talking fake stuff :: artificial sweeteners

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If you think about it, nothing fake is ever that great. Fake tans are bad. Fake handbags, not so great. Fake chesticles, (aka breasts) very often bad! (although some may argue that one, especially those who enjoy the sport of spectating) I'm yet to come across anything good that is pretending to be something else. At the top of this list of bade fakes is fake sugar - really bad!

Aspartame is horrible stuff. So horrible in fact that it was denied eight times by Food and Drug Administration Department (FDA), before it snuck through a loophole and made it's way into food. If you're scratching your head wondering what I'm talking about - I'm talking fake sugar aka artificial sweetener.

Let's talk about the side effects:

Memory loss, nerve cell damage, migraines, reproductive disorders, mental confusion and brain lesions, blindness, joint pain, Alzheimer's, bloating, nervous system disorders, hair loss, food cravings and surprise surprise, weight gain!

Let's talk ingredients:

Aspartame contains a substance called methyl alcohol which, once ingested turns into a formaldehyde - a deadly neurotoxin. Some sweetners also contain Phenylalanine. Phenylalanine naturally occurs in our brain, however high levels of this can lead to seizures, depression and schizophrenia. It is pretty simple to see there is no way known that any of this stuff is good.

Let's talk weight:

The whole point of fake stuff like this is to combat the weight gain associated with sugar consumption. There has been evidence to suggest that these products actually stimulate appetite and therefore increase food intake. On top of that, there is actually no clear evidence to support the theory that these products are useful in weight reduction. There really is no point is there? You are far better off having the real thing, although in most cases steering clear of high sugar foods is the best option.

I have written about cleansing and keeping your body more alkaline than acidic. Acidic forming foods lead to acidic bodies - resulting in lowered immunity, greater illness and a host of other issues. The upcoming End of Summer Body Cleanse I'm running, is one of the best ways to get your body clean and alkaline - sweeping out all the gunk that has formed over time.

My best suggestion is to stick with real sugar - nature has provided us with some great options. Mayple syrup is my personal pick. It tastes wonderful and in its pure form it is nutritious. Depending on how you are using it, raw cane sugar is also a good choice. It's all a matter of combination and what foods you are putting together.

Base your diet around whole food and you really can't go wrong.

A good thought to have is if it isn't off the land, it is probably isn't very good for your insides. What you put into your body - you can expect out of it.