Some people are allergic to artificial sweeteners. Myself, I had a stomach ache for several years. Went through lots of tests. Was going to have my gallbladder removed. Guess what. It was aspartame (in diet cokes and lots of other foods). I stopped drinking diet cokes and switched to Diet Rite (doesn't contain aspartame and tastes just as well). I really look at labels and don't totally stay away from aspartame but really lowered my intake by eliminating diet coke. There is also a product made from an herb call Stevia. It can be purchased in health food shoppes. Many alternative physicians recommend this sweetener in lieu of any others. You can also buy the herb but I have no idea what other use it has. 

Did you know that aspartame was banned by the FDA until Ronald Regan became president. At that time the chief of the FDA was replaced by one of Regan's buddies. Regan was pressured by the makers of this additive and had his buddy allow usage in just about everything. Now, it has been tied to brain tumors. Also, my mom always used saccharin to sweeten tea. It has been linked to several cancers. We have had a couple in our family. Who knows if it was a deciding factor?

Now, I watch labels and stay away from aspartame as much as I can. Pull up some sites on the net about aspartame and it will scare you sugarless..........Another note, if people want to eat healthy and loose weight.. the best program anywhere is the Weight Watchers Points program. I am not a heavy person but wanted to lose a few pounds that crept up on me as I am gettin' older. I tried WW and it is easy, cheap, you can eat regular food and it is so much easier than counting calories. They do it for you. I have lost 9 lbs in 6 weeks and have binged a few times also. If I really followed the points system to the letter probably could have lost twice that much. I am certainly no health food nut but the WW has made me look at portions and to ask myself am I really hungry? Lots of times we are just thirsty and don't know it. Drinking the six glasses of water they recommend really helps. I also hated yogurt, it's slimy to me.. now I freeze it and have some a couple of times a week and keep from eating bacon and eggs too often. Just little changes like this helps!

J. Gentile