Much Ado About Splenda

Splenda, the newest non-sugar, artificial sweetener to hit the market has been lauded by many as a fantastic sugar substitute, but is it really?  Splenda, or sucralose as it is also known by, is not actually a natural product as the name might imply.  It's name is extremely deceptive as sugar itself is also called sucrose.  So where did this artificial sweetener that is 600 times sweeter than sugar actually come from?  The plain and simple answer is that it was discovered while trying to make a new insecticide.  Don't believe me?  It's true.  (Here are a few links for you to check out; Splenda 1, Splenda 2)  The big difference between sucrose and sucralose is that sucralose is sucrose treated under heat and with a slew of chemicals to alter its basic structure.  The process replaces a few of the normal compounds of sugar with chlorine, the same stuff we use to keep pools clean and sparkly and the same stuff used as a toxic gas during wars.  And chlorine in and of itself is considered a carcinogen.  Yet despite the harmful effects of chlorine, the FDA approved Splenda for use.  Don't get me wrong, all this information can be quite confusing.  Some say its safe, many more are now saying its not.  In fact, out of all Splenda users, it has been found that about 70% either have a sucralose allergy or have sucralose toxicity.  Neither of these sound very appealing, yet people continue to use Splenda because it is technically "zero calorie".

That last statement that sucralose is "zero-calorie" is technically false.  The reason that it is zero calorie is because it is 600 times sweeter than sugar and much less is needed to attain the same effects as regular sugar.  Hence, with much smaller amounts, the user gets almost no calories.  That is unless that person consumes enough food containing Splenda to actually make it a caloric sweetener.  But enough about Splenda itself, what are some of the side effects?  The makers of Splenda will argue that there have not been any side effects shown through their clinical studies, most done on animals.  Yet what has been found by other sources is that Splenda has the following side effects:

• Gastrointestinal problems like bloating, nausea and diarrhea
• Skin irritations, