Aspartame

(Or E951) Is a sugar substitute, also classified as an "excitotoxin", found mainly in tea sweeteners such as Equal/Nutrasweet, diet drinks and sugar free products. Aspartame consists of 50% aspartic acid, 40% phenylalanine and 10% methanol. Aspartame is known to be a very dangerous substance as many people have been complaining of over 92 different health side-effects after consuming it. Short term side-effects include headaches/migraines, dizziness, difficulty thinking and nausea, whereas long-term consuption of it has been known to cause diseases such as fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, blindness and brain tumours. During digestion, the methanol breaks down into formaldehyde and formic acid which is then absorbed into the bloodstream. These two substances have the potential to break down the blood-brain barrier and destroy neurons and brain cells. Aspartic acid and phenylalanine are actually utilized by our bodies in small doses, but in high amounts, they are neurotoxic.