Is Aspartame Bad for You?

Splenda, Nutrisweet, Equal, or off-brand…

It doesn’t matter what kind of fake sweetener you’re using, because guess what honey… it might be makin’ ya FAT!

Even though fake sweeteners claim to help you “lose weight” because they’re zero calorie, as your trainers we want to help shed some light on this controversial topic.

A little background

We were basically nursed on Diet Coke from the time we came outta the womb. But we’ve learned to curb the habit because, turns out, the stuff can actually be really, really bad for you.

It’s tempting at first to use fake sweeteners due to their zero calorie content, but we urge you to try an elimination diet for yourself to see how the stuff is really affecting your body.

After using them for over a decade, I decided to see if the claims some opponents were making about these chemicals were true. I had always suffered from headaches my entire life, and sometimes they were debilitating migraines. My head would hurt so bad that I had to sit in a dark room, blinds closed, with no sounds or anyone even talking to me.

I tried everything to get rid of my headaches, including self massage, ice packs, hot baths and more. Nothing worked. So I thought, hey, maybe I should adjust what I’m eating. Maybe cutting out fake sweeteners will help.

Within a matter of days of not eating aspartame-laced products, my headaches went away. 

So whatever these companies claim about aspartame being “safe,” I really don’t care. My body was sending me a message — that this stuff is TOXIC and should not be consumed. 

Reasons Why Aspartame SUCKS

You already know our philosophy when it comes to eating — we like to keep it clean & natural. Strike 1 for aspartame is that it’s neither. It’s 100% artificially made and was actually discovered by accident. 

Originally approved by the FDA in 1974, aspartame has been the subject of LOTS of controversy since then. Not only do many people report suffering from headaches like I did, there’s actually lots of evidence that this “miracle” supplement is making you fat. 

5 Reasons Aspartame is Making You Fat

1. It keeps you hungry – MRIs have shown that the appetite suppression brought about by real sugar doesn’t happen with artificial sweeteners, even if they contain calories. So if you eat something with aspartame, chances are you’ll still feel hungry afterwards.
2. It prevents you from knowing when you’ve eaten enough – Because it interferes with leptin, the “satiety hormone” made by fat cells which regulates fat storage in the body, aspartame interferes with your body’s ability to know when you’ve had enough. This can lead you to eat more than necessary, increasing your likelihood of gaining or holding onto extra body fat. 
3. It increases your appetite – Anything that tastes sweet increases appetite. It’s just the way our bodies are wired. Your best bet is to steer clear of sweets in general, but if you can’t, you’re better off just eating real sugar. Real sugar at least causes your body to send signals when it’s time to stop — something that aspartame does not.
4. Makes you crave more sweets – Repeated exposure to sweets makes you crave more sweets, regardless of what is creating the sweet taste. It’s a vicious cycle that you don’t want to be trapped in. Our neurochemistry actually changes to cause the body to have stronger, more frequent cravings when eating sweets regularly. Try phasing them out or avoiding them 90% of the time and your body will rebalance itself in a matter of weeks.
5. Deranges fat storage – Aspartame contains phenylalanine and aspartate, two chemicals that interfere with insulin and leptin. Insulin and leptin dictate how fat is handled and stored in the body. In order to maintain a lean, healthy physique, you want minimal interference with insulin and leptin. To let them do their jobs efficiently, you’ve gotta cut out the interference.

These are just a few of the many risks associated with fake sweetener consumption. I still get cravings for Diet Cokes sometimes, but I’ve drastically cut out fake sweeteners from my life because whenever I have them, almost immediately afterwards I get a headache.

It’s just not worth it to me. I’m hoping you may benefit from this information in the same way I did.

Watch out, because aspartame and other unnecessary additives are in LOTS of processed foods, including some you may think are healthy and additive-free. Any time you see labels like “Reduced Sugar,” “Diet” or “Sugar-Free,” definitely check the labels.

Watch out especially for:

• Chewing gum
• Flavored or “enhanced” waters
• Stevia packets (i.e. Truvia, Purevia, etc. — always check the ingredients — lots still contain dextrose)
• Sugar-free products
• “Diet” products
• Protein bars

Now, stevia in its purest form is not necessarily “bad” for you. It’s actually a great alternative to sugar and is the only one we use anymore. You just have to make sure you’re reading the labels because at big box grocery stores, they often don’t have all-natural varieties of it.

It’s best to use stevia straight from the plant or if you need more convenience, stick to the liquid drops and make sure to double check the labels. You’d be shocked by how many companies are still sneaking things into something that’s supposed to be “natural.”

 These additives can still cause digestive issues and headaches, so just listen to your body and find what works for you!

If you know someone who may benefit from reading this article, please share it with them! You never know, it could really help someone overcome physical ailments they’ve been suffering from a long time. 

To your health!
Your trainer,

Liz Germain
NSCA-CPT