On June 29th, "Aspartame causes cancer"

This topic topped the hot search list.

Arouse a heated discussion among netizens.

It is reported that the International Agency for Research on Cancer, a subsidiary of the World Health Organization, held an expert meeting in early June to evaluate whether some products are potentially dangerous based on all published evidence. At the meeting, it was determined that aspartame "may be carcinogenic to human body". At the same time, the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) is also reviewing the use of aspartame and will announce the results in July.

WHO responded to the media that it will publish relevant content on this topic on July 14th, but did not disclose the specific content.

According to the Washington Post on the 22nd, aspartame is one of the most common artificial sweeteners in the world. Last year, a study in France showed that eating a large amount of aspartame may increase the risk of cancer in adults, and the United States began to re-examine this sweetener. The American Beverage Association, as the representative of beverage manufacturers, and related industry organizations refute this conclusion. Officials from the American Beverage Association said that aspartame is generally considered safe by the scientific and regulatory circles, which is the conclusion reached by food safety agencies around the world again and again.

Aspartame is the most common synthetic sweetener, such as sugar-free cola and Sprite, which is used to replace sucrose. At present, many foods and beverages labeled as "sugar-free" on the market, such as Coca-Cola diet soda, Mars Extra chewing gum and some Snapple drinks, actually use sweeteners such as aspartame.

Many netizens began to feel nervous:

Reviews from netizens

@Icomtys: Put down my diet coke immediately.

@Hellen wants to teach and educate people: What else can you eat? What to drink?

What’s delicious about coriander? Fortunately, I don’t like sweetness.

@ 京京: I will never eat anything but sugary cola.

@ Tiger Mom Return: My family has diabetes, and there has always been a saying that I should not eat aspartame.

The food and beverage circle began to express its position.

Have a brand emergency response

Aspartame will be listed as a "possible carcinogen". As soon as the news came out, associations and companies in the food and beverage circle stood up and expressed their views.

Kate Loatman, executive director of the International Beverage Association (ICBA), said that IARC’s statement is contrary to a large number of high-quality scientific research conclusions for a long time, or it may mislead consumers to give up safe sugar-free and low-sugar choices and consume more sugar instead. "We still believe in the safety of aspartame because we have conducted safety assessments with food safety authorities from more than 90 countries." Kate Loatman said.

The response of the International Beverage Association also stated that, contrary to the conclusion of IARC, a review report issued by WHO, the parent organization of IARC, in April 2022 showed that there was "no obvious correlation" between high consumption of low-calorie or calorie-free sweeteners and cancer mortality, and it would not cause any form of cancer.

Frances Hunt-Wood, secretary-general of the International Sweetener Association (ISA), accused "IARC is not a food safety agency" and believed that the agency’s evaluation of aspartame "is not comprehensive in science, because it is based on many widely questioned studies and may mislead consumers." Many members of this association include Mars Wrigley and Coca-Cola, both of which have introduced products containing aspartame.

In addition, some China brands immediately distanced themselves from aspartame.

The person in charge of Naixue’s tea said that in November last year, all products had been upgraded with the natural sugar substitute "Luohan"; Siraitia grosvenorii is a medicinal and edible plant, and its extract "Siraitia grosvenorii sugar" is a natural sweet fructose substance.

On the other hand, Yuanqi Forest said that the company’s entire line of products also does not contain aspartame. "Yuanqi Forest ingredients list is cleaner, and Yuanqi Forest Coke has 0 sugar, 0 fat, 0 card and 0 aspartame."

Sugar-free drinks are healthier?

The harm of sweeteners may be underestimated by us.

Aspartame is one of the most commonly used sweeteners. We use aspartame in familiar sugar-free drinks such as "Coke Zero".

Many people know the harm of excessive sugar intake, which will increase the risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and even cancer. The emergence of artificial sweeteners and sugar substitutes seems to help people avoid the harm caused by excessive sugar intake, and at the same time satisfy the taste. But is this really the case?

In 2021, it was reported by the media that Mr. Kong (pseudonym), 30, likes to drink carbonated drinks, but he is worried that drinking too many sugary drinks will lead to obesity and diabetes. He fills the refrigerator with "sugar-free" or "zero sugar" drinks and drinks at least 4 or 5 bottles every day. Later, Mr. Kong always felt thirsty and his urine output increased, so he went to the hospital. After the doctor knew the course and history of the disease in detail, combined with typical symptoms such as polydipsia and polyuria, and improved the examination in time, Mr. Kong was diagnosed as the first onset-diabetes complicated with ketoacidosis.

Tan Jinmei, a physician of nephrology endocrinology at Wuhan Yangtze River Shipping General Hospital and Wuhan Brain Hospital, explained that sugar-free does not mean that there is no sugar, but it does not contain sucrose, glucose and other sugar-increasing components, and various forms of artificial sweeteners are used instead. Once the sweetener is consumed too much, it will not only stimulate the production of insulin, affect the sensitivity of insulin receptors, but also increase appetite reflexively, leading to excessive calories. Therefore, Mr. Kong’s long-term drinking of sugar-free drinks instead of normal drinking water has accelerated the metabolism of the body out of control and caused diabetes.

