Any good advice on books and sites about aspartame and nutrition? (no junk science please)

tame

[tame]

There are soooooo many nutrition books, and diet books on the market. It can be a bit overwhelming and confusing for a beginner like me to sort out the junk science, and voodoo gimmicks, from the well respected books, and web sites.

In the last couple of years I've been extremely tired, sleepy and fatigued for some reason. I've never really been into the nutrition thing, so I would appreciate any of your recommendations on good nutrition, and advice on the following:

1) Sodium. What's the story? How much is too much. How little is too little. Is it true that sodium causes water retention, and too much water retention is bad?

2) Aspartame. I love it in sweeteners (nutrasweek, etc.). I probably use between 100 and 200 packets a day. No joke. But I hear so many bad things about it. Is this junk science or not?

3) Water. I heard someone say you can actually drink too much water. Is this true? If so, how much is too much?

4) yams and sweet potatoes. I love them. I usually have a yam or sweet potato along with one broiled chicken breast for a meal. What are the draw backs on yams and sweet potatoes?

5) Body For Life Diet. I've lost a bit of weight on this diet, but I still lack energy. Any draw backs to this diet?

Please steer me away from the junk science and recommmend some healthy books and websites.

I appreciate it. tame.

[exDemMom]

The exact disorder name is complicated but it is listed on the package.

Those people are phenylketonuronics; they are born with a metabolic disorder that prevents their bodies from completely metabolizing phenylalanine (a component of Aspartame). Metabolites of phenylalanine build up and cause damage to the nervous system. These people must eat a very restrictive diet; if the disease is not caught and treatment begun early (i.e. in babyhood), mental retardation will result. Very often, by the time the disease is diagnosed, brain damage has already resulted.

[exDemMom]

Hi,

In reading through the replies, I noticed that there is a definite mix of valid answers and junk science answers. Unless you've sat through a few years of science classes or are an avid science junkie, you might have a hard time telling the difference. I highly suggest checking out http://www.quackwatch.com/, a website put together by an MD, that will help you sort things out.

As for your questions on salt: an editorial in the journal Science (by Gary Taubin) basically said that it's okay. Quackwatch has articles on aspartame that you might find useful; you do seem to consume a large amount of it, bringing to mind the toxicologist's maxim: the dose makes the poison. I really do not know what levels of aspartame consumption have been tested and found safe. I use it, and so do most of the female scientists I know [most people I know are scientists].

Someone else mentioned Junkscience.com; it is somewhat helpful, but keep in mind that its founder is an attorney, not a scientist. Google searches are of limited value; many websites exist for the purpose of scaring money out of you by hysterically ranting about the dangers of some modern product (tampons, aspartame, etc.).

Despite the length of my post, the best advice I gave here was in the first paragraph: check out http://www.quackwatch.com/.

[exDemMom]

Sorry. Apparently they have changed their website. It is now http://www.quackwatch.org/.

[tame]

It could be female trouble I would get a check up!

LOL! I'm a man!

[tame]

Good advice! Thanks! I'll check out the web site.

[tame]

100 to 200 packets of nutrasweet a DAY?! Good grief! How much is that equal to? A cup? What on earth are you putting it on/in? A box of nutrasweet will last me six months or more. LOL. That much can't be good for you.

I may have overstated the amount. I was thinking about it last night. On an exceptionally indulgent day I use that much, but on average, I may use 35 to 50 packs a day (depending on how much tea I drink, and not counting the aspartame in soda).

[tame]

LOL! Well, I encourage to join in this health thing.

[tame]

Sorry I got back too late for the show. Oh, well. I'll try to catch it next time:-) Tell the Southern Cal freepers I said hi, ok?

[tame]

"NOT soy powders or pills.....avoid those."

What's the reason for that? Would that include the shelf version (non-perishable) of soy milk?

[tame]

If you address your poor diet, get more sunshine and exercise, I would expect your energy level to improve. If it doesn't, there may be other chemical imbalances at work.

I will go to the Doctor and try to rule some things out, and see what might be discovered.

[ladyinred]

Glad you mentioned somersweet. I am convinced that the Suzanne Somers diet works, and is good for you. One of her books, Eat Cheat and Melt the Pounds Away has the forward by a very well respected doctor in Santa Barbara who highly recommends this way of eating. It works, is good, and good for you!

[ladyinred]

If possible, get one of Suzanne Somers books on Somersizing. Eat Cheat, and Melt the Pounds Away is good, but the new one has more recipes in it. You can also go to her website at Suzanne Somers.com and read about it there and read all of the results dieters have. It is eating real food which I think is the key to good nutrition. Best of luck.

[John Lenin]

I still use REAL sugar. Why are people so foolish to substitute chemicals for the REAL thing ? Do you honsetly believe it keeps a single pound off you ?

[Bella_Bru]

Splenda tastes A LOT better. Check it out if you can.

[Bella_Bru]

Asparatame made me stall. No stalls with Splenda and it tastes better too.

[tortoise]

Soy is pretty well-documented as having long-term negative health consequences that out-weigh its nominal benefits. As a rule, I generally don't eat soy products on a regular basis. The primary negative effects I'm worried about is the interference it causes with the normal estrogen cycle, which can cause the deterioration of performance of some organs, and the long-term brain damage and dementia associated with it. The brain damage and dementia part has less to do with direct damage per se, than that it interferes with the normal repair mechanisms of the brain such that the damage of all the years starts to accumulate without being repaired, amounting to a significant measurable reduction in cognitive capacity and early dementia in older people. In autopsies habitual soy intake is associated with reduced brain weights in mature adults. I personally need all the brain cells I can get. :-)

Nope, soy is on my "avoid eating when convenient" list, along with a few other things. Both long-term American and Asian studies (notably the Japanese) have shown adverse health affects from a diet of soy that generally outweigh its benefits. The evidence is substantial enough that it is hard to ignore. Fortunately, I was never keen on soy anyway.

[tortoise]

Why are people so foolish to substitute chemicals for the REAL thing ?

Ummm... Sugars of all types are chemicals too, and aspartame is a pretty natural chemical as well. I generally don't use it (it isn't good for much and I don't drink soda), but it isn't tragically bad in a chemical sense. It has a very common metabolic pathway that many foods have. Nothing terribly dangerous there despite some of the handwringing.

[John Lenin]

Just the taste alone scares me. The word iodine comes to mind whenever I have tried fake sugars.

[John Lenin]

By the way I one use raw sugar now not the processed stuff.

[tame]

Thanks. Will do.