Artifical sugars

1.  Aspartame:  commonly found in "sugar free" diet products.   It is in Crystal Light, Diet V8, NutraSweet, Equal, diet sodas, chewing gum, fat free or sugar free yogurts, diet hard candies, ice cream toppings, Body by Vi products, etc.

It accounts for about 75% of food reactions reported to the FDA and has been known to be used as an ant and rat poison.  There is also a high link to cancer.

http://www.truthinlabeling.org/Aspartame_Truth_NaturalNewsInterview.Blaylock.pdf

2. Xylitol, Mannitol: Sugar alcohols derived from fructose which comes from cornstarch.  It is also found in nature in many fruits and vegetables.  Also known as a diabetic sugar because it is 30% of the calories found in regular sugar.  I have found sugar free chocolate candies with the mannitol that tastes just like regular chocolate candy.  I have purchased Xylitol and it can be replaced in recipes where sugar is used.  They are known to cause bloating and diarrhea and should be used in moderation.

3.  Stevia:  Found in a plant in South America.  According to Dr. Sara Ballantyne it plays with our hormonal balance.

"Steviol glycosides are synthesized in the same pathway and end up being structurally very similar to the plant hormones gibberellin and kaurene.  This means that steviol glycosides have a hormone structure.  The majority of toxicological studies establish that stevia is safe, however there are some studies showing that it can act as a mutagen and may increase the risk of cancer (these studies are in the minority and tend to use quite high concentrations, so they are readily discarded in discussions of the overall safety of consuming stevia).  Whether or not stevia causes genetic mutations is not the only cause for concern, however (even if safety studies focus on this particular property).  For those with autoimmune disease, in which hormones have such a dramatic impact on disease development and progression, the impact of consuming stevia on hormone regulation is relevant. "

http://www.thepaleomom.com/2013/03/teaser-excerpt-from-the-paleo-approach-the-trouble-with-stevia.html

4. Erythritol:  Also a sugar alcohol, virtually calorieless, but not found with the same side effects of xylitol and mannitol.  It has been found not to cause tooth decay.  Found in Quest bars.

5.  Splenda.  Not only does it come in packets to use in coffee and tea, but it is found in Snackwells, nutrition bars, ice cream, jellies, yogurts, etc.

A study published in 2008 found that Splenda:

• Reduces the amount of good bacteria in your intestines by 50 percent
• Increases the pH level in your intestines, and
• Affects a glycoprotein in your body that can have crucial health effects, particularly if you're on certain medications like chemotherapy, or treatments for AIDS and certain heart conditions

My overall opinion on sugars is that when aspartame was "invented" and diet soda became the new craze in the 80s everyone thought it was so great.  Decades later we are now finding its harmful effects.  My question is why are we just now discovering all of these new sweeteners on market if they have always been in plants?  Will studies in a couple decades show they are all equally harmful too?  I also believe artifical sweeteners give people the impression they can overindulge instead of eating in moderation.