Studies have shown that the sweetness of sweeteners can make people feel that they have eaten sugary food, which in turn stimulates the human body to produce insulin, leading to a drop in blood sugar, which makes people feel hungry and increase their appetite. Although the "sweetener" in sugar-free drinks has zero calories, long-term intake of artificial sugar substitutes will lead to insulin endocrine imbalance, which will lead to human metabolism disorder.

On September 7, 2022, researchers from the World Health Organization, the French National Center for Health and Medical Research and the University of Paris published a research paper in the top medical journal BMJ. This study shows that artificial sweeteners are not a healthy and safe substitute for sugar, and higher intake of artificial sweeteners increases the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Read the title of a finger Zen stamp!

Original title: "Hot search first! Aspartame may cause cancer? Can these drinks be drunk? 》

Read the original text

　　At the beginning of July, the library of Shenzhen University Town issued a new regulation: children under 14 are not allowed to enter the library. The reason is that the museum mainly serves teaching and scientific research personnel, and there are no children’s books, and children are running noisily when they enter the museum, and the related complaints have increased sharply.

　　This slightly "decisive" rule has attracted a lot of controversy. After one month, the effect is still remarkable.

　　A quiet library is always afraid of encountering an uncontrolled "Xiong Haizi", but children in summer vacation can’t escape the call and charm of the public reading environment: the PageOne Bookstore in Qianmen, Beijing, has a bright and elegant space design, firmly "grasping" the children’s heart of swimming; In children’s reading venues of public libraries, the popularity of "parent-child reading" is increasing day by day.

　　When the public angrily divided the "isolation zone" for "Xiong Haizi" and stipulated "where children should not go", we should ask more questions — — Where can the child go to study?

　　Recently, this newspaper went deep into many children’s summer reading sites and found that children who spend their summer holidays in the city are not satisfied with being comforted only by electronic equipment and high-end travel. On the contrary, they have strong public reading needs. Children’s reading places are by no means a "supporting role" ornament of public facilities, nor an outlet for releasing parents’ educational anxiety. Children and books need to be carefully placed in a sufficiently tolerant and complete public environment.

　　Personalized bookstores gain "children’s reading diplomacy", and catering and amusement facilities are more "extra points"

　　A chain of private bookstores in Raffles Mall in Dongzhimen, Beijing, has set up "‘ Seventy-two lectures ’ The Children’s Experience Hall has seven reading themes for children aged 0-12, such as "Knowledge Exploration", "Cartoon Animation" and "Art Germination".

　　The couch on the left-hand side of the door can accommodate about 7 children at the same time. Parents consciously do not occupy the sofa seat, squatting opposite the children to guide reading. Children without seats are sitting on the wooden floor, but as long as the staff sees the sofa free, they remind other children to sit down quickly.

　　Li Yuhong, who brought her 3-and-a-half-year-old granddaughter to read a book, said that her family lives nearby, and she and her daughter-in-law take turns to take her children out to read a book, with an average stay in the bookstore of 1-2 hours each time.

　　As a "companion", Li Yuhong used to visit a bookstore regularly, closely focusing on the only reading theme; Daughter-in-law’s way is more "younger". She will take her children to sit in the consumption area, read books while drinking, and occasionally attend a lecture in parenting education.

　　"My granddaughter begged me to buy some books every time she left. I said I should buy no more than two books at a time, because I come to the bookstore too often! " Li Yuhong thinks that her granddaughter’s willingness to go to the bookstore is inseparable from the "sense of communication" at the scene. "She chatted with strange children she didn’t know about reading comics, exchanged what she was reading at hand, and made friends by the way."

　　Personalized bookstores with meticulous service and beautiful vision are easily welcomed by children’s readers and parents. Li Man, who lives in Shijingshan, Beijing and is engaged in language education, said that her 10-year-old son is obsessed with Sisif Bookstore in his hometown of Xuzhou.

　　"In Sisyphus Bookstore, adults and children can read well. Children have a special reading area, many seats, beautiful decoration and great visual experience. Such a bookstore is very atmospheric, the service is humanized, and it can grasp the needs of customers. "

　　Li Man thinks that a private bookstore near Beijing’s residence is inferior. The teahouse consumption area is only open to members, and the children’s reading area is very narrow, and it is next to the adult bookshelves, so you don’t choose books carefully.

　　A separate children’s reading area and supporting catering and amusement facilities are extra points for parent-child reading in summer. Li Manxiao said that she asked her son what kind of reading place he liked, and his son replied that there was a restaurant next to it. "My son said that if you are hungry in the morning, you can eat. If you are full, you can continue reading in the afternoon!"

　　Public libraries are afraid to get close? Children’s reading areas are increasing and services are upgrading.

