http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1093
Dallas News re lower-carb colas, Ariana Falk: Murray 2004.06.14 rmforall

"But regular cola drinkers often complain that the artificial sweeteners in
diet sodas taste sickly sweet, leave an aftertaste or cause headaches."

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/fea/texasliving/stories/061504dnlivc\
oke.9c761.html

Soda plop: Lower-carb colas mostly fizzle
07:44 PM CDT on Monday, June 14, 2004
By ARIANA FALK / The Dallas Morning News afalk@...

[ Tom Siegfried, Health & Science tsiegfried@...

Jacquielynn Floyd jfloyd@...

http://www.humana.com/visitors/dr-sam-home-page.asp
Dr. Sam Benjamin drsam@... ]

For anyone cutting carbohydrates - the diet trend of the moment - the fizzy
bite of a regular Coke is as taboo as a slice of apple pie.

This summer, both Coca-Cola and Pepsi are introducing alternatives to
ordinary diet soda. The companies call them "mid-calorie" soft drinks:
lower-sugar colas that combine sugar with artificial sweeteners, targeting
the carb-counting masses. Both Coca-Cola C2, which is already available, and
Pepsi Edge, which is hitting stores this week, contain half the
carbohydrates and calories but claim to replicate the taste of the
originals.

Of course, as carb-conscious dieters are quick to point out, both cola
companies already have popular low-carb drinks: Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi,
both containing zero calories and carbohydrates. But regular cola drinkers
often complain that the artificial sweeteners in diet sodas taste sickly
sweet, leave an aftertaste or cause headaches.

Who, exactly, is the market for the lower-sugar colas? Regular diet drinkers
presumably don't mind the taste and are unlikely to switch to a drink with
calories. Even half the sugar of a regular soda is a lot for someone on a
low-carbohydrate diet.

Pepsi says it's targeting "dual users" - people who drink both regular and
diet soft drinks, and who are dissatisfied with the taste of diet versions
of colas. The company says that 60 million people are in that consumer
group, although the 11 testers in our unscientific poll regularly drink one
or the other, not both.

Both the new sodas contain a combination of artificial sweeteners and
high-fructose corn syrup, the sugar syrup that sweetens regular cola. In
addition to corn syrup, C2 uses aspartame, acesulfame potassium and
sucralose, the no-cal, no-carb sweetener sold as Splenda.

Pepsi Edge contains just high-fructose corn syrup and Splenda. Splenda is a
sugar-based sweetener that has become especially popular among Atkins
dieters, some of whom think it tastes more like real sugar.

"Pepsi Edge comes at a time when consumers are paying extra-close attention
to what they eat and drink," says Dave Burwick, senior vice president and
chief marketing officer for the company.

And Don Knauss, president and CEO of Coca-Cola North America, says: "We're
responding to what consumers are telling us they want. They want the option
to keep enjoying that special cola taste, but with fewer carbs and
calories."

Will C2 and Pepsi Edge catch on, or fizzle like New Coke and Clear Pepsi?
Only time will tell, but most of our testers are already dedicated to their
colas of choice.
"Ain't nothin' like the real thing!" one tester said.

THE RESULTS
C2 and Pepsi Edge have half the calories and carbohydrates, but how well do
they mimic the flavor of the originals? We did an informal taste test of the
new lower-sugar colas versus the originals and their diet versions among 11
devoted drinkers of regular or diet cola. Their responses ranged from tepid
enthusiasm to disgust. Some of their comments:

Coca-Cola C2: "Tastes like Coke, but with a tinny, semi-sweet aftertaste."
"Tastes flat." (A common criticism among our tasters.) "Lacks the bite that
makes Coke special. I'd rather drink half as much real Coke." "I'll stick
with the real thing until they prove it will kill you!"

Pepsi Edge: "Not quite as awful as a regular diet drink." "Just bearable."
"The reduced calories and carbs might persuade me to drink Pepsi Edge."
"Definitely better than C2, but I tasted the diet bite."

