Acesulfame Potassium......Isn't that stuff in Bananas or something?

Acesulfame Potassium, most commonly seen on labels as Acesulfame-K or Ace-K, is another non-nutritive sweetener currently amidst the public's low-calorie food supply. It is a sweetener that is 200x sweeter than normal table sugar and is most commonly used in conjunction with other sweeteners, most often aspartame, due to a bitter aftertaste. It is not only used in food and drinks, but in toothpaste, cough drops, and mouth wash as well

Ace-K is another sweetener that was discovered through taste by scientists. In 1967, Karl Clauss and Harald Jensen were working on a making a different, but similar, compound but ultimately discovered Ace-K through hand to mouth contact. Apparently chemists aren't good at washing their hands, since most of these non-nutritive sweeteners were discovered by licking fingers.

The scientists licked their fingers and they seemed to be okay. So that must mean it is safe to consume, right? Wrong. Like all the other commonly used non-nutritive sweeteners, Acesulfame-K is starting to show signs of being carcinogenic. The main concern is that it contains a substance known as methylene chloride. A substance that is highly carcinogenic due to the fact that it metabolizes into carbon monoxide within the body. Constant consumption of methylene chloride has been reported to cause nausea, headaches, mood issues, problems with the kidney and liver, and even poor eyesight. All on top of the cancer causing aspect...

Studies on lab rodents given doses of Acesulfame-k have concluded with links to tumor development on the lungs, thymus, and breast. Leukemia and chronic respiratory disease were also seen.

Seriously folks, why are we putting this into our bodies?

Sources:

http://www.beneo-palatinit.com/en/Intense_Sweeteners/Products/Acesulfame_K/
http://www.myhealthnwellness.com/index.php/wellness/food-and-nutrition/food-supplements/104-acesulfame-k-what-you-need-to-know
http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/healthy-eating/top-number-most-dangerous-artificial-sweeteners.html

Sources for photos gathered via Google:
commons.wikimedia.org
www.canigivemydog.com
www.babiestravellite.com
www.amazon.com