Got Diet Milk? You May See Artificial Sweeteners in Your Milk Soon

What news to wake up to: it seems that the dairy industry is taking new steps with the FDA to use aspartame in its products, in case that low-fat and skim milk weren't meeting your weight loss needs. 

The Huffington Post reports that back in 2009, the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) and the National Milk Producers Federation filed a petition with the FDA to begin using artificial sweeteners in milk and other dairy products. (Courthouse News reports that the products would also include eggnog, whipped cream, and yogurt.) And the FDA last week asked for data related to artificial sweeteners and aspartame last week, but the real problem is that the dairy industry would be able to keep the products labeled as "milk" despite the presence of artificial sweeteners. And of course, aspartame — found most in diet soda — is a substance that causes a lot of health experts to worry. But the groups insist that the sweeteners would be "safe and suitable," and that using low-cal sweeteners would be particularly good for students who prefer flavored milk over regular milk. 

As of now, the FDA only allows sweeteners with calories, or "nutritive sweeteners," to be in dairy products — so you're getting the full calorie load. Is any beverage safe from going the diet route?

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