DANGERS OF LOW CALORIE SWEETNERS

The awareness to avoid refined sucrose (table sugar) has gained momentum and this has led to the influx of drinks labelled as “no sugar” or “low sugar”. People now take low sugar drinks to avoid effects of excess refined sugar in the body system. The drinks usually come in shades different from the regular drinks sweetened with sugar. For example, diet coke comes with black instead of red colour for regular coke-same with Pepsi- and some malt come in slightly brighter colour when they are labelled as low Sugar.

The Question is, how safe are these diet and low sugar drinks? Usually, alternative sweeteners are used to replace the regular sugar in this drinks and some of these artificial sweeteners can be as much as 300 times sweeter than normal sugar. Examples of alternative sweeteners are Saccharin, Acesulfame K and Aspartame. Remember Saccharin? If you were around in the late 90s and early into the millennium, it was common in Nigeria as a sweetener before it was banned due to the possible carcinogen effect in the body. Other sweeteners are still in use anyway but the notable one for discussion here now is Aspartame.

The use of Aspartame is now common in diet drinks widely distributed in Nigeria. Some Food Safety personnel have labelled this sweetener as the most dangerous food additive known(aspartame, sweet poison )and I share in their sentiment. Aspartame contains Phenyl Alanine which can be intolerable for people suffering from Phenylketonuria (PK). This is a rare genetic disease condition that has no symptoms except when excess of Phenyl alanine is ingested. In Europe and the developed world, infants are screened at birth of this disease condition and any child found to have it is warned again the ingestion of Aspartame. However, no screening is done here in Nigeria and people living with this condition may not know till they consume Aspartame and suffer the consequence which may end up fatal. Next time you want to take any low calorie drink, please check the ingredients properly if Aspartame is the sweetener. There is usually a warning of the content and consequences of consumption (the message gives a warning that the drink is not suitable for people with Phenylketonuria) and unless you have been screened and sure you’re not suffering from this genetic disease, please drop that drink. Remember, if you aren’t sure, never consume.

Aside the Phenylketonuria disorder, Aspartame metabolism is not safe (aspartame, sweet poison) . The argument has only been made on quantity but don’t forget that there can be acute poisoning where metabolites cause damage over a long period. The research on Aspartame safety has only been carried out in the temperate region and metabolism rate may differ here in the tropics. Therefore, until we carry out a real work here in the tropics on effects of aspartame, it is advised to stay off it.

One of the by-products of breakdown of Aspartame is Methanol-poisonous methanol- which can further break down and cause methanol poisoning. Methanol may break down to yield formic acid which has a long half-life and if retained in the body can lead to organ failure, toxicity and the much talked about methanol poisoning. Formic acid can also cause optic damage and hence defects in eye sight and sometimes neurological imbalance as seen in Phenylketonuria symptoms.

Aspartame is also known to be unstable under high PH and temperature and as such may break down to the components ending up in formic acid and cause damaging effects to the body. You will agree with me that drinks are not stored in cool conditions in Nigeria, sometimes, they are stored in the sun. The sweetener might have broken down under the high temperature(in the sun) before consumption and hence causing long lasting effective damage of body organs.

Despite all the controversies about this food additive, it is still in use in most part of the world with different cautions attached to the label to warn consumers of the dangers in consuming it. It is however better to stay safe than to take chances especially now that food and health is involved. Remember, since we are not sure of Aspartame, it is better to avoid it.