to fight out this evening.

[GenThePerservering]

35. Stick to eating fruit

for sweets. Problem solved.

[womanofthehills]

40. Fruit & honey -

Alternative to Sugar, Honey Does Not Provoke Insulin Resistance in Rats Based on Lipid Profiles, Inflammation, and IRS/PI3K/AKT Signaling Pathways Modulation

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35971648/

I think I will start adding honey to my ice tea and coffee. I drink Mexican coke with real sugar in glass bottles but limit myself to a half bottle or less a day - it is so so good.

[Karma13612]

48. Honey has such a distinct flavor

I find it hard to substitute for many situations. But I use stevia.

Problem solved!

[sir pball]

36. Eh, if it is it's a miniscule risk I'm sure. Stevia is better anyway.

We have a couple of stevia plants in the herb garden; the leaves are an amazing garnish for a dessert or even to just eat out of hand. Toss a few in when you're muddling a mojito or capirinha and you don't need sugar. I'm sure there'll turn out to be some issue with the particular chemicals that make it sweet but for now I'm going with the "it's natural and the plant is edible so it can't be THAT bad" metric

[womanofthehills]

59. Sounds like growing your own stevia plants is good

But buying store stevia can be dangerous.

CNN
—
A sugar replacement called erythritol – used to add bulk or sweeten stevia, monkfruit and keto reduced-sugar products – has been linked to blood clotting, stroke, heart attack and death, according to a new study.

“The degree of risk was not modest,” said lead study author Dr. Stanley Hazen, director of the Center for Cardiovascular Diagnostics and Prevention at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute.

People with existing risk factors for heart disease, such as diabetes, were twice as likely to experience a heart attack or stroke if they had the highest levels of erythritol in their blood, according to the study, published Monday in the journal Nature Medicine.https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/27/health/zero-calorie-sweetener-heart-attack-stroke-wellness/index.html

[sir pball]

63. Erythritol is pretty insidious.

I learned a lot about non-nutritive sweeteners when my wife was writing a Rocco DiSpirito weight-loss cookbook; erythritol is a pretty common adjuvant sweetener since it masks the artificial flavor of other sweeteners.

We've always avoided it because we can taste it, but that's just us. Stevia In The Raw is our go-to; it's stevia with just a touch of real sugar to get it to mix in; it's something like two calories a packet. Cheers!

[Happy Hoosier]

65. Can't stand stevia....

I do use erythritol when I really need to sweeten something. Fortunately I don’t have a huge sweet tooth, except for Coke Zero. I love that stuff. Not proud of it, but there it is. And it helps me avoid other things.

[honest.abe]

44. Does Coke Zero have same sweetener?

It seems to taste differently.

[Marius25]

54. No, Coke Zero uses Splenda

But I've heard Splenda has issues too. Pretty much all artificial sweeteners are bad.

[TexasBushwhacker]

55. Coke Zero uses a combination of aspartame and Ace-K aka

Acesulfame potassium.

There is a Diet Coke with Splenda and Pepsi One has Splenda.

Splenda messes with your gut microbiome. Personally, I don't like the taste. I prefer good old saccharine.

[Karma13612]

47. That fake sweetener is in so many things now.

It’s the reason I stopped chewing gum. Just try to find a common gum without a fake chemical sweetener. And I don’t mean the obscure stuff like licorice flavor, I mean on the candy shelves in food stores.

My jaw thanks me of course, but that’s not the point.

And even SOME “healthy” nutrition drinks like Ensure for old folks like me, are partially sweetened with these nasty chemicals to keep the carbs down.

You have to spend so much time reading labels to avoid sugar AND chemicals these days.

[Happy Hoosier]

64. To be clear....

Most sugar free gum is sweetened with xylitol, a sugar alcohol that occurs naturally (though can be synthesized as well). The human body even produces in small amounts.

[Karma13612]

66. Actually, I always see asulfame and aspartame

On the gum packaging I’ve taken the time to read.

Interesting! Guess I’ll have to look again.!

🤷‍♀️

[dalton99a]

56. "Fake News. I am still alive!"