Acesulfame-potassium

[Troub]

I tried searching and couldn't find anything on these forums relating to Acesulfame-potassium so I thought I would ask.

Is it safe? Is it related to Aspartame? Are there any studies showing long or short term side-effects/problems/etc?

I couln't find much with google, as most sites were about how safe it and aspartame was for yourself and you children, so I'm not really believing those.


Any help?

thx.

[ConsciousCuisine]

Artificial sweeteners are never a good idea in my opinion. This one in particular is extensively tested by animals and is a chemical not metabolized by the body which is cause enough to avoid it for me as a vegan who is interested in both animal welfare and health. In packaged goods, it is often used in conjunction with another sweetener, such as aspartame or sucralose.

[Troub]

the reason i even ask is in my search for chewing gum.

I recently gave up aspartame, and as such, my favorite gum ever, Eclipse. I'm talking like... 6-8 pieces a day. I found a vegan gum but it costs like 4 times as much. I noticed that cinnimon gums dont have asparame but acesulfame insted. I wanted to get some information before trying cheaper and easier to get cinnimon gum.



Looks like its the expensive not-so-long lasting vegan gum.

...

[Troub]

anyone?

is this as hard on the brain as aspartame?

It would be nice to know for sure...

[Seaside]

I seem to remember reading one of Marilu Henner's books on diet. She is not a vegan, or even a vegetarian, but she had some info on Acesulfame-K. There is also a book called "Excitotoxins: The Taste that Kills" that might have some info. Otherwise, you could Google. I won't consume it, as I am suspicious of all artificial sweeteners. Its too bad they can't put stevia in gum. You can thank the FDA for that. Stevia is the only non-caloric sweetener that I will use, but thanks to the Nutra-Sweet lobby, the FDA won't allow this completely natural plant extract to be used in products as a sweetener.

The trouble with aspartame isn't just that it is hard on the brain. It turns to formaldehyde in the body. I have heard that embalmers are not having to use as much embalming fluid in dead bodies today as they used to. Creepy! I think acesulfame-K may be carcinogenic, but I don't remember for sure.

[grail]

Question: Could someone list the various excitotoxins? I have been searching for a list, but have been unable to find one. I know that aspartame, MSG, hydrolyzed yeast extract, etc. are, but I'm sure there are others I don't know about.

Thanks.

[thecatspajamas1]

the reason i even ask is in my search for chewing gum.

Instead of gum, I like to chew on eucalyptus leaves.

[Wildflower]

I avoid it due to a mention in an article the Center for Science in the Public Interest published on artifical sweetners awhile back. I avoid all artifical sweetners anyway, but now I make a point to really check for it.

Here is the article - > http://www.cspinet.org/nah/05_04/sweet_nothings.pdf

You need Adobe Reader for it, which you can get here - > http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html

You probably want to uncheck those boxes for the Yahoo Toolbar and something else that will come with it as a default.

[ukahela]

what about maltitol? would anyone know? i've not heard sth as dramatic about maltitol as about aspartame and acesulfame-k... but it's an artificial sweetener too, so it would be good to know..

[Wildflower]

Mallitol is listed in my document under "sugar alcohols"

It is listed as safe, but can cause diarrhea (as the body doesn't recognoize it). Sucralose is also listed as safe, because no animal tests showed any adverse affects (HA! I am sure they loved being tested on). HOWEVER, it is still an artificial sweetner, so it is just that, ARTIFICIAL and tested on animals.

I once bought a diabetic friend some candy made with sorbitol and she had diarreah for days...live and learn I guess, but I felt awful for her!