WHO declares popular artificial sweetener possible carcinogen

 by: Stephanie Woods | July 7, 2023

(NaturalHealth365)  The artificial sweetener aspartame has long been considered the dieter’s friend because of its ability to sweeten foods without the caloric or glucose impact of table sugar.  Since 1974, some of the biggest brands in the food industry have used it to replace sugar in their “diet foods and drinks”.

However, a recent study raised some serious concerns about the use of aspartame for human consumption, leading the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), an agency under the purview of the World Health Organization (WHO), to declare the substance “possibly carcinogenic to humans.”

And the big food brands are not very happy about it.

Editor’s note: We do NOT consider the World Health Organization a trustworthy health “authority” … but, when this corrupt agency declares artificial sweeteners a cancer trigger – you can imagine how bad this is for human health.  We’ve been warning our readers about the danger for years!

Breaking News: Alarming evidence emerges as WHO considers declaring aspartame a potential carcinogen

Aspartame has long been the sugar replacement go-to for many major food brands.  It was discovered by James Schlatter in 1965 and, by 1974, had gained favor with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which approved its use as a sweetener and dry base for gelatins, puddings, dairy, drinks, and other foods.  In 1996, the FDA approved it as a general sweetener, and the big food brands eagerly jumped on the bandwagon.

While aspartame is considered a “diet food” product because it is up to 200 times sweeter than sugar but does not have the caloric impact of sugar, it is also found in other foods.  Today, it is one of the most common sweeteners on the market, and the most popular mega brands in the world use it in their diet products.

Now the IARC is looking to add aspartame to its list, Group 2B, as “possibly carcinogenic to humans.”  However, this is not the first issue raised about the substance.  It has a long list of health conditions it is linked to, such as birth defects, diabetes, epilepsy, emotional disorders, migraine, and more.

Study reveals disturbing link between high aspartame consumption and elevated cancer risk

The IARC is poised to take a significant step forward, prompted by a groundbreaking study published in 2022 in PLOS Medicine.  The study establishes a disturbing connection between high aspartame consumption and an elevated risk of obesity-related cancer and breast cancer.  While the IARC’s evaluation does not consider safe consumption thresholds, it does rely on this study as a pivotal basis for its guidance.

Furthermore, mounting scientific evidence reveals that aspartame poses more harm than benefit to the human body.  A study conducted in December 2022 has even linked this artificial sweetener to anxiety in mice, corroborating earlier research findings.  Most concerning is that this particular study uncovered a potential transgenerational effect, with anxiety persisting for up to two generations.

These findings cannot be taken lightly, as they underscore that the dangers of aspartame reach far beyond temporary discomforts like headaches or stomach upsets.  Scientific evidence paints a grave picture of the potential for severe damage to the human body.

What do major food brands say?

As expected, the major food brands are none too happy about the declaration.  This has the potential to upset many mega food brand apple carts, and they are railing back.  American Beverage, a trade association representing brands like Coca-Cola Co, PepsiCo, and others, issued a statement to Forbes defending the use of aspartame.

Naturally, they attempted to discredit the IARC by downplaying its ability to effectively assess food safety, saying that it is not a food safety agency.  At the same time, it countered that the FDA is a food safety agency and it, as well as others, have found aspartame to be safe.

In 1981, the FDA set aspartame’s acceptable daily intake (ADI) as 50 milligrams per kilogram of body weight per day.

But this was 1981.  Science has made tremendous strides in so many areas since then.  For instance, in 1981, smoking was largely accepted.  People were able to smoke on airplanes, in restaurants, and even in hospitals.  Further, it wasn’t until the mid to late 1980s that scientific research established the dangers of smoking during pregnancy.

And the tobacco companies railed against those studies, too – but those studies were proven to be absolutely true.

We can’t hold on to research from decades ago just because it supports the agenda of mega food companies whose primary motivation is profit.

Cut your cancer risk by saying NO to aspartame

The best way to cut your cancer risk is to avoid the use of aspartame.  That may be easier said than done, but it can be done.

Read food labels, even on foods that you would never suspect of having aspartame.  It is added to many foods, even those that are not marketed as “diet” or “sugar-free.”

Focus on eating fresh organic foods.  Avoid all highly processed foods and stick to fresh, organic fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, and grass-fed meats.

Avoid “diet” sodas and juices.  Stick to water or make your own fresh juice.  Beware of using water enhancers, though.  Many contain aspartame.  Again, read the labels.

Just say NO to aspartame.  If enough people put those products down, it will spark changes in the food industry on a much larger scale.

Sources for this article include:

News-Medical.net
IARC.WHO.int
NIH.gov
Forbes.com
AmericanBeverage.org
Academic.OUP.com
LiveMint.com