Following Artificial Sweetners Downstream

When scientist set out to trace the origins of water pollution, they looked to a few candidates to track. Caffeine, pharmaceuticals (which I have written about in earlier Tap It entries) and compounds found in cosmetics were all considered. "Groundwater can be polluted by several sources, and it's sometimes not clear where that pollution comes from," said researcher, Dr Ignaz Buerge, an environmental chemist at the Swiss Federal Research Station in Schloss. But when it came time to decide, the journal of Environmental Science & Technology reports that they chose artificial sugar. 

"If I had to guess, these (artificial sweeteners, specifically saccharine and cyclamate) are the highest concentration of compounds that goes through sewage treatment plants without being degraded," said environmental chemist and Associate Professor at Stony Brook University, Bruce Brownwell.

This is major breakthrough for science, to be sure, however isn't it a little creepy to think that those same sweeteners go all through your body without being absorbed by your body?  In other words, how freaking synthetic is this stuff that your body can't even use the stuff for anything other than making your taste buds happy. Hmmm....

Speaking of making your taste buds happy, though, I personally like Crystal Light's Strawberry On-The-Go packets. They offer the perfect amount of flavor to a reusable water bottle's amount of tap water.