`Skinny Bitch’: A (Non)Sugar-Coated Learning Experience
I’m a little late to the game with appreciating the New York Times Bestseller Skinny Bitch, but I love it! During my morning commute today I learned about the evil sugar substitute aspartame (I take public transportation; I was not reading while driving!).
I love the comical, straight-forward way that Skinny Bitch is written - you should definitely check out the book. But for now, here are just the facts, incorporated from the vegan-in-disguise bestseller and my own additional research.
What is aspartame?
* It’s a chemical compound that is 180 times as sweet as sugar, but has no calories or “sugar rush.”
* It was accidentally discovered by a chemist who was working on an ulcer drug.
* Equal and NutraSweet are aspartame. Also, many products such as diet sodas contain it.
Why is aspartame bad?
* Once ingested, it turns to formaldehyde, a neurotoxin, that in turn preserves your fat.
* It’s method of being approved by the FDA was highly suspicious and controversial.
* There are over 92 known side effects, including headaches, weight gain, brain tumors, brain lesions, seizures, depression, and lymphoma.
* The FDA originally denied it eight times. After offering jobs to opposing parties, the aspartame team finally (sort of) won.
* There are aspartame victim support groups.
* The company has been blatantly misleading with consumers, advertising that it is “natural” when it is not.
* It alters your body’s natural PH balance.
* Although promoted as a great alternative for Diabetics, the health risks associated with it outweigh the benefits for people with Diabetes.
* Several lawsuits have been filed claiming that aspartame is poisoning the public.
What are the alternatives?
* Equally as bad alternatives include: refined sugar (hidden animal product alert: refined sugars are often processed with charred animal bones), Splenda, Sweet & Low, and high fructose corn syrup.
* Better alternatives are: Stevia, evaporated cane juice, raw sugar, beet sugar, date sugar, maple syrup, molasses (hidden animal product alert: syrups and molasses that are not 100 percent pure may contain lard), barley malt syrup … the list goes on and on.
April 23rd, 2008 at 8:01 am
[...] Living Without Meat talks about sugar substitutes. [...]
May 28th, 2008 at 9:31 pm
[...] feature high fructose corn syrup. Every whole wheat, multi-grain, or plain loaf had this nasty, falsified sugar in its first few ingredients. Another place that high fructose corn syrup runs rampant? Sparkling [...]
August 15th, 2008 at 10:52 am
[...] or the edge of your bed. 2. Listen to Rory and Kim. One point that really sticks with me from Skinny Bitch is their breakfast recommendation. Fruit is digested quickly, and if you eat it with other food it [...]