Reviews

This is the first book to detail the troubled history of Nutrasweet, a synthetic sweetener used by 100 million Americans. It has been blamed for such symptoms as headache, hyperactivity in children, and increased carbohydrate craving. The Food and Drug Administration continues to approve use of it in more and more products, while many health professionals continue to urge caution and moderation. Roberts sees overuse of Nutrasweet as a major public health threat. He bases his polemic on his clinical observations, review of the literature, correspondence with members of the scientific community, and careful medical histories of ``aspartame reactors.'' While this is not easy reading, it is an important book for consumer health collections.-- Evelyn L. Mott, Palm Beach Cty. P.L., Fla.