Sickeningly Sweet – The Food Allergy No One is Talking About

It seems that food allergies are a major part of the conversation regarding health these days. Most people have heard of allergies to shellfish, peanuts, dairy and gluten – all of which can make a person feel miserable if they haven’t figured out the culprit. A lesser-known allergen can be found in foods with artificial sweeteners. Three major offenders-aspartame, sucralose and saccharin- can be found in the sweetener selection on almost every restaurant table.

To fully understand the symptoms associated with each, let’s break down the chemical composition of each:

Aspartame is an artificial non-saccharide sugar substitute in some foods and beverages that is 200 times sweeter than table sugar.

What is in it?  Phenylalanine, aspartic acid and methanol. The taste is different from regular sugar in that the sweetness lasts longer and less is needed to achieve a sweet flavor. It is often combined with other sweeteners for a taste closer to sugar.

You could have an allergy if you are experiencing the following:

Headaches                             Fibromyalgia

Anxiety                                 Memory loss

Arthritis                                Abdominal pain

Nausea                                  Depression

Heart palpitations                 Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Seizures                                Neurological disorders

Vision problems                    Weight gain

Sucralose is found in many food and beverage products, used because it is a no-calorie sweetener, does not promote dental cavities, is deemed as safe for consumption by diabetics as non-diabetics, and does not affect insulin levels.

What is in it?  Sucralose is a synthetic additive created by chlorinating sugar. Manufacturers say the chlorine in sucralose is no different from that in table salt. Most ingested sucralose is not broken down by the body, so it is consider non-caloric.

You could have an allergy if you are experiencing the following:

Migraines

Head and muscle aches

Stomach cramps and diarrhea

Bladder issues

Skin irritation

Dizziness and inflammation

Saccharin is an artificial sweetener approximately 300 times as sweet as table sugar, but has a bitter or metallic aftertaste at high concentrations. It is used to sweeten products such as drinks, candies, cookies, medicines, and toothpaste.

What is in it?  Saccharin is a sulfa-based sweetener; its primary ingredient is benzoic sulfimide. Saccharin does not react chemically with other food ingredients and it stores well. Blends of saccharin with other sweeteners are used to mask the bad taste of each other.

For those with sulfa allergies, saccharin may cause:

Nausea

Diarrhea

Skin Problems

Other allergy-related symptoms

Although artificial sweeteners may be a subject of debate, no one can argue that sweeteners are made from chemicals, some of which are known to be not only harmful, but truly toxic. Whether or not you have an intolerance to artificial sweeteners depends on how responsive your own body is against the chemicals they contain. 

Announcing the FSTS SHOP

If you own a restaurant, work in food service or are participating in food safety training, we invite you to check out our new online shop. Over the past few months we have been working diligently on a way to bring the highest quality food safety items to your door – including allergen-safe items, ServSafe, DoTerra, Giant Microbes and more.

FSTS is now an exclusive distributor of the SaniTimer® faucet attachment. With its LCD Display featuring a countdown timer, users are more prone to wash their hands for the recommended 20-second minimum. Beginning when the water is turned on, it gives the user plenty of time to pump soap, lather up and rinse their hands.

As people become more aware of food allergies, a need to have tools in place to prevent allergic individuals from becoming ill is necessary. We are excited to offer the complete Allergen Saf-T-Zone® System. The one-of-a-kind purple kit will help protect guests with food allergies from allergen cross contamination. The kit includes basic prep and cooking tools in a distinct purple color, including a purple 12 x 18” (305 x 457mm) Saf-T-Grip® cutting board, tongs, turner and a 10” (254 mm) Chef’s knife. The tools are protected and stored inside a durable, purple case. The bright purple color is designed to alert staff: reminding them to follow special food allergen prep procedures.

Shoppers will also find the CleanTemp® thermometer as a sanitary way for preparers to check the temperature of food. Replacing the typical thermometer sheath that often harbors bacteria, the CleanTemp® thermometer probe is placed into the tube through a fitted hole in the cap. A rubber washer located inside the tube cap squeegees the probe dry as it is removed from the tube for use. After temping, the thermometer probe is wiped clean of visible debris before reinserting it into the tube.

dōTERRA CPTG Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade^® essential oils represent the safest, purest and most beneficial essential oils available today. For ideal extract composition and efficacy, they are gently and skillfully distilled from plants that have been patiently harvested at their prime, by experienced growers from around the world. Experienced essential oil users will immediately recognize the superior quality standard for naturally safe and purely effective therapeutic-grade dōTERRA essential oils.

Check back frequently as in the coming months we will continue to add the best products available in the industry to serve your training and food safety needs. Shop on your phone or shop at home in your pajamas; we won’t tell!

Visit our shop.