Owning up Nobody likes egg on their face. But you'd think if it meant lives were at stake, a person -- or, ahem, an agency -- would suck it up and admit that maybe they made a mistake. But the FDA has its own special kind of hubris. The kind that can shrug off stacks and stacks of evidence against its judgments as "inconclusive" and look right past the people suffering as a result. And nowhere is this more apparent than in its behavior toward aspartame. The FDA approved the artificial sweetener back in 1981 and has been hedging complaints and criticism that it causes all sorts of health problems ever since. I've been working in the health news business long enough now that I've pretty much come to expect this sort of blame-dodging from the agency supposedly out there to protect us from ingestible substances that could cause harm. But even I was slightly taken aback when I read a recent article about how the FDA had blown off what might be the most conclusive evidence against aspartame to date. Researchers in Italy studied the long-term effects of aspartame in experimental animals. This study was the first one on aspartame's long-term effects done by an independent research group, not one tied to the food industry in some way. And its findings can be added to the dozens of others that show aspartame has clear carcinogenic effects. But the FDA treats them all the same -- long-term, short-term, independent, or industry-sponsored: They deny that aspartame poses a health risk and claim that all the studies proving otherwise were "faulty." And their proof that aspartame is safe? According to a recent article I read, "they point to four previous long-term studies sponsored by G.P. Searle, a chemical company that held the patent to aspartame." What a shocker that THOSE results cleared aspartame's reputation. Forgive me if I don't feel exactly reassured. Here's the bottom line: When it comes to medical research, you can always find studies proving both sides of an issue. So how do you know what to believe? Your best bet is to use good old common sense. Sure, we'd all like it if we could get those sweet tastes we crave for zero calories. But do you REALLY believe that a completely unnatural, man-made chemical can accomplish that with no repercussions? After all, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. What is...stevia? Stevia is an all-natural herb that has an intensely sweet flavor, but does not negatively affect blood glucose levels the way that refined sugar does. Nutrition & Healing Source: "FDA reviews Italian aspartame study," NutraIngredients USA (www.nutraingredients.com), 4/23/07 | 
