Is it safe for young children to consume products and beverages containing Nutrasweet/Equal?

Question

Is it safe for young children to consume products and beverages that contain Nutrasweet/Equal? We only drink sugar free beverages in our home due to my husband's diabetes. We usually have a pitcher of Crystal Light in the fridge, and ice cream in that contains either Nutrasweet or Splenda. When my grandchildren visit, is there any possible harm in them consuming a reasonable amount of these sugar substitutes?

Answer 1

I've often wondered that.......polyketonurics. I am going to watch this question, very good one in fact. I personally stay away from it (lately). Big corporations can bleed anything they want in the press though.

*******Really Lily? Disclaimers even there huh? Thanks

Answer 2

No, actually if you look up formaldehyde and nutrasweet, see what you can come up with... not good. Aspartame breaks down into formadehyde. Actually you probably should not even drink it. There is a natural sweeter called stevia, that is made from an herb. It is all natural, calorie free and really sweet. You can find it at a health food store. Actually you do not need much stevia because it is a lot sweeter than sugar, but you do not have to worry about poisoning yourself like with the artificial sweetners. So you might want to do some research, and buy some Stevia. The nutrasweet and splenda are not good for kids, or you for that matter. If something is not good for a child, then why would you want to consume it? Anyways, check it out.

Answer 3

I won't consume Nutrasweet (anything with aspartame) in it, so I definitely don't give it to my kids.

Aspartame is debatable as to bad effects, but I feel that any kind of chemical in your drink is probably not a good thing. The best thing to do - limit sugary drinks.

Splenda is from sugar, so it's probably OK, at least more so than the other substitutes.

Answer 4

Nutrasweet is absolutely safe UNLESS one suffers from phenylketonuria. That is a dramatic and severe congenital illness, and there is no way it would be unrecognized very, very early in the child's life. Every product that contains Nutrasweet is labeled, warning phenylketonurics not to use it.

Nutrasweet cannot cross the blood-brain barrier and cause problems in anybody's brain, and it has been used billions of times by people of >>ALL<< ages without problems. Same goes for Splenda. So you can continue to use both sweetners without fear when your grandkids visit.

Answer 5

I do not allow my kids to consume anything with aspartame in it. There are "studies" showing that the chemical can cause cancer. I think for me it is better to be safe than sorry. I try to keep a limit on the amount of natural sugar is consumed, which is hard now that my kids are getting a little older.
Now I have heard that studies are unfounded, I still would rather stand cautiously. Of course the decision is completely yours.
If you look at the snopes link below... you will see that the rumor has never been substantiated.

Answer 6

Anyone with a nervous system disorder, even those with mental illness, should never ingest anything made with any artificial sweetener with the exception of mannitol or sorbitol.
Nutrasweet DOES cross the blood-brain barrier. It can cause seizures in subceptible people, particularly women. This has been known for years.
Not only did my internist warn me of its toxicity, but my neurologist and psychiatrist did, too.
There are several countries in Europe that have banned Nutrasweet/aspartame, namely Germany and the Scandinavian countries.
It is highly toxic, as its metabolites are poisonous.
I'll never ingest it again.

Answer 7

I would have to agree with everyone else on this one....Splenda is fine, but Nutrasweet/Equal and things of that nature have side effects - I know when my grandfather was diagnosed with Parkinson's they told him no more diet coke whatsoever.......aspartame which is in Nutrasweet can help promote several disease including Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and other central nervous system diseases - so giving it to children very young - could have effects on them the rest of their lives........I would not drink or food containing products at any age.........Just something to think about.....

Answer 8

According to the FDA, it is safe. However, the medical and scientific community are sharply divided on the safety of these products, especially for children. I do not allow my child to consume these products, and I would not want her grandparents giving it to them.

That said, if they have had a couple of glasses of Crystal LIght it isn't going to kill them. Check with the parents before the kids have any more.

Could you keep some juice boxes or other shelf-stable products in the house so you have alternatives for the kids?

Answer 9

I'm not sure about equal, but Nutrasweet is a BIG no-no, it can seriously inhibit digestive development and should never be given to anyone under 6. Splenda is fine however.

Answer 10

I don't like using artificial sweeteners. I feel they are not healthy, even splenda. They are chemicals, and I feel that no one should be using them.

I don't see the harm on getting them a small container of ice cream when you grand kids visit. If they must drink something other then water, I find it best to get them 100% juice drinks.

Answer 11

A pediatrician could tell you for sure but a smal "reasonable" amount occasionally is probably fairly harmless.

Or, how about naturally flavored bottles of water instead of the Crystal Light?

PS A doctor once told me that artificial sweetners aren't any better than sugar and may, in fact, be worse. Sugar is natural, at least.