h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I have just read an article by Nancy Markle about Aspartame (also sold as NutraSweet, Equal and Spoonful) that makes for scary reading. The main thrust of the piece is that when Aspartame's temperature is raised above 86 degF, the wood alcohol in it converts to formaldehyde and then to formic acid. It is linked to Multiple Sclerosis, systemic lupus and even to Gulf War syndrome (where troops were encouraged to drink lots of liquids in the heat, which included diet drinks stored in desert conditions up to 120 degF).
I am going to track down some of the references in the article to verify the data. If anyone else has any information on this topic, I would love to hear from you.

http://www.snopes.com/toxins/aspartame.asp

I'm keeping an open mind on the effects of aspartame. Frankly, I try to avoid heavily processed foods.

I had read the Snopes review as well as some other research and, whilst some of the article's claims seem far fetched, I have an underlying concern about the product. Now some manufacturers include the warning 'contains a source of phenylalanine' on the label; why do that if it is safe?
What really worries me is that you now have to check all labels for the presence of aspartame; not just diet drinks. It can be found in low fat foods as well as normal fizzy drinks (particularly drinks aimed at children).

I'm not using it until and unless it's proven to be completely safe. My preference is for my food to be as whole as is reasonable, and to contain only ingredients I know about and understand. I'm not keen on products marketed as "low-fat" foods, as they tend to be heavily processed and full of sugar, and on the odd occasion that I drink pop, I make sure it's of the more natural variety. It's become habit, really.

Unfortunately, media reports paint every food as "superfood", guaranteed to make you live forever, or "hidden killer", lurking in your shopping basket. Food issues are more complex than that.

Aspartame is probably not very good for you. Nor is sugar. If you have a very sweet tooth and struggle to keep your sugar intake at reasonable levels (or if you eat lots of processed foods, which contain added sugar), you're probably as well to substitute aspartame for some of this excess.

Moderate amounts of sugar won't hurt, and I'd rather eat that than a chemical alternative (that holds true for butter/margarine, meat/soya, most foods) but it's all a question of balance and personal choice.

IMHO, anyway.