> Note that I am discounting the years of hyperventilating messages about aspartame (in particular) leading to supposedly sweeping epidemics of cancer, autism, seizures and what have you. These are not based on any solid evidence, and after the original trials and forty years on the worldwide market, there would be solid evidence by now if any such things were happening.

Glad to see a balanced perspective on this. Everything in moderation.

"Lard" is "completely natural" and is bad in massive quantities, just like aspartame would be.