Other than the studies saying aspartame is bad, is there any reason to NOT drink it? I know the V-Diet is a low-carb diet but I’m not sure if it’s meant to keep you in ketosis.
Any help is appreciated.
[Mod Note] - Metabolic Drive, the preferred protein for the Velocity Diet, uses Sucralose as its sweetner, not aspartame.
Mod Lionel
No, other than the possible health effects that are linked to aspartame through the aforementioned studies, there is no reason to avoid it (aside from the flavor).
It will not prevent you from entering ketosis, but still, I avoid it.
Sucralose, while possibly effecting the thymus at high levels, has not been linked to brain tumors, brain legions or lymphomas, unlike aspartame.
I had to register because this is a pretty wide-spread myth (that aspartame causes cancer). Check out these links:
http://www.ific.org/publications/other/lcsmythsfactsom.cfm
(first myth listed)
From that link:
fact sheet:
artificial-sweeteners#2
FDA Statement:
http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2006/
NEW01369.html
Toxicology report:
http://ntp-server.niehs.nih.gov/ntp/roc/toc11.html
I read the original experiment lab report when they tested saccharin on lab rats. The amount that the rats were fed was something incredibly ridiculous (20% bodyweight) and even then, the results that it caused cancer were not terribly conclusive (hence the above linked government reports).
You could drink several 2-liters of Diet Coke a day and experience much greater health problems from the caffeine than the sweetener .
Long story short: don’t fear aspartame/saccharin.