People are consuming these products without thought like Mindless idiots. Is it there fault? Partly yes.. and partly no. I personally always read the ingredients and if I am unsure what it is, I put it back. My health and my children’s health is more important to me than a tasty treat that will kill you later.

I do not trust the FDA even though they are not our governing body in Canada. I would not trust them if I was American either. There is to much proof that the FDA is corrupt company created for the wealth of mega companies to control markets and trick people into believing things are safe and good for them.

That being said the Health Canada seems to rather stupidly accept what the FDA says as the truth. Something I hope will come to an end and that Canadians will voice their opinion on. We are not American and do not believe the influence of the FDA should cross our border.
The FDA is not a real company but a company created and paid off to do bad things so that companies like Johnson & Johnson, Proctor & Gamble and others can do what they want to people and control the markets. Another company to be careful of is Nestle. They own hundreds of other brands you may not be aware of and are eating. Dr Oetker, Michelinas are two off the top of my head.

Back to Chewing Gum though and is it safe.
The answer you will get really depends on who you ask. If you ask a rep for the company that uses these products the definitive answer will be YES! If you ask people on the health side of things or that have had their health compromised from these ingredients, the answer will be NO. Who you believe is up to you, but I tend to believe the people who are not selling me the product.

We all know that Aspartame is not safe. It is downright dangerous for us and causes many many health problems. Some you may not see for years to come. Others can appear overnight.

Sucralose the 2nd artificial sweetener is also not a healthy or smart choice. For those of you that do not know Sucralose is produced by chlorinating sugar (sucrose). This involves chemically changing the structure of the sugar molecules by substituting three chlorine atoms for three hydroxyl groups. (adding chlorine.. do you think it is safe still??)

Sucralose is not yet approved for use in most European countries, where it is still under review. This is where Health Care is the best in the world and free. They do not want the burden of health issues that come with its use and that is why it is not approved there.

Where you will find Sucralose:

• Baked goods and baking mixes
• Chewing gum
• Confections and frostings
• Fats and oils (salad dressings)
• Fruit and water ices
• Jams and jellies
• Processed fruits and fruit juices
• Sweet sauces, toppings and syrups
• Beverages and beverage bases
• Coffee and tea
• Dairy product analogs
• Frozen dairy desserts and mixes
• Gelatins, puddings and fillings
• Milk products
• Sugar substitutes

Here is a small list of side effects from using Sucralose.

• Shrunken thymus glands (up to 40% shrinkage)
• Enlarged liver and kidneys
• Atrophy of lymph follicles in the spleen and thymus
• Increased cecal weight
• Reduced growth rate
• Decreased red blood cell count
• Hyperplasia of the pelvis
• Extension of the pregnancy period
• Aborted pregnancy
• Decreased fetal body weights and placental weights
• Diarrhea

I personally would have read the first ingredient (sweetener) as Aspartame and put it back. I would not have had to keep reading but for those of you that do and got to Sucralose. I hope this has shed some light on what it is exactly and how it is not healthy for you and downright dangerous to your children and your health. My advice is if you want to live a long healthy life and not die before your kids or struggle with your health you do not eat these mad made sugars. Go for products with natural sugars which have been used for thousands of years! White sugar is better but not great, but still better than artificial sweeteners. I personally go for Raw sugar if possible or sugars like Fructose (fruit sugar), Dextrose or Xylital.

The 3rd man made sweetener on the list is Acesulfame-K. Another one you should avoid.
Acesulfame-K is an artificial sweetener that’s about 200 times sweeter than sugar. It’s used in baked goods, chewing gum, gelatin desserts and soft drinks. Studies have found that this substance may cause cancer, and other studies to reliably prove this additive’s safety have not been conducted. Acesulfame-K also breaks down into acetoacetamide, which has been found to affect the thyroid in rats, rabbits and dogs.

If you do some searches on Yahoo and other Search engines I am sure you can find tons more of info regarding the toxicity of artificial sweeteners and how they affect your health.

My advice is the next time you pick up a pack of gum to put it back if it reads one of those ingredients. Email or call the company and let them know you want natural sugar back.

Natural sugar is not the cause of health problems, diabetes etc. Artificial sweeteners are along with over eating bad chemical filled products.

In all my years growing up I never knew anyone with diabetes till the last 15 years. Now I can name of 10 people and these people eat artificial sweeteners, drink diet pops and do not watch what they eat.

Knowing what you eat is important. Not just what it is called or the brand name but the ingredients. Do your self and children a favour and read the ingredients on the products you by and make your opinion heard to store managers and the companies that make these products.