Yeah...Pop dosn't look so good anymore.

Phenylalanine: (fen-l-al-uh-neen)
C9H11NO2

One of the amino acids which the body cannot manufacture itself, but must acquire from food.
It is abundant in meats, cheese and skim milk.
Phenylalanine is a precursor of tyrosine and together they lead to the formation of thyroxin or thyroid hormone and of adrenaline and noradrenaline which is converted into a neurotransmitter, a brain chemical which transmits nerve impulses.
This neurotransmitter is used by the brain to manufacture noradrenaline which promotes mental alertness, memory, elevates mood and suppresses the appetite very effectively.
Along with another amino acid, tryptophan, phenylalanine governs the release of an intestinal hormone called cholecystokinin.
Overuse of phenylalanine supplements can cause anxiety, headaches and hypertension and are contraindicated for pregnant woman, those who suffer from anxiety attacks, high blood pressure, PKU, pigmented melanoma or anyone taking an anti-depressant containing monoamine oxidase inhibitors.

Phenylketonuria:
The genetic disorder phenylketonuria (PKU) is an inability to metabolise phenylalanine. Individuals with this disorder are known as "phenylketonurics", and must abstain from consumption of phenylalanine. This also holds true for pregnant women with hyperphenylalanine (high levels of phenylalanine in blood) because they will not properly metabolise the amino acid phenylalanine.
Phenylalanine is present in many sugarless gums, Monster Munch crisps, sugarless soft drinks (such as Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi), Lipton Diet Mixberry Green Tea, Icebreakers Mints, and a number of other food products, all of which must be labelled: "Phenylketonurics: Contains phenylalanine."
It's important to realize that phenylalanine itself is not present in the food. Rather, the artificial sweetener aspartame is present.

Aspartame:
This sweetener is marketed under a number of trademark names, such as Equal, NutraSweet, and Canderel, and is an ingredient of approximately 6,000 consumer foods and beverages sold worldwide.
It is 150-200 times sweeter than sugar, originally found in asparagus and other vegetables.
Aspartame has been the subject of controversy regarding its safety and the circumstances of its approval by the American FDA and European FSA.
Some studies have recommended further investigation into connections between aspartame and negative effects such as headaches, brain tumours, brain lesions, and lymphoma.

Methanol:

The methanol (in aspartame) is absorbed and converted to formaldehyde in the body. Formaldehyde is known to cause damage to the immune system, nervous system, and irreversible genetic damage at very low-level, long-term exposure.
Methanol breaks down into formic acid and formaldehyde in the body. Formaldehyde is a deadly neurotoxin.
An EPA assessment of methanol states that methanol "is considered a cumulative poison due to the low rate of excretion once it is absorbed. In the body, methanol is oxidized to formaldehyde and formic acid; both of these metabolites are toxic."
The recommend a limit of consumption of 7.8 mg/day. A one-litre (approx. 1 quart) aspartame-sweetened beverage contains about 56 mg of methanol. Heavy users of aspartame-containing products consume as much as 250 mg of methanol daily or 32 times the EPA limit.


Before aspartame was approved in beverages (1983) the National Soft Drink Association created a THIRTY PAGE PROTEST (that was later read into the Congressional Record) noting that aspartame was NOT stable, and could actually make the unwary user FATTER! FACT: The NSDA has changed its mind... and now says that aspartame is SAFE STUFF!