WHAT'S IN THERE?
In 12 ounces of...
Coca-Cola classic: 140 calories and 39 grams of carbohydrate

C2: 70 calories and 18 grams of carbohydrate

Regular Pepsi: 150 calories and 41 grams of carbohydrate

Pepsi Edge: 70 calories and 20 grams of carbohydrate
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http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1092
Janet Starr Hull, who also had Graves disease in 1991, told Justin Dumais to
quit aspartame: Murray 2004.06.12 rmforall

From: "Dr. Janet Starr Hull" <jshull@...>
To: "Rich Murray" <rmforall@...>
Subject: Re: Justin Dumais, 25, Olympic diver, business graduate,
pilot, healed of Graves disease (hyperthyroidism) by giving up
aspartame: Roberts: Murray 2004.06.11 rmforall
Date: Saturday, June 12, 2004 6:37 PM

Thanks so much for circulating Justin's wonderful case history. The
nutritionist he found was myself, after he had read my book SWEET POISON.
His case is identical to mine, and he followed my experience and my 10 Step
Detox program exactly as I did, and his Grave's Disease disappeared within
60 days. We have been working closely for the past few months.

Keep spreading this wonderful news. As Justin's story is yet another case
identical to mine that proves neither of us ever had Grave's Disease --
merely aspartame poisoning.

All the best, Janet Hull

Dr. Janet Starr Hull, PhD, CN jshull@...

Hair Analysis Program: http://www.hairanalysisprogram.com
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http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1071
research on aspartame (methanol, formaldehyde, formic acid) toxicity:
Murray 2004.06.14 rmforall

Rich Murray, MA Room For All rmforall@...
1943 Otowi Road, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87505 USA 505-501-2298

[ NutraSweet, Equal, Canderel, Benevia, E951 ]

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/927
Donald Rumsfeld, 1977 head of Searle Corp., got aspartame FDA approval:
Turner: Murray 2002.12.23 rmforall

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1039
three-page review: aspartame (methanol, formaldehyde) toxicity:
Murray 2003.11.22 rmforall

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1026
brief aspartame review: formaldehyde toxicity: Murray 2003.09.11 rmforall

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1025
aspartame & formaldehyde toxicity: Murray 2003.09.09 rmforall

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1088
Murray, full plain text & critique:
chronic aspartame in rats affects memory, brain cholinergic receptors, and
brain chemistry, Christian B, McConnaughey M et al, 2004 May:
2004.06.05 rmforall

Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 2004 May; 78(1): 121-7.
Chronic aspartame affects T-maze performance, brain cholinergic receptors
and Na(+),K(+)-ATPase in rats.
Christian B, McConnaughey K, Bethea E, Brantley S, Coffey A, Hammond L,
Harrell S, Metcalf K, Muehlenbein D, Spruill W, Brinson L, McConnaughey M.
Department of Pharmacology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina
University, Greenville, NC 27858, USA;
North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, Durham, NC 27811.
http://www.ecu.edu/pharmacology/faculty/mcconnaughey.html
Mona M. McConnaughey, Ph.D. Research Assistant Professor
Department: PHARMACOLOGY & TOXICOLOGY
Office: Brody Medical Science 6E-120A 252-744-2756
MCCONNAUGHEYM@...

This study demonstrated that chronic aspartame consumption in rats can lead
to altered T-maze performance and increased muscarinic cholinergic receptor
densities in certain brain regions.
Control and treated rats were trained in a T-maze to a particular side and
then periodically tested to see how well they retained the learned response.
Rats that had received aspartame (250 mg/kg/day) in the drinking water for 3
or 4 months showed a significant increase in time to reach the reward in the
T-maze, suggesting a possible effect on memory due to the artificial
sweetener.
Using [(3)H]quinuclidinyl benzilate (QNB) (1 nM) to label muscarinic
cholinergic receptors and atropine (10(-6) M) to determine nonspecific
binding in whole-brain preparations,
aspartame-treated rats showed a 31% increase in receptor numbers when
compared to controls.
In aspartame-treated rats, there was a significant increase in muscarinic
receptor densities in the
frontal cortex, midcortex, posterior cortex, hippocampus, hypothalamus and
cerebellum of 80%, 60%, 61%, 65%, 66% and 60%, respectively.
The midbrain was the only area where preparations from aspartame-treated
rats showed a significant increase in Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity.
It can be concluded from these data that long-term consumption of aspartame
can affect T-maze performance in rats and alter receptor densities or
enzymes in brain. PMID: 15159141

Aspartame Consumer Safety Network and Pilot Hotline
Mary Nash Stoddard P.O. Box 780634 Dallas, TX 75378
214-352-4268 marystod@...
http://web2.airmail.net/marystod/index.html
http://web2.airmail.net/marystod/espanol.htm
Toxicology Sourcebook: "Deadly Deception: Story of Aspartame"
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