What’s the Mick’s up with Artificial Sweeteners?

“Artificial sweeteners can be found on nearly every restaurant table in America.  Sales of Sweet N Low, Splenda, Equal, and many other artificial sweeteners have sky-rocketed in recent years.  Everywhere we look, the multi-colored sugar substitutes enter our food and drinks by the packet.  Most claim to be “natural” and “low calorie.”  As consumers attempt to make smart choices on how to sweeten their foods and drinks, the dangers of these chemical sugars continue to be uncovered. ” - Dr. Aaron Sparks - Maximized Living: "The Yellow Blue and Pink Packets Could Be Killing You"

What are artificial sweeteners?  I don’t necessarily agree with everything said by the clinic, but here’s the Mayo Clinic definition:

“Artificial sweeteners are synthetic sugar substitutes but may be derived from naturally occurring substances, including herbs or sugar itself. Artificial sweeteners are also known as intense sweeteners because they are many times sweeter than regular sugar.

“Artificial sweeteners currently approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are:

• Acesulfame potassium (Sunett, Sweet One)
  
• Aspartame (Equal, NutraSweet)
  
• Neotame
  
• Saccharin (SugarTwin, Sweet'N Low)
  
• Sucralose (Splenda)

“Approved sugar alcohols and novel sweeteners include:

• Erythritol
  
• Hydrogenated starch hydrolysates
  
• Isomalt
  
• Lactitol
  
• Maltitol
  
• Mannitol
  
• Sorbitol
  
• Xylitol
  
• Stevia preparations that are highly refined (Pure Via, Truvia)”

You can find a comparison of some of these sweeteners at WebMD.

The artificial sweeteners are chemicals, which have serious affects on children and their brains.  For example:  Aspartame has a known carcinogen, methyl alcohol, which in this product doesn’t have the pectin to bind it to be safe like it does in fruit.  Also, Splenda contains chlorine, bringing another carcinogen into our foods.  These sweeteners are in 6000+ products, so beware, especially if you have a child with challenges.  Check out this information at the Maximized Living Vlog with Dr. Ashly Ochsner, as well as in the article “Artificial Sweeteners: The Only Thing You Won't Lose is Weight” and the webinar: Know the Facts About Diet Drinks and Artificial Sweeteners (aired: 2011-04-19) (Scroll down to almost the bottom of the page, and find the title to click on.)

The choice has always been easy for me.  I hate the taste of artificial sweeteners, so I’ve always steered clear of them, and now I’m glad I did.  However, I know there are many people out there who are hooked on the stuff.  It’ll be difficult to break that, but it’ll be worth it in the long run, when there is less brain fog, more energy, and a healthier and more fit body.  Reaching that point will allow you to fully do what God has in store for you!

If you don’t do it for yourself, at least do it for your kidderz.

“Do not conform 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 (NIV)

Don’t be like everyone else, and fall into the “diet” and “sugar-free” trend of artificial sweeteners.

Make the safest choices you can.

Do the research, and become empowered!

So, if we stay away from sugar, as in Mick's Scoop on Sugar, because of its affect on our Immune System, as we read in Mick's up on Your Immune System, among other things, then what?


I'm glad you asked!
A couple of safer options are described in Mick's up with Sweeteners.

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