Doesnt Saccharin Cause Cancer? .: Ask Dr.

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7/18/06 2:02 AM

Doesnt Saccharin Cause Cancer? .: Ask Dr. Hull

http://www.janethull.com/askdrhull/article.php?id=022

ASK DR. HULL

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I know I am recommending an artificial sweetener most

people think causes cancer, but saccharin is the safest of the
traditional artificial choices and is actually one of the safest
alternative sweeteners to use (if you insist on tearing open a
colored packet, that is). Natural sugars such as Sucanat
and stevia are preferable over saccharin of course, but
saccharin has less harmful side effects than the more modern
artificial sweeteners (especially for the diabetic) and is
readily available.
I consider the original saccharin a natural alternative, not a
chemical one. Advertisers have painted a very different
picture of saccharin over the past twenty years, though, and
the politics behind sodium saccharide has left it with a bum
rap.
Saccharin is actually a natural plant sugar derivative, and
back in the day when saccharin was accidentally
discovered, it was considered an authentic sugar substitute
because it was the only known alternative to traditional
sugar.
Unfortunately, today saccharins molecules have been
reproduced in the laboratory and the pink packet is filled with
anti-caking agents and emulsifiers. Saccharin is no longer
sourced to its origin, but is still the most natural choice of
the colorful paper packets. (Choose the pink packetseven
if they have different brand names.)
The history of saccharin tells the story of its safety. In 1879,
Constantine Fahlberg discovered the sweetness of saccharin
by accident. While working on plant studies in the lab, he
spilled some chemicals on his hand. Later while eating
dinner, he noticed more sweetness in his bread. He traced
the sweetness back to the spilled chemical, which he later
named saccharina spin-off of saccharide (complex sugar).
Saccharin was labeled a carcinogen in the 1960s. It appears
saccharin was sacrificed to make room in the market for a
new more profitable sweetener, NutraSweet/Equal.
In 1902, Monsanto Chemical Company gained its reputation
by manufacturing saccharin, the companys first product.
From 1903 through 1905, their entire saccharin output was
shipped to the growing, new soft drink company in Georgia
named The Coca-Cola Company.
According to Monsantos company history, the U.S.
government filed suit over the safety of saccharin at
Monsanto's request in 1917. Monsanto used the suit as a test
case for safety, and the suit was dismissed in 1925. This
gave saccharin much-needed government approval for safety
early on.
Then, curiously, in 1969 saccharin was suddenly questioned
as a carcinogenout of the blue. No reputable scientific proof
was ever presented. Note: this was the year NutraSweet
applied for their first patent.
Something most people never realized is the toxicity study
was actually done using a blend of cyclamate and saccharin,
and the results were interpreted as linking cyclamatenot
saccharinto bladder cancer in rats. Researchers fed
laboratory mice sweetened water that was equivalent to 800
cans of saccharin/cyclamate every day from birth until death.
In this one test, one mouse developed bladder cancer, and
the results were submitted to the FDA requesting a cancer
warning be placed on all saccharin products. Cyclamate was
banned in 1970. No further testing was performed. And why
didnt the manufacturer of saccharin fight back? Read on
Eight years after the saccharin/cancer scare, G.D. Searle &
Co. (the original NutraSweet manufacturer) finally secured
FDA approval for NutraSweet. Searle purchased Monsanto
Chemical Company, the original saccharin manufacturer.
Soon, Monsanto Chemical owned both NutraSweet and
saccharin, NutraSweet's only competitor. The FDA finally (at
this time) printed cancer warnings on saccharin packets the
year NutraSweet came onto the market. So, it appears
saccharins manufacturer didnt fight back because both
Article Info

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Article

022

Created

10-5-2005

7/18/06 2:02 AM

Doesnt Saccharin Cause Cancer? .: Ask Dr. Hull

http://www.janethull.com/askdrhull/article.php?id=022

saccharin and aspartame were now owned and marketed by

the same company- Monsanto.
Monsanto sold The NutraSweet Company in 2000. In 2001,
the cancer warning was removed from saccharin products.
Saccharin is now deemed safe for human consumptiononce
again.

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