Aspartame Promotion Again Lacks Independence

[Guest guest]

Soil & Health Association of New Zealand

 

 

(Est. 1941)

 

 

Publishers of ORGANIC NZ

 

 

24 September 2008

 

 

 

 

Aspartame Promotion Again Lacks Independence.

 

 

 

A public relations exercise that is currently responding to a 5% drop

in sales of products sweetened with the artificial sweetener

aspartame is once again misleading the public about aspartame safety,

according to the Soil & Health Association of NZ.

 

 

 

Seminars to promote the artificial sweetener are being run by the New

Zealand Nutrition Foundation and supported by Coca- Cola

Oceania. Speakers are Dr Bernadene Magnuson, a consultant to

aspartame manufacturer Ajinomoto, and celebrity nutritionist Nikki Hart.

 

 

 

The New Zealand Nutrition Foundation is a trade sponsored

organisation whose title belies its real purpose, to facilitate trade

for its members. It frequently uses material from its similarly

funded peers in the United States, said Soil & Health spokesperson

Steffan Browning.

 

 

 

Dr Bernadene Magnuson is internationally known for her biased review

and selective quoting of industry funded science, whilst ignoring

the large body of independent science that reveals the adverse

effects of aspartame. The review, which used a non-independent panel,

was funded by aspartame manufacturer Ajinomoto. Magnuson is an

industry mouthpiece, sponsored by heavy aspartame user Coca-Cola and

its misleadingly-titled The Beverage Institute for Health and

Wellness of The Coca-Cola Company.

 

 

 

Since when has any Coca-Cola product been useful in health and wellness?

 

 

 

Nikki Hart, who is actively promoting aspartame use in presentations

in Auckland and Wellington, failed to mention an important study

published in 2005 that was conducted over eight years at the

University of Texas. This study reported a 41% increase in risk of

being overweight for every can or bottle of diet soft drink a person

consumes each day. She instead uses research from Dr Blackburn,

another Coca-Cola and industry supported collaborator of Dr Magnuson. "

 

 

 

While aspartame consumption has not been independently and

conclusively been proven to help with weight loss, some research

shows aspartame and other artificial sweeteners induce carbohydrate

craving, which results in weight gain.

 

 

 

Unfortunately our own New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA)

with its trade focus also uses similarly biased reviews instead of

initiating genuinely independent research. Maybe its NZFSA title

should read New Zealand Food Sales Authority.

 

 

 

New Zealanders are ill from the use of aspartame and yet it remains

available in Diet drinks in many schools.

 

 

 

An analysis by Walton in 1996 of 166 studies on aspartame showed that

all of the 74 published industry-funded studies attested to

aspartame's safety, whereas 92% of the independently funded research

identified a problem. This pattern has continued.

 

 

 

Aspartame is the most commonly used synthetic sweetener in Diet

drinks and sugar-free products, but has been the subject of

controversy ever since early research linked it to cancers and

neurological problems. In New Zealand aspartame gained more

prominence in May 2007 following publicity of Wellington woman Abby

Cormacks aspartame poisoning symptoms. Ms Cormack conclusively linked

the aspartame in the Wrigleys chewing gum and Diet Coke that she was

consuming, to her severe health problems.

 

 

 

During presentations to the Parliamentary Health Select Committee

this year in response to an 8,000 signature petition calling for

restrictions and warnings on aspartame use, the Ministry of Healths

Elizabeth Aitken and New Zealand Food Safety Authoritys toxicologist

John Reeve both agreed that there was a link between aspartame and

some illnesses.

 

 

 

The petition has not been acted on by the Parliamentary Health

Committee which, apart from a thorough minority report by Green MP

Sue Kedgley, took the NZFSA yes minister information as adequate,

said Mr Browning.

 

 

 

The New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) continues to claim that

aspartame is one of the most studied substances in the world, yet

conveniently brushes aside the fact that while all industry-funded

studies do not show a problem, the overwhelming majority of

independent studies do. The reason it has been so studied is because

its use has always been controversial.

 

 

 

According to Nikki Hart there has been a recent drop of 5% in the

consumption of products containing aspartame due to the

anti-aspartame bombardment last year.

 

Thanks to the efforts of Abby Cormack, the Soil & Health

Association, Safe Food Campaign, Phoenix Organics, the Green Partys

Sue Kedgley and other active consumers and NGOs, that is something to

celebrate. Many New Zealanders will be the better for it and Nikki

Hart would do well to be involved with promoting natural sweeteners

like the herb Stevia, said Mr Browning.

 

 

 

Following its motto; Healthy Soil, Healthy Food and Healthy People,

the Soil & Health Association advocates the use of natural and

organic sweeteners and an Organic 2020 free of synthetic food additives.

 

 

 

Notes:

 

The global market for aspartame is around 17000 tonnes, worth US$637m

(Leatherhead Food International)

 

 

 

For a referenced rebuttal of Dr Magnusons Ajinomoto funded science review;

 

<http://www.mpwhi.com/aspartame_and_manufacturer_funded_reviews.htm>http://www.m\

pwhi.com/aspartame_and_manufacturer_funded_reviews.htm

 

 

 

 

Aspartame (951, Equal, Nutrasweet) is an artificial sweetener found

in over 6000 products including diet drinks, sugar free products,

dietary supplements, sports drinks and medications.

 

Aspartame has been linked to many health symptoms, including those

expressed as ADHD, anxiety, depression, irritability, confusion,

memory loss, insomnia, dizziness, migraines, cramps, abdominal pain,

numbness or tingling of extremities, rashes, chronic fatigue, and

sight and personality changes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Contact:

 

 

The Soil & Health Association of NZ

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spokesperson

 

 

 

 

 

Steffan Browning

 

 

 

 

021 725655

 

 

 

<steffansteffan

 

 

 

 

 

The Soil & Health Association of New Zealand Inc

 

PO Box 36-170, Northcote, Auckland Phone: (09) 419

4536 Fax: (09) 419 4556

info

[Guest guest]

Dear Dr. Betty,

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This is my big question. I recently read about PAW-PAW and Gravoila, how they reduce the ATP prodution in cancer cells, breaking up tumors, etc...but I need more specific information from people like yourself who are more familiar with these products. I all read that the must be taken without any addition supplement/vitamins o be affective. Is this true?

 

God bless for your dedication in helping all those who are seeking needed answers!

Neill