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Aspartame aggravates atherosclerosis through insulin-triggered inflammation

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Re: Aspartame aggravates atherosclerosis through insulin-triggered inflammation

#81
post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The funny thing about this question is that it doesn’t really matter, unless it does: Sugar harms your health in a whole host of well documented ways, but a little of it, infrequently, is fine. Aspartame has always been under a cloud of doubt, but is probably also just fine in small amounts. So really, you only need to be thinking about this if you’re having either of them as a regular part of your diet. And if that’…

My main question is, if I drink ~3 glasses of soft drinks per day, should I get the one with sugar or the one with aspartame. Currently, I get the one with aspartame with thinking that (1) given the amount of sugar in this amount, I'd be running 100% full of my daily sugar norm, and (2) there are no conclusive evidence of aspartame being actually bad. Would the sugary drink be a better choice? Another thing that irks…

One school of thought (including my own) is that if you’re consuming enough sweetened products per day that you need to consider switching to ones that contain artificial sweeteners (to avoid too much sugar), then it’s time to re-evaluate your lifestyle by questioning why you’re consuming so much sweet stuff to begin with. There are so many other foods that have so many other enjoyable flavors and well-known health benefits that you can make room for in your life.

Re: Aspartame aggravates atherosclerosis through insulin-triggered inflammation

#82

I know that they've gone back and forth on artificial sweeteners over the years, but honestly, one of the best things I've done recently is switch over to seltzer water. Triggers all of the chemical receptors in the brain by repeating the "ritual" of drinking canned pop, but it's just water, so it's actually good for you. Also half the cost.

I've found seltzer makes me sleepy or fatigued for some reason. Everyone I tell this to looks at me like I'm nuts but I swear it's real. I think it has something to do with the brain's expectation of calories and the subsequent lack.

I get sleepy if I have too many vitamins/minerals (eg: a whole PowerBar or entire Orgain drink), so maybe it's the minerals, perhaps Magnesium?

[Magnesium helps my wife sleep better, but she can only take it at night or it makes her sleepy. I take half in the morning, and I think it helps because we're likely not getting enough in our mineral-depleted foods.]

Re: Aspartame aggravates atherosclerosis through insulin-triggered inflammation

#83

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> After all, we couldn't consume milk hundreds of thousands of years ago. But for the past thousands of years, I'm pretty sure my lineage could. > you would have consumed lemons, coffee, and maple syrup? Citris? Beans? Tree syrup? > Is half-and-half natural? Sure is. And so is yogurt (a Turkish word, I'll have you). > It's a bit of straw-man I'd call it something else, completely. > I find this line of reasoning disi…

Few thousand years, OK, but not hundreds of thousands. Coffee has only been drank for less than a thousand years. They aren't just beans, they are specific beans that undergo refinement to get them to where we want them to be. Same with maple syrup - tree sap is not the same in its natural form. You're drinking a concentrated sugar. The lines in the sand here aren't as definite as they are made out to be.

Aspartame was definitely approved in 1974.

Re: Aspartame aggravates atherosclerosis through insulin-triggered inflammation

#84
post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The funny thing about this question is that it doesn’t really matter, unless it does: Sugar harms your health in a whole host of well documented ways, but a little of it, infrequently, is fine. Aspartame has always been under a cloud of doubt, but is probably also just fine in small amounts. So really, you only need to be thinking about this if you’re having either of them as a regular part of your diet. And if that’…

My main question is, if I drink ~3 glasses of soft drinks per day, should I get the one with sugar or the one with aspartame. Currently, I get the one with aspartame with thinking that (1) given the amount of sugar in this amount, I'd be running 100% full of my daily sugar norm, and (2) there are no conclusive evidence of aspartame being actually bad. Would the sugary drink be a better choice? Another thing that irks…

I believe your options are glucose–fructose syrup or aspartame - I'd lean towards aspartame as well. If sugar was an option I'd gladly cut the daily intake and go with that.

Re: Aspartame aggravates atherosclerosis through insulin-triggered inflammation

#85

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's always the same three downvotes a few hours after any post that dares to question the industrial-scientific complex.

What are you suggesting is happening?

Clearly, the industrial-scientific complex can only afford 3 interns to downvote disparaging Hacker News comments. I don't know how that's not obvious.

Re: Aspartame aggravates atherosclerosis through insulin-triggered inflammation

#86
post #48

Been avoiding it since day 1. At least with sugar the risks are somewhat understood. Then again...don't drink soda so neither here not there really

This feels kind of like "at least I know what I'm getting with the measles".

Re: Aspartame aggravates atherosclerosis through insulin-triggered inflammation

#87
post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The funny thing about this question is that it doesn’t really matter, unless it does: Sugar harms your health in a whole host of well documented ways, but a little of it, infrequently, is fine. Aspartame has always been under a cloud of doubt, but is probably also just fine in small amounts. So really, you only need to be thinking about this if you’re having either of them as a regular part of your diet. And if that’…

My main question is, if I drink ~3 glasses of soft drinks per day, should I get the one with sugar or the one with aspartame. Currently, I get the one with aspartame with thinking that (1) given the amount of sugar in this amount, I'd be running 100% full of my daily sugar norm, and (2) there are no conclusive evidence of aspartame being actually bad. Would the sugary drink be a better choice? Another thing that irks…

Sugar has extremely well documented negative effects even in the amounts you find in a regular soda (let alone three). Most of the Aspartame studies test massive doses and are generally inconclusive. If it's a choice between the two, go with the Aspartame.

Re: Aspartame aggravates atherosclerosis through insulin-triggered inflammation

#89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What are you suggesting is happening?

Clearly, the industrial-scientific complex can only afford 3 interns to downvote disparaging Hacker News comments. I don't know how that's not obvious.

Times are tough I guess.

Re: Aspartame aggravates atherosclerosis through insulin-triggered inflammation

#90

Doesn't aspartame partly break down into methyl alcohol if it gets too hot? I regularly drank Diet Cokes 25 years ago, and remember some batches would be "worse" than others. And, whether from cans or plasic bottles, you're either also getting the can's lining or the plastic from the container mixed into the soda, right? I mean, it's an acidic liquid, so there is bound to be some dissolution of the lining into the fl…

It does. There's always a little methanol. Of course, when you drink it, your body will metabolize about 10% to methanol.

Of course, there's methanol is fruit and vegetable juices and your body will metabolize pectin containing fruit to methanol too.

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