　　Through street interviews, it is found that many parents’ summer parent-child reading intentions have two characteristics: first, they are generally based on the principle of "proximity" and will not "read" remotely; Second, there are different shades of "not feeling close" to the library.

　　Zhang Qiang, who is engaged in administrative work in colleges and universities, pulled out a world geography popular science album from the children’s bookshelf in the bookstore to explain to his son what population density is.

　　Zhang Qiang said that he often took his son, who was in the third grade of primary school, out to read during the more leisurely winter and summer vacations — — Just go to the bookstore. "I don’t take it to the library because the little boy is at the most noisy age, and he can’t sit still and run around. Going to the library will definitely affect others, and the bookstore is much more comfortable, and I can explain it to my son."

　　An "indigenous" resident in Haidian, Beijing, admitted that reading as a teenager always happened in Haidian Book City, not a library just one subway stop away from home. Under the question of "Zhihu" asking how to improve children’s reading interest, some netizens mentioned that there are many "adult examination parties" in the city library. If there are no good children’s books, the atmosphere will be serious enough to "choke" children.

　　Article 34 of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) Public Libraries Law, which came into effect on January 1st this year, stipulates that public libraries established by the government should set up reading areas for children, be equipped with corresponding professionals according to the characteristics of children, carry out reading guidance and social education activities for children, and provide support for schools to carry out relevant extracurricular activities. Conditional areas can set up a separate children’s library.

　　In fact, many libraries have put it into action in the children’s reading section. For example, the Children’s Library of the National Library, which has been open for 8 years, consists of a parent-child reading area on the first floor and a young people’s reading area on the second floor, with an area of about 1,200 square meters, more than 200 fixed seats and about 300 non-fixed seats, providing more than 80,000 books for reading.

　　Li Man and his son, whose home is far from the national map, are "die-hard" fans of Shijingshan Children’s Library. "The scale is not particularly large, but there should be everything, and children can quietly read."

　　The progress of details and the whole is happening quietly. Li Man remembers taking his son to get a library card a few years ago, and he still needs to take photos to handle it. Borrowing books is purely manual. Now, the children’s library can apply for a certificate directly by swiping the ID card, and borrowing and returning books can be done by machines; A significant increase in the number of children’s seats and amusement facilities has brought a good experience to children.

　　In Li Man’s view, whether a library is suitable for children’s reading is based on comfort, quietness and scale. "In fact, I personally feel that the reading space is not too big for children. What is important is the experience, which is the service consciousness to help children screen books."

　　Experts suggest that reading places should enhance the "children’s view" and add interactivity to the space.

　　Whether it is a public library, a private bookstore or a new "children’s library", the form will continue to be upgraded, but some core service concepts are consistent.

　　Lin Dan, the founder of Youbei Parent-child Library, has been engaged in pioneering work in the field of reading for young children since 2009. She saw that the development track of the parent-child reading industry in the past 10 years was clearly visible.

　　When Lin Dan visited the local library when he traveled abroad, he found that the hardware facilities of public reading places in China have not lost abroad, but the "software" needs to be strengthened.

　　Lin Dan saw that from the national library to the rural library in France, the services provided for young children are very popular, and the subtle thoughts are extremely moving. For example, the design of children’s bookshelves is "within reach", and children can easily "carry" books up; The library provides carpets and lazy sofas for children.

　　"I am very concerned about children’s reading places ‘ Software ’ At present, the possible problems in domestic libraries and bookstores are that there are few books for young children and there is a lack of ‘ Activity section ’ And specially equipped staff. "

　　Xue Tao, a children’s literature writer who has been studying children’s reading education for a long time, thinks that domestic children’s reading places should gain greater social tolerance.

　　"The library should not be ‘ One size fits all ’ . When they say ‘ Xiong Haizi ’ When it is uncontrollable, it means that the management ability is insufficient. Public facilities should not close the door to exclude children, not to mention the most effective group of reading is children. "

　　Xue Tao pointed out that the ideal children’s reading place should create an independent reading environment on the one hand, and create an interactive area on the other hand, and invite writers to meet and have a dialogue with children’s readers.

　　"Children’s reading places should carry out more promotion activities to make books ‘ Speak ’ , let the environment ‘ Hello ’ To attract children to study. " In addition, Xue Tao believes that children’s reading places should avoid blindly "narrowing", "specialization" and "childishness", "be generous, don’t deliberately divide them, and insist that this is yours and that is mine. This is a shared space and shared books".

　　"Many people think that it is enough to send their children to libraries and bookstores once a week, which is not normal reading." Lin Dan thinks that by creating an environment of "choosing the right books" and "using the right books", children should fall in love with reading, learn good rules and read correctly when they get home.

　　The establishment of reading environment is inseparable from the improvement of public cultural system and the participation of non-governmental forces. Whether builders and families "accompany readers", adults should uphold and strengthen the "children’s view", "read together" with children in a parallel line of sight and respect children.

　　China Youth Daily Zhongqing Online Trainee Reporter Shen Jiequn

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