Sold in over 200 countries, Coca-Cola® is one of the most familiar brands of beverages in the world. As Coke is flavored mostly with caramel and sugar, the latter being such a controversial ingredient, the makers of Coke have long since began using artificial sweeteners instead of sugar.
Studies continue to show that these artificial sweeteners can cause weight gain, disruption of sleep patterns, sexual dysfunction, increases in cancer, MS, Lupus, diabetes, and a list of epidemic degenerative diseases. How ironic that a product originally intended for medicine can actually make you sick.
1. Aspartame (phenylalanine)
Used in the majority of diet products, including Diet Coke®, Aspartame can be up to 200 times sweeter than regular (real sugar). The high levels of phenylalanine (detrimental to people with PKU disorder) and methanol in Aspartame destroys neurons and can lead to memory loss, brain tumors and cancer. Twelve ounces of Diet Coke® can contain about 200 mg of Aspartame. Aspartame is a half-billion dollar industry and is the main ingredient in Equal® and NutraSweet®
2. Acesulfame-K (acesulfame potassium) or Ace-K
An artificial sweetener used in Coca-Cola Zero®. Acesulfame-K is 150-200 times sweeter than sugar and is a potential cancer-causing agent. Similar to saccharin, Acesulfame-K enhances a beverages’ sweet taste while extending its shelf life. Acesulfame-K failed to meet FDA standards. Acesulfame-K is marketed under the brand, Sunett and is in Sweet One sweeteners.
3. Neotame (dimethylbutyl)
7,000 to 13,000 times sweeter than sugar (one quarter teaspoon of neotame contains the equivalent of 22 pounds of sugar). Neotame is relatively new and is being marketed to replace high fructose corn syrup in many Coca-Cola products. Neotame can cause ADD/ADHD and other emotional and behavioral disorders. Currently not available in individually wrapped packages.
4. Saccharin
Made from an organic petroleum molecule and can be 300 times sweeter than natural sugar. Saccharin is found in fountain Diet Coke® and should be avoided during pregnancy. Especially harmful to children, saccharin has been implicated as a carcinogen and can cause tumors in the bladder as well as cancer. Saccharin is used in Sweet and Low®
5. Cyclamate or sodium cyclamate
Found in Coke Zero and Coca-Cola Light. Banned by the FDA, cyclamate is especially harmful to the male reproductive system causing infertility and diminished testicles. Cyclamate is a carcinogen, which when combined with other harmful substances, can increase the onset of cancer. Look for this harmful sweetener in products when traveling overseas, especially in Latin America. Cyclamate is in Sugar Twin.
6. Sucralose (E955)
600 times sweeter than sugar and is found in Diet Coke. Preliminary research indicates that sucralose can cause organ damage and intestinal complications as it is removed from the blood stream by the kidneys. Sucralose has also been found to trigger migraines. Sucralose is the ingredient known as Splenda®.
7. Maltodextrin
A bulking base for most, common artificial sweeteners. A type of carbohydrate, Maltodextrin is only slightly sweet or almost flavorless. Affects people with allergies to corn or wheat. It is found in Equal, Splenda and many others.
8. Sucrose
Regular table sugar. In one can of Coke there can be over 40 grams of sugar, equivalent to eight to ten teaspoons. If you substitute water with cola beverages, you could gain 18 pounds in one year. Excessive sugar consumption can cause mood swings, nervous disorders, diabetes, heart disease and hypertension. Sugar feeds every cell including cancer cells. In Mexico, Coca-Cola is made with sugar.
9. High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS 55)
Quite possibly the single most common sweetener. High fructose corn syrup also extends the shelf life of products and is cheaper than sugar. Linked to obesity possibly due to the pervasiveness of its presence, digestion of high fructose corn syrup promotes the storage of fat in the human body. High fructose corn syrup is found Coca Cola Classic.
10. Alitame
2000 times sweeter than sugar and is not calorie free. Alitame is not approved for use in the U.S. and petitions have been withdrawn. Alitame is approved for use in Coke beverages found in Australia, Mexico, New Zealand and China. Alitame was developed by Pfizer®, and is marketed under the brand name, Aclame™.
This article was originally published on Stefan Pinto's blog, PintoFactory.
Comments
I remember in high school I did an experiment using five leading sodas as paint strippers and coca cola beat all the others as the best paint remover its not just an urban legend from that point on I swore off soda there is a small comfort however soda companies are issuing "throwback" versions of popular sodas which are made with pure cane sugars not that I'm drinking them but its a better alternative if one must indulge
With all of the kinds of sodas, some that are natural, why would people drink this? There is so much to choose from.
Studies show that fake sugars cause harmful diseases and cause people to gain weight. How hard is it to eat a piece of fruit instead? You enjoy small amounts of natural sugar, your blood sugar does not spike, and fruit has fiber and less calories than diet soda.
www.examiner.com/x-19867-DC-Triathlon-Examiner
i'm not saying that everything above is a fabrication, but where are the referenced research papers to back up your claims?
AS if we needed more reasons to stop drinking soda! Good, informative article, thanks Stefan. Soda has no place in a fitness lifestyle. Another thing we need to look at is energy drinks with loads of sugar and other bad ingredients.
Allentown Weightlifting examiner,Dave Yarnell
All sweet things are evil
I just wrote an article on sweeteners before reading yours. I will be posting a link to your article from mine since you have such great info. Within 24 hours I had a letter from the corn industry defending high fructose corn syrup and asking me to reconsider my comments.
I lost 20 pounds using Coca-cola Zero with Ace-K to help curb my appetite, fizzy gassy 2L bloat is better than hunger pangs, and with two bags of light-butter popcorn I can get through the day without eating anything else till dinnertime.
I also ran the Coke test in HS. The sugar/sweetener is not what strips the paint, it's the acid (Phosphoric Acid - 4th item on the list of ingredients on a current bottle of Coke Classic).
OUCH!!!...I stopped drinking Soda a few months ago....This is the reason, YIKES!!!
Even though I rarely touch the stuff and only drink water and herbal tea. I find it disturbing to publicise an article like this without having it backed by reports preferably reports not paid by the competition. Not that information should not be revealed to the public but it cannot just stand alone without being backed by scientifically proven facts.
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