People often ask my opinion about diet sodas. Many see them as a harmless substitute for sugar-sweetened beverages. Others are deeply distrustful of the artificial sweeteners they contain -- and there are plenty of scary rumors circulating on the Internet to bolster these suspicions.

Concerned scientists and researchers fought and were successful in keeping aspartame out of the food supply for over 10 years, and many of those still alive continue to speak out against it today.

It's hard to believe such a hazardous chemical would be allowed into the food supply, but it was, and it has been wreaking silent havoc with people's health for the past 30 years.