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Aspartame sweetener to be declared possible cancer risk by WHO, say reports

theguardian.com

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Re: Aspartame sweetener to be declared possible cancer risk by WHO, say reports

#41
post #13
post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How can a layman determine the right book? Anti-vax kooks also think they're reading the right sources.

You don't need to read a book. I think you can get away with three steps: 1) This maxim from Michael Pollan: "Eat food [1]. Mostly plants. Not too much." (I personally follow an adjusted version of this: "Eat food. Only plants. Not too much.") 2) Review daily nutrient requirements to ensure your diet is providing you with adequate macro (protein, carbs, fat) and micronutrients (vitamins, minerals). 3) A few months af…

"You don't need to read a book". Immediately cites a book.

I don't disagree with your assertion on steps, to be clear, just that you aren't answering the actual question. How can you trust Pollan (I'm not saying you can't, just...that's the core question the OP was asking).

Re: Aspartame sweetener to be declared possible cancer risk by WHO, say reports

#42
post #15

I wish there was a switch in the mass production of products to contain neither sugar or sweeteners. But it feels like that is never going to happen.

You can do it yourself. I used to drink a lot of sweetened soda. I switched to diet, then stopped. Regular sugar-sweetened drinks taste sickeningly sweet to me now, and diet drinks taste like chemicals. Once you break the habit, your sense of taste recovers and you realize how nasty these drinks are. Most people get started on them as kids when you don't have a nuanced sense of taste and really crave sweet stuff.

[deleted]

Re: Aspartame sweetener to be declared possible cancer risk by WHO, say reports

#43
post #2

The weird thing about this is that i stopped drinking Diet Coke, specifically because of aspartame, after reading this same thing in 1996 or perhaps early 97. WHO's decision to wait nearly 30 years before backing that just makes them look impotent.

Where's the proof that drinking Diet Coke causes literally any health issue that is a direct relation to the aspartame itself specifically? Because I don't think that has ever existed because it's not actually harmful in this way... meanwhile your post reads like FUD.

You can start here: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-h...

Diet sodas with aspartame contain a warning for this reason. Now of course, most of us do not have this condition.

But how do we know if it is safe? I decided 20+ years ago that artificial sweeteners were a crutch with no nutritional value and unknown risks, so I stopped consuming them.

Re: Aspartame sweetener to be declared possible cancer risk by WHO, say reports

#44

Reminder that bacon is already a known carcinogen for those worrying about artificial sweeteners but happily eating processed meats.

It’s actually sodium nitrite that’s carcinogenic (after being exposed to high heat), and I can find bacon without sodium nitrite here pretty much at every grocery store.

Adding to what remote_phone said, and repeating another comment of mine, that nitrite free bacon still has the same amount of nitrites (in some cases, more).

https://www.americastestkitchen.com/cooksillustrated/how_tos...

Re: Aspartame sweetener to be declared possible cancer risk by WHO, say reports

#45

Reminder that bacon is already a known carcinogen for those worrying about artificial sweeteners but happily eating processed meats.

It’s actually sodium nitrite that’s carcinogenic (after being exposed to high heat), and I can find bacon without sodium nitrite here pretty much at every grocery store.

If it is completely uncured sure, but usually niteite/nitrate free bacon has an asterisk saying something like "beyond what is naturally found in the added celery juice". If you heat those nitrites in the bacon it doesn't the same thing as the synthetic stuff would. Luckily trichinosis is largely a thing of the past, so why heat it? Uncooked bacon tastes awesome. Also, in stews I believe it does reach the dangerous temps?

Re: Aspartame sweetener to be declared possible cancer risk by WHO, say reports

#46

Reminder that bacon is already a known carcinogen for those worrying about artificial sweeteners but happily eating processed meats.

Source please

https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/can...

Re: Aspartame sweetener to be declared possible cancer risk by WHO, say reports

#47

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IARC_group_2B I read through this list before when I was talking to a conspiracy theorist about 5G. Radio frequencies are on this list. As are caffeic acid (found in coffee, wine, mint), aloe vera and pickled vegetables.

Caffeic acid may be a carcinogen but I do not think any decent studies have found a connection between drinking coffee and cancer, and in fact some have found the opposite.

Re: Aspartame sweetener to be declared possible cancer risk by WHO, say reports

#48
post #7
post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How can a layman determine the right book? Anti-vax kooks also think they're reading the right sources.

It's impossible for a layman to know because most people in accredited positions of authority lie without cessation. Identify people you trust on a subject, filter their claims through your own ideas about what is reasonable, and hope for the best. You might still get it wrong. Such is life.

Or you just read a scientific paper. It's called a review and it goes over several studies and uses statistics to determine probability of claims. For example,

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8227014/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9776645/

Re: Aspartame sweetener to be declared possible cancer risk by WHO, say reports

#49
post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My understanding is that bacon itself is not the culprit of the possible (note — possible) carcinogen. The sodium nitrate that is often used as a preservative is. Nitrate-free bacon is easy to find though.

Nitrate-free (or, "no nitrates added") bacon still contains nitrates. About the same amount as standard bacon, and in some cases, more. https://www.americastestkitchen.com/cooksillustrated/how_tos...

In the UK, we have nitrate-free bacon available that is actually nitra(i)te free: https://www.betternaked.com/products/better-naked-unsmoked-b...

Re: Aspartame sweetener to be declared possible cancer risk by WHO, say reports

#50

When I accidentally ingest food or drinks containing aspartame, it takes me out for at least 24h with a hellish migraine.

being a statistical outlier means you don't count. Good luck explaining that to your doctors.
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