Nutrasweet in Milk–But Not On the Label?
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Over the past week, there's been a real buzz in the whole foodie blog realm about the government's apparent push to add Nutrasweet (aspartame) to milk–with no labeling.
No label for Nutrasweet in milk? You've got to be kidding me.
How could the government add anything to milk without putting it on the label?
Does the Government Not Want to Label Nutrasweet in Milk?
After reading multiple articles on the topic, I headed over to leave a comment for the FDA regarding this proposed legislation, and I stated that it would be wrong to add Nutrasweet to milk without putting it on the label since some people have adverse reactions to it.
Then I started digging around the internet and found that many of the posts on the internet about this Nutrasweet and milk issue were actually incorrect.
I felt kind of like a fool.
If you read the comments on those posts, however, you'll see that I was not the only confused and frustrated soul out there.
So–if the FDA isn't saying that they want to put aspartame in milk without putting it in the ingredient list, what is the government really proposing?
Here's some of the wording in the FDA notice that shows that the FDA is NOT talking about not putting the non-nutritive sweeteners in the ingredient list:
2. If the standard of identity for milk is amended as requested by petitioners, milk manufacturers could use non-nutritive sweeteners in flavored milk without a nutrient content claim in its labeling. Will the inclusion of the non-nutritive sweeteners in the ingredient statement provide consumers with sufficient information to ensure that consumers are not misled regarding the characteristics of the milk they are purchasing?
The government is proposing that, in the case of flavored dairy products (like Strawberry, Chocolate, and such), if the sweetener used is a non-nutritive one (like aspartame), then they want to be able to add it without writing “Reduced Calorie” on the label.
The government's reasoning:
1. The sweet taste will get more kids to drink milk.
2. Children are “put off” by labels such as “Reduced Calorie” and would likely pass up this kind of beverage/food in favor of sugar-laden items that can cause weight gain.
3. Flavored milks and dairy products with sugar and honey, etc., in them are not labeled in any special way, so why should things be different for these alternative sweeteners.
4. Children will be less likely to become obese by drinking flavored milks with low calorie sweeteners.
My thoughts
1. “Reduced Calorie” labeling has always helped consumers know that there is an artificial sweetener in a product, prompting consumers to read the ingredients.
2. This is confusing labeling and likely those with adverse reactions to Nutrasweet will unknowingly consume these foods and have problems. Nutrasweet gave me insomnia in my diet soda drinking days, so I am not a fan at all.
If you're going to sweeten milk or other dairy products, I say “put it up there– front and center”.
3. If you want to use a sweetener in milk, I think it would be better to use something more natural, like stevia.
And–the wording in the FDA notice could be a little better, but isn't that the case with many official documents?: “Flavored Milk; Petition to Amend the Standard of Identity for Milk and 17 Additional Dairy Products“.
Now for my other concern.
I am frustrated with sensationalist health-related journalism that isn't backed up by facts.
If you have a blog where upwards of 79,000 folks are sharing your posts (in the case of Natural News), you need to be responsible and at least read the documents that you are making bold statements about.
I have nothing against “grab your attention” headlines (unless they are really over the top or really sexual in nature), but I do have a problem with shoddy journalism that leads to fear-mongering and wrong thinking.
Perhaps these bloggers were basing their information off on what they read elsewhere, but in each case, the original source really needed to be checked.
When you are sharing info with tons of followers (Natural News, at the time of this posting, has 10 million page views per month), you really need to be careful to get the facts right.
To be fair, maybe they are planning to correct the misinformation. I hope so. My life is busy and sometimes I can't get to things as soon as I would like. And I really do like so much of what Sarah has to say on her blog that I hope she'll come out and acknowledge this mistake.
Does that mean I never do anything wrong?
No.
But when I do, I do my best to go back and correct things. (Check out my posts on Natural Dishwasher Rinse Aid, and my series on Best Essential Oils where I needed to back away from brands I had been promoting.)
The lessons here?
Do your homework. Don't believe everything you read.
Read your labels.
Admit when you're wrong.
I think the labels should stay as they are to prevent consumer confusion. I hope you'll go and add your voice to the petition to leave things as they are, by clicking here. Comments will be taken through 5/21/13. I wasn't quite sure what to put in the “Organization's Name” space. I put my blog name. I think you could just write “none” if need be.
To be completely clear, the International Dairy Foods Association and the National Milk Producers Federation petitioned the FDA to do this. But the FDA is proposing it by putting it out to the public for comments.
The way I read this is that all 3 of these associations / organizations are proposing this.
What do you think about removing “Reduced Calorie” Labeling?
I guess I’m reading different blogs – I’ve always understood that they just want to sweeten the milk with artificial sweetener and not call it low-calorie, however, I thought all the uproar was about that University of Wisconsin study showing a steady diet of aspartame & dairy combined to cause brain seizures…
I’m glad you were reading right information. If you search “nutrasweet milk government label” you will see TONS of blogs with the wrong info.
Thank you. I personally am highly allergic to All artificial sweeteners. Swollen tongue, throat..anaphylaxis with just 1 sip. I can’t afford to take the chance.
You are so welcome. For someone like you I wish they would leave well enough alone. This would make it too hard to tell that those sweeteners are in there. Thanks for sharing.
Oh, one question. Really–all sweeteners? Which has the happened for? That seems quite odd. Thanks in advance.
The government’s reasoning:
1. The sweet taste will get more kids to drink milk.
This makes me crazy!! Why do kids need sweet things!!!???
Agreed. I am ok with some things but this is just silly.
This doesn’t immediately effect me in Australia but it’s so disappointing that this is even an issue. If only we could educate kids more about avoiding junk foods – not altogether but most of the time. It’s a huge uphill battle when they are totally surrounded by it. Makes me sad.
You are so right. Thanks for sharing. I have relatives in Australia. It seems like a gorgeous country.
They have to label aspartame in things because phenylketonurics (people with phenylketonuria, or the inability to metabolize phenylalanine)cannot ingest aspartame, and they must be warned. There is no way that they can sneak aspartame into things without warning us.
That’s what I thought – after signing the petition. I was in such a rush to “do something.”
We have a child that cannot handle phenylalanine. He doesn’t have phynlketonuria but another metabolic disorder and he gets very ill and has to be hospitalized when he ingests it. Aspartame, saccharin, acesulfame potassium (aka acesulfame K), and sucralose are all sweeteners that cause phynlalanine. They are already in flavored milks that you purchase. Sucralose and acesulfame K are often found in juices that say “no added sugar”, they are in breads (we couldn’t buy “all natural whole grain” bread anymore because it contained sucralose. Even Maleluca food products contain these sweeteners. The FDA has been allowing these sweeteners into foods without any special labeling thusfar. It does not surprise me that they want to hide the content of sweetener in milk by merely listing it in the ingredients. If you don’t have a health issue that requires you to read labels on everything then you would never notice it was in the milk or anything else.
Thanks for sharing. I wasn’t aware that the other sweeteners could cause similar issues. What happens to your son? All natural breads contain sucralose? I haven’t been doing much grocery store shopping so that is a shocker to me.
Not all “natural” breads contain sucralose, but some “all-natural” breads do. I have learned to read all of the ingredients! It’s amazing to me that food manufacturers are allowed to sneak artificial sweeteners into so many foods where you wouldn’t expect them. I am sensitive to them and have an unpleasant reaction–I don’t have to be hospitalized or anything, but I feel anxious, simultaneously hungry and nauseated, and like everything is too bright and too dark at the same time–so I try to avoid ingesting any fake sugar, and for me this includes stevia–anything super-sweet but non-caloric freaks out my body even if I eat a relatively small amount. Chewing gum is okay. Sometimes I feel funny after eating in a restaurant and have to wonder if they have fake sugars in their bread, salad dressing, or what. >:-(
I wonder if you are so sensitive to alternative sweeteners, aren’t you likely having reactions to artificial “other” ingredients then as well?
It’s possible that I’m sometimes reacting to other ingredients. When I have that particular kind of reaction and can read the ingredients of what I ate/drank, though, it’s always involved some kind of non-caloric sweetener. Aspartame is the worst, but I’ve reacted to others as well.
I also saw this in the headlines recently. Here is a super article that i read last week about the truth of it as well. (broken link has been removed by Whole New Mom)
Very good article- thanks! But to be fair, it this passes, it will be a little harder to notice the artificial sweeteners than it is now.
I read in the article that they want to put it in the flavored milk at schools. The last time I checked there are not any labels whatsoever on the plastic milk containers at our local schools. Will children know what has it in there or not. I wish all states could sell raw milk but they sadly do not. I can not buy it here in my state and there are such restrictions in many others now.I would love to have asource for it.
It may be a labeling issue per say but I feel it is being deceptive to lure our children to drink it. And artificial sweeteners causes weight gain not loss. They really do not have a clue do they?
I did some digging into artificial sweeteners and weight gain – it looks a little inconclusive. Hard to tell – but I don’t like Nutrasweet regardless. The raw milk regulations are ridiculous.
the neurological implications alone are scary enough.
Loved reading your article! I agree on raw milk living in Florida we obviously cant buy it. When I can get it I have to pay $12 gallon. Which is quite a lot. We stick to organic and now my kids won’t drink anything else. They taste the difference. We don’t drink soda just fresh oj, club soda and water. I have nothing at home with fake sugar in it. I will keep reading your blog!
We never drink soda either. Ick. Like my aunt used to say, I would rather eat my calories than drink them :).
Why Nutrasweet? Why can’t it be something that’s been proven to be a much safer sweetner, like Stevia? Seriously!
Agreed. But pure stevia can’t be patented – that’s likely why. Still I’d rather have stevia w/ fillers than Nutrasweet.
This is what I found. https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2013/02/20/2013-03835/flavored-milk-petition-to-amend-the-standard-of-identity-for-milk-and-17-additional-dairy-products
Yes – that is what I linked to in the post – thanks! What do you think?
Thank you for reminding us the internet can be wrong. I saw the Healthy Home Economist post and wondered, plus the news presented it incorrectly, too.
I think everything should be listed in any product if they’re going to add something to it. Beyond the fact that people want to know what they’re eating, there’s the issue of allergies and food sensitivities.
I’m so glad you spoke up and did some digging.
I didn’t see it on the news, but it looked like Huffington Post had to do some backtracking about wrong information that they had posted. I feel bad that I didn’t dig before signing the petition. Do you think “Reduced Calorie” needs to be on the front of the package?
I do think they should put Reduced Calorie on the front for the reasons you mention. Of course, I wouldn’t have my kids drink it for that very reason because I want them to have full fat and to avoid junk.
No drinking it here either!