http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1262
aspartame safe? Jodi Mailander Farrell, Miami Herald: Claudia M Gonzales,
American Dietetic Association: Murray 2005.12.03

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/opinion/13316915.htm

Opinion:

December 3, 2005 Aspartame defended

As a registered dietitian and an expert on nutrition, I disagree with Jodi
Mailander Farrell's Nov. 1 review:
"Safety concerns could sour this sweetener":
Her statement that one of the ''pros'' of the product is that it
doesn't include chemicals like aspartame wrongly insinuates that there is
some cause for concern related to the ingredient.

The fact is that aspartame is perfectly safe.

Aspartame has been used around the world for decades.

It is a simple ingredient made of components found in everyday foods,
and the body digests it in exactly the same way as those everyday foods.

Aspartame brings nothing new to the diet that is not already present in
milk, fruits, vegetables and meats in much higher quantities.

Aspartame enjoys a high level of confidence among health professionals,
and a number of my clients use aspartame-sweetened foods as part of a
healthy, low-calorie diet.

The scientific, regulatory and healthcare communities all understand and
acknowledge the safety and benefits of aspartame.

Your readers deserve all of the facts.

Claudia M. Gonzalez, Miami
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http://www.dailyitem.com/archive/2005/1107/fea/stories/01fea.htm

[ Jodi Mailander Farrell is a freelance writer who lives in Miami. She
covered education for the Miami Herald from 1991 to 1999.
jmailander@... ]

November 7, 2005 Safety concerns could sour this sweetener
By Jodi Mailander Farrel Knight Ridder Newspapers

Product: SweetLeaf SteviaPlus, $6.99 for 50 packets, $11.99 for 100.

Key ingredients: The herb stevia rebaudiana, a naturally sweet plant.

The pitch: An all-natural, zero calorie sweetener.

How it works: Naturally occurring compounds have a very sweet taste.
Pros: Contains no chemicals such as Sucrolose or Aspartame, which are in
sweeteners like Splenda, Equal and Sweet 'N Low. It's 10 times sweeter than
sugar so a little goes a long way.

Cons: It isn't approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as a food
additive; it's sold as a dietary supplement, a largely unregulated category.

In one study, male rats fed high doses of the sweetener for 22 months
produced fewer sperm and had increased cell proliferation in their
testicles.

In another, female hamsters fed large amounts had fewer and smaller
offspring.

It's not known whether the sweetener affects people the same way.

Researchers have found that the main chemical in Stevia can be converted in
the lab to a compound that causes changes in genes, which might lead to
cancer, although more study is needed to see if this could occur in people,
according to a report in the Center for Science in the Public Interest.

Bottom line: Needs more testing. Just because it's natural doesn't make it
safe. There's not enough research to show that consuming large amounts is
safe.

200 Market Street Sunbury PA 17801
Telephone: 570.286.5671 or 800.792.2303 Faxphone: 570.286.2570
Copyright © 2003 The Daily Item Publishing Company
All rights reserved.

David R. Hilliard, Managing Editor dhilliard@...

Joanne Arbogast, Managing Editor jarbogast@...
********************************************************

http://www.hispaniconline.com/lstyles/health&fit/do.html

...registered dietitian and American Dietetic Association spokesperson
Claudia González...

...González, a native of Peru, said Latinos, especially the more recent
arrivals, use herbs more than vitamins and minerals as supplements. Those
who have been in the United States longer or were born here use a
combination. "Before, the grandma was the one who gave us the green tea or
chamomile. Now we go to the store, but we still like using alternative
medications."

Because Latinos come many countries, their diets often differ in what they
lack, González says. And because the majority of U.S. Hispanics are of
Mexican descent, most studies done in the United States use that ethnic
group. The data suggest that Mexicans do not drink enough milk and are prone
to diabetes. "Milk is the best way to get calcium. I tell my patients who
think they are lactose intolerant not to drink milk on an empty stomach or
to drink it in small amounts."

In general, Latinos' native diet, one with lots of beans, lentils and rice,
is a healthy one. It is better to go with whole grains instead of enriched
(white) rice and bread, however. Hispanics do need to eat more fresh
vegetables, she added.

While children can benefit from a supplement, childhood is the "best time we
can teach someone to have a proper diet and introduce these wonderful foods
and fruits and vegetables to them," González says. "That's when we create a
sense of good eating habits for their future. That is especially important
because there is so much obesity now in this country."...

Source: Claudia M. González, M.S., R.D., L.D./N., Spokesperson for the
American Dietetic Association.

American Dietetic Association - Information in English and Spanish by
calling the toll-free Nutrition Line: 1-800-366-1655
Web site: www.eatright.org

http://www.latinosinshape.com/Media.htm

Claudia M. González MS. RD. enjoys working with food companies, PR agencies
and the media to communicate nutrition and health messages to the consumers.
Research indicates that registered dietitians are one of the most- valued
sources of nutrition information. Claudia has served as the American
Dietetic Association's spokesperson for the Latino community in the U.S. for
six years, and she's an expert and genuine communicator who's at home on
screen.

http://www.latinosinshape.com/AboutClaudia.htm [ photo ]

Claudia is a well-regarded expert in the field on nutrition and dietetics.
She is a resident of Miami and a Graduate of Florida International
University with a Bachelors Degree in Dietetics and Nutrition and a Masters
Degree in Communications.

Claudia is a specialist in nutritional counseling. She has a consulting
practice in nutrition science related to health, medical disorders and
prevention. She also acts as a consultant dietitian with the elderly,
children, physician's offices, weight loss centers, and with the food
industry in the US.

Claudia is a frequently requested speaker to local businesses on a variety
of nutrition and health issues, with a special focus on the nutritional
needs of the Hispanic community. She also translates and adapts nutrition
materials for Hispanic audiences.

She serves as a writer on health and nutrition issues for several magazines
including Univision Online, MiDieta.com, Shape en Español. Claudia has been
seen on CNN, CNN en Español, FOX, CBS, NBC, UNIVISION and TELEMUNDO sharing
her nutritional expertise through frequent appearances on national shows
such as "Despierta América," "De Mañanita," "Aquí y Ahora", "Miami Ahora'"
"Hoy en América," "América en Vivo", and in the News.

Claudia has served as a Nutrition Consultant for U.S. Businesses at
International Food Shows around the World and she is a Spokesperson for the
American Dietetic Association.

American Dietetic Association National Media Spokesperson
Latino Issues Specialist News Release
1999-2005

CHICAGO - Registered Dietitian Claudia M. González, a resident of Miami, has
been named a media spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association, the
nation's largest organization of food and nutrition professionals.

González joins ADA national, volunteer network of 29 experts who communicate
the importance of sound nutrition to the public. González will serve as
national spokesperson on issues of particular concern to Latino consumers.

The American Dietetic Association news release July 30, 1999

Claudia M. González M.S., R.D., LD/N Registered Dietitian

Nutrition Consulting Practice
7210 SW 57th Ave, South Miami, FL 33143-5321
Ph.: (305) 740-4955 Fax: (305) 740-4993

E-mail: claudiag@...; claudianutrition@...

Links: www.LatinosInShape.com www.LatinosEnForma.com

. SHAPE - Español Oct. 2003 "Intolerancia a la lactosa"

"Dato : Según estudios recientes
de 30 a 50 millones de Estadounidenses sufren de intolerancia a la lactosa y
de estas cifras un 70 % son latinos.
Claudia González, nutricionista y portavoz de la American Dietetic
Association nos responde las preguntas mas frecuentes sobre la intolerancia
a la lactosa:..."

[ For more accurate assessments of milk safety,
visit Robert Cohen www.notmilk.com ]

http://www.eatright.org/cps/rde/xchg/ada/hs.xsl/index.html

With nearly 65,000 members, the American Dietetic Association is the
nation's largest organization of food and nutrition professionals. ADA
serves the public by promoting optimal nutrition, health and well-being. ADA
members are the nation's food and nutrition experts, translating the science
of nutrition into practical solutions for healthy living.

Headquarters Washington, D.C. Office
American Dietetic Association
120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2000
Chicago, Illinois 60606-6995 Phone: 800/877-1600

American Dietetic Association
1120 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 480
Washington, D.C. 20036 Phone: 800/877-0877

Phone:
Chicago: 800/877-1600 and one of the extensions below
Washington, D.C.: 800/877-0877

Ronald S. Moen, Office of the CEO ext. 4807 rmoen@...
Manages Headquarter Operations & Staff
Official Spokesperson for the Association
Strategic Plan Management

Patricia M. Babjak, Executive Vice President ext. 4856
pbabjak@...
Government Relations - Washington, D.C. office
800/877-0877 fax: 202/775-8284

Ron Smith, Director of Government Relations ext. 118 rsmith@...

Mary Lee Watts, Manager, Legislative and Political Affairs ext. 112
mwatts@...

Evidence Based Guidelines and Medical Nutrition Therapy Protocols
Contact Information ext. 4877 kkren@...

House of Delegates
For questions, comments and requests for information regarding ADA House
activities ext. 4892 hod@...

Journal of the American Dietetic Association
The Journal of the American Dietetic Association is the official research
publication of the American Dietetic Association.
Journal Team
Jennifer Herendeen, Editorial Director ext. 4833
jherendeen@...

Jason Switt, Editor ext. 4831 jswitt@...

Ryan Lipscomb, Department Editor ext. 4829 rlipscomb@...

General information journal@...

Journal of the American Dietetic Association
Contact Information ext. 4833 elspcs@...

Consumer Education Programs
Sharon Denny ext. 4854 knowledge@...
800/366-1655
********************************************************

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

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/messages
group with 148 members, 1,262 posts in a public, searchable archive
http://RoomForAll.blogspot.com http://AspartameNM.blogspot.com

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1237
ubiquitous potent uncontrolled co-factors in nutrition research are
formaldehyde from wood and tobacco smoke and many sources,
including from methanol in dark wines and liquors, in pectins
in fruits and vegetables, and in aspartame: Murray 2005.12.03

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1250
aspartame causes cancer in rats at levels approved for humans,
Morando Soffritti et al, Ramazzini Foundation, Italy &
National Toxicology Program
of National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
2005.11.17 Env. Health Pers. 35 pages: Murray

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1084
26 stevia safety abstracts since 1993: aspartame vs stevia debate on
alt.support.diabetes, George Schmidt, OD: Murray 2004.05.25 rmforall

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1261
Time to drop the pop? [ both regular and aspartame soda],
Jim Davidson, SouthernIllinoisan.com 2005.12.03:
James D Koonce, DDS: Brian H Hardin, MD: Murray
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