 |
|
|
Aspartame News |
| 08/25/2009 | American Heart Association Recommends Reduction in Sugar Intake | |
Low Calorie Sweeteners Can Help
On August 25, the American Heart Association spelled out specific recommendations about the number of discretionary calories that should come from added sugars in the diet. AHA recommends a prudent approach of an upper limit of intake of half the discretionary calorie allowance. For most women, this would be no more than 100 kcal/day (around 6 teaspoons), and for most men, no more than 150 kcal/day (around 9 teaspoons) from added sugar. The average intake of added sugar based on the 2001-04 NHANES is about 22 teaspoons/day.
Simple shifts from sugar to low calorie sweeteners like aspartame can make these changes. Regular soft drinks, which contain about 8 teaspoons sugar/12 ounces represent about one third of the total added sugars consumed. For the person who usually has two cups of coffee (1 t. sugar each) and one soft drink each day, a shift to diet soda and a low cal coffee sweetener would knock off 10 teaspoons, which for most will put them in sight of the finish line!
Take a look at the Aspartame Calorie Converter for other simple substitutions to help reduce added sugars.
Click here to review the AHA report in its entirety. | | | | | | 04/30/2009 | American Dietetic Association publishes evidence-based analysis of human research on aspartame putting questions to rest | |
April 2009
In 2008, the ADA undertook an in-depth analysis of a list of questions about aspartame using its "evidence analysis" approach, which systematically evaluates human studies (within specific parameters) related to defined questions. After the research analysis, conducted in this project by five registered dietitians (RD) chosen and trained by ADA, is completed, a separate expert group of five RD's evaluates the work as it applies to the questions at hand. A conclusion statement is formulated, and a "grade" is applied to each conclusion statement indicating the strength of the evidence supporting that conclusion.*
The ADA project looked at the science around several questions raised by the media and others over recent years. The final analysis, posted on the ADA Evidence Analysis Library web site, puts these questions to rest. For example,
- Some have claimed that low calorie sweeteners like aspartame could have a "rebound" effect that leads people to have more of an appetite or to eat more food. The analysis found, "There is good evidence that aspartame does not affect appetite or food intake." This consensus statement was given a "grade 1," the highest grade in the EAL scale.
- Others have implied, despite the implausibility, that low calorie sweeteners actually "make" people gain weight. The ADA committee looked at studies in adults and concluded that using aspartame in the context of a reduced calorie diet either does not affect weight or is associated with increased weight LOSS. This body of research also was given a grade 1.
- For years the urban myths about aspartame's supposed "negative effects" have proliferated on the Internet. The committee evaluated peer-reviewed research from the scientific literature on this topic and concluded, "Aspartame consumption is not associated with adverse effects in the general population." Once again, the committee found that the support for this statement is "grade 1."
The overall evaluation was funded jointly by ADA and Ajinomoto. Research analysts and expert committee members were chosen by ADA. For complete access to the full report, and to review all of the questions, along with access to summaries of the research that was considered for each, click here.
*Conclusion Statements are assigned a grade by an expert work group based on the systematic analysis and evaluation of the supporting research evidence. Grade I is good; grade II, fair; grade III, limited; grade IV signifies expert opinion only; and grade V indicates that a grade is not assignable because there is no evidence to support or refute the conclusion. Recommendations are also assigned a rating by an expert work group based on the grade of the supporting evidence and the balance of benefit versus harm. Recommendation ratings are Strong, Fair, Weak, Consensus or Insufficient Evidence.
| | | | | | 04/06/2009 | Recent Studies Highlight Benefits of Low-Calorie Sweeteners | |
Two recent studies published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition underscore the importance of low-calorie sweeteners as an option for consumers. A study, titled "Sweetened Beverage Consumption and Risk of Coronary Heart Disease in Women," which appears in the April 2009 edition of the journal, shows that while consumption of two or more sugar-sweetened beverages appears to be linked to an increase a woman's risk of coronary heart disease, beverages containing low-calorie sweeteners are not associated with such a risk.
In addition, a study published in the January 2009 edition, titled "Increasing Consumption of Sugar-sweetened Beverages Among U.S. Adults: 1988 - 1994 to 1999 - 2004," highlights that beverages sweetened with low-calorie alternatives to sugar can be an important tool in helping to reduce consumption of "empty calories" from sugar-sweetened beverages.
To read the abstract of the April study, please click here. To read the abstract of the January study, please click here. | | | | | | 11/11/2008 | Nutrition News Highlights Efforts to Unravel Aspartame Myths | |
November 11, 2008
The latest edition of Nutrition News, a newsletter published by the New Zealand Nutrition Foundation, discusses two recent seminars designed to educate food and health professionals about common misperceptions related to aspartame. Among the keynote speakers was Dr. Bernadene Magnuson, Adjunct Professor in Nutritional Sciences from the University of Toronto. She spoke about the findings of an extensive scientific review on the safety of aspartame published last year in the journal Critical Reviews in Toxicology, and highlighted four key points to counter some of the misinformation currently circulating in New Zealand.
Click here and scroll to page six to read, “Aspartame – Facts and Fiction.” | | | | | | 08/07/2008 | WebMD Feature Addresses Misperceptions About Aspartame | |
August 7, 2008
If, like many Americans, you stock your pantry with processed foods, you may worry about how safe food additives really are.
Over the years, the safety of many food additives, from food dyes to trans fats, has come into question. A scare over a food additive may linger in our minds long after researchers find that there's actually no cause for alarm. It can take years, or even decades, to find out the truth, and sometimes the case is never really closed.
To help you figure out what s safe, WebMD took a look at the latest research on seven of the most controversial food additives. Here's what we found:
Click here to view the full article.
| | | | | | 07/29/2008 | Registered Dietitian Ann Sherry Responds to Questions About Aspartame Safety in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | |
July 29, 2008
Registered Dietitian Ann Sherry Responds to Questions About Aspartame Safety in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
What Should I Eat?
Q. “I have heard that phenylalanine is very bad for you and that is why it has become part of the ingredients listed (on food products). I have never read anything about it. Could you please explain what it is?
And are artificial sweeteners bad for you? Is Splenda the only good sugar with no calories? Is the Wal-Mart generic brand of Splenda that I have been eating OK?"
A. "Straight Answers about Aspartame," an American Dietetic Association fact sheet from 2006, defines aspartame as "a low-calorie sweetening ingredient that provides the sweet taste without the calories."
When aspartame breaks down in our body, it forms the amino acids aspartic acid and phenylalanine and also a small amount of methanol. The same substances may also be found in milk, meat, fruit and vegetables - only in larger amounts. Your body digests these substances similarly whether from foods or aspartame.
Click here to view the full article.
| | | | | | 07/29/2008 | Grocery Manufacturers Association Releases New Science Policy Paper on Aspartame | |
Washington, DC - The Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) today released Aspartame: A Guide for Consumers, Policymakers and the Media, a science policy paper designed to provide current and scientifically accurate information and resources for journalists, health professionals and policymakers.
“Non-nutritive sweeteners, including aspartame, are used in a variety of food and beverage products. Aspartame is approved for use in more than 400 countries, including the United States, Canada, countries in the European Union, Japan, Australia and New Zealand,” said Robert Brackett, chief science officer for GMA. “Few ingredients have been subject to the extent of research that has been conducted on aspartame and the overwhelming majority of the scientific evidence confirms its safety.”
Please visit http://www.gmabrands.com/publications/SciPol_Aspartame_0722.pdf to access GMA’s science policy paper on aspartame.
###
The Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) represents the world’s leading food, beverage and consumer products companies. The association promotes sound public policy, champions initiatives that increase productivity and growth and helps to protect the safety and security of the food supply through scientific excellence. The GMA board of directors is comprised of chief executive officers from the association’s member companies. The $2.1 trillion food, beverage and consumer packaged goods industry employs 14 million workers, and contributes over $1 trillion in added value to the nation’s economy. For more information, visit the GMA Web site at www.gmaonline.org.
| | | | | | 03/07/2008 | American Dietetic Association Affirms Aspartame Safe During Pregnancy | | The American Dietetic Association position paper, “Nutrition and Lifestyle for a Healthy Pregnancy Outcome,” was published in this month’s Journal of the American Dietetic Association. In the section on “Sweeteners and Other Ingredients,” it states: “Use of sweeteners and other ingredients that are classified as Generally Recognized as Safe are acceptable in moderation during pregnancy. Risk assessment considers any potential toxicity during pregnancy. Consumption of acesulfame potassium, aspartame, sucralose, and neotame within acceptable daily intakes is considered safe during pregnancy.” (Journal of the American Dietetic Association, March 2008, 108(3): 553-560.)
| | | | | | 03/06/2008 | ADA Times Features Story on Safety of Aspartame | | March 6, 2008
The March/April 2008 edition of the ADA Times, a publication of the American Dietetic Association, featured an article titled “Panel Finds Aspartame Safe for Everyday Use,” written by Aspartame Resource Center consultant Victoria Shanta Retelny, RD, LD. The piece highlights the findings of a comprehensive review of scientific literature on aspartame, which was conducted by a distinguished panel of global food safety experts and published in the September 2007 volume of Critical Reviews in Toxicology.
Retelny highlights that aspartame, an ingredient in more than 6,000 food and beverage products around the world, is one of the most scientifically scrutinized food ingredients. She notes that the expert panel report, which included a review of some 500 articles and studies, confirms that “aspartame is safe for everyday use at current consumption levels.” The report found no adverse physiological effects associated with aspartame, including nervous system function, cognition and behavior, and reproductive health and lactation. The report also debunked a myth falsely linking aspartame to cancer.
The ADA Times is a bi-monthly newsletter sent to an estimated 67,000 members of the ADA.
| | | | | | 07/05/2007 | New Zealand Food Safety Authority Confirms Safety of Aspartame | |
Statement Adds to Large Body of Research Supporting Sweetener’s Use
July 5, 2007 -- According to the New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA), recent news media reports focused on a study published by the Italian Ramazzini Foundation (ERF), which made false claims about the safety of aspartame, raised unnecessary concerns for consumers. Numerous international regulatory medical authorities -- the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the World Health Organization's Joint Expert Committee of Food Additives and the European Union's Scientific Committee for Food, and a host of others -- have all confirmed the safety of aspartame. NZFSA Deputy Chief Executive Sandra Daly said, "Misleading or unsubstantiated claims about a particular food can create fear and quite unnecessary concerns for consumers. Aspartame is probably one of the most studied products on sale today, and there is an extensive body of evidence that tells us it is a safe product that offers consumers a sweet low-calorie option in their diet."
Click here for the full NZFSA statement.
| | | | |
|
|
