Sweetener aspartame aggravates atherosclerosis through insulin inflammation

From the article:

> Here, we show that consumption of 0.15% aspartame (APM) markedly increased insulin secretion in mice and monkeys.

This would explain the published observations that diet soda drinkers consume additional calories in other parts of their diets: aspartame-sweetened diet soda -> insulin release -> low blood sugar -> hunger signals.

The first artificial sweetener was saccharin (1879). Saccharin is available as Sweet'n'Low (in the US, but not Canada), or as generics in 'the pink packet'. Aspartame is branded as NutraSweet or Equal, and is 'the blue packet'. Sucralose is Splenda, 'the yellow packet'. Extracts from the stevia plant are in 'the green packet'.

Aspartame was discovered in ~1965. Most of the 'traditional' diet sodas are sweetened with a mix of aspartame and Acesulfame Potassium, because aspartame is only stable in an acidic solution.

I think saccharin is relatively safe. I've personally witnessed someone deteriorate after sucralose consumption, so that's on my strict avoidance list.

tl/dr: I avoid blue and yellow. Pink is my new go-to for sweet cravings. Green is probably safe for adding a bit of sweet to your calories, unless you have a tendency to be allergic to everything.