Pink, blue or yellow? You probably know when asked that question that it means do you want a pink packet of sweetner, a blue or a yellow packet of artifical sweetners. Do you wonder what is is them? Maybe, maybe not. Maybe it's just ingrained into you to automatically reach for the color of your preference. Maybe you've done the research on them already and feel comfortable with your intake of artificial sweetners. And that's okay. But do you pay attention to what artificial sweetners are in the food items you buy? Most likely it's aspartame that is being used. So, what is Aspartame anyway?
Usually it's packaged as nutrasweet and was originally made by the Monsanto corporation. (Remember them? Big time makers of GMO corn and soy?) While they no longer make or sell the product, it will be forever linked in history that this is there baby. Aspartame has undergone a lot of public (and not so public) debate as far as safety is concerned and the current stance of the U.S. government is that it is, at current levels of consumption, by all means safe. The biggest concern is for people of suffer from phenylketonuria, a genetic disorder.
So, is it safe? Well, the debate still rages on. There have been articles that link it to neurotoxity, weight gain, cancer and many other maladies. It is, according to the FDA "one of the most thoroughly tested and studied food additives the agency has ever approved". It is found in just about everything from jello-o to baked goods to low sugar yogurts and sodas.
I guess, the bottom line is, know what it's in and make the decision yourself as to it's safety. We personally here stay away from it.
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