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Despite the findings by Health Canada that artificial sweeteners are safe, parents in B.C. have decided to play it safe and say no, resulting in a province wide ban of the substance.
The B.C. Ministry of Education has recently pulled all artificial sweeteners from being sold in B.C. primary and middle schools after consultations with parents of school children.
"I'd be very suspicious of Aspartame," said former Nicola Valley Teacher's Union leader, Ralph Poynting. "I wouldn't put it in there, why take the chance?"
The findings were issued in the September 2007 Guidelines for Food and Beverage Sales in B.C. Schools enacted by the B.C. ministries of education and health as part of a healthy schools initiative. The ministry came to its after consultations with parents, trustees, and dieticians.
The guidelines allow for artificial sweeteners in small amounts and
as a condiment in secondary schools, but not in elementary or middle
schools. "The studies related to aspartame clarify enough concern as regards adverse health effects, that their use in schools should be banned," said neurosurgeon, Russell Blaylock, in an exclusive interview with the Merritt News.
"Careful studies, including the original studies by G.D. Searle company, demonstrate a significant cancer risk, especially for brain cancers, breast cancer, lymphomas and leukemias, such that would justify their being banned," he continued.
Blaylock considers artificial sweeteners and MSG as "excitotoxins" that play a critical role in neuro-degenerative diseases like Parkinson's Disease, Alzheimer's, and MS.
Health Canada has allowed the use of artificial sweeteners since 1981, when former U.S. Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld, then CEO of the Searle Corporation, petitioned the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) for approval.
The passing came despite the fact that the FDA's Public Board of Inquiry, made up of scientists, voted unanimously against the approval of aspartame.
On July 15, 1981, Dr. Arthur Hayes Jr, in one of his first acts as FDA Commissioner, overruled the Public Board of Inquiry and approved NutraSweet for dry products.
Health Canada followed suit and the artificial sweetener industry was
born. Health Canada scientists have concluded that the reported findings of the European Ramazzini Foundation of Oncology, which found malignancies in rats tested with doses of aspartame, did not indicate a need to change the existing restrictions already outlined in the Food and Drug Regulations.
Health Canada concludes that the overwhelming body of evidence supports the safety of artificial sweeteners. Health Canada has requested the complete raw data from the Ramazzini Foundation and has been analyzing it since 2006. There has been no word yet on their analysis.
Some of the most common artificial sweeteners are: Aspartame, Sucralose, Splenda, Acesulfame-K (Acesfulfame Potassium), NutraSweet, as well as Saccharin. Aspartame is composed of L-Aspartly-L-phenylalanine methyl ester.
They can be found in beverages, breath mints, chewing gum, prescription drugs, supplements and vitamins, and various other food products.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Symptoms attributed to Aspartame in complaints submitted to the FDA show headaches as the highest complaint followed by dizziness. Aspartame related complaints make up 80 per cent of total complaints to the FDA each year.
The FDA lists a total of 92 aspartame-related symptoms. The Aspartame Material Safety Data Sheet, a description label used by industry, states under toxicological information, that acute effects may be harmful by inhalation, ingestion, or skin absorption. Stevia is one herb, not approved by Health Canada, that some advocate as being a safer alternative to artificial sweeteners even for use by diabetics.
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B.C. schools say no to artificial sweeteners
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Comments
Dave says...
In 1981 Health Canada allowed Aspartame to be used.
No one had any questions, I recall being a teen who consumed Sprite, 7up and Mountain Dew with Aspartame. It tasted terrible i recall. I soon developed a brain tumour. Years later a documentary film came out called "Sweet Misery" and sure enough - others also developed brain tumours after consuming aspartame. So the average citizen says "so what, to bad for them - but it wont happen to me" and goes on eating the toxic crap. Once you are in this boat theres no getting out, and you will wish you had of taken my word for it. These days more and more people are getting brain tumours in Canada and looking at cell phones as the primary source. I must say they are indeed a big problem. People in my situation may be wondering if it was a cell phone or whether it was something else.. the aspartame, but in my situation, the tumour was long before cell phones were even in use, Yet only a few years after aspartame was on the market in Canada. Coincidence?, i don't think so. However the details most do not understand are, if you get a tumour from aspartame, you are up against even more problems with the new wireless devices emitting microwave radiation, on a brain that wants to improve and become healthy again. So if you think cell phone use is healthy and aspartame is healthy, then you could be in for a very big surprise. Many people use it to try to loose weight but it does more damage to people then sugar ever will. Person I know eats products from the Usa that has higher percentage of Aspartame then the same Canadian products and they are suffering serious health problems today. Well i tried to warn you people, and i know health canada will not even bother, so you heard it here from someone who has really been there and lived to tell you the facts. Do not ever say you were not warned, I did not have that opportunity. Protect your kids, Protect yourself. Hats off to the High Schools that have made this move away from aspartame,
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Dave the connections are never ending
Aspartame is directly toxic to Beta Islet cells and induces diabetes as does MSG to a lesser extent in animal models. This would explain MODY Mature Onset Diabetes of the Young and the exploding diabetes and obesity with Glutamate toxins that destroy insulin production and amplify tissue insulin resistance. It is a major factor destroying appestat control of appetite control with blood sugar, and endorphin related hypothalamic pituitary axis.
Aspartame is a ELF electromagnetic wave sensitizer, and induces phasic brain and peripheral nerve entrainment to fire neurons to external pulsed magnetic field effects. WiFi networks, AC power fields, and other electromagnetic fields from cell phones, computers, appliances effects on cells are amplified by Aspartame Glutamate neural network amplification and lowering of threshold to activation potential.
Posted on March 9, 2010 @ 12:03 am PST | Report post to Editor | 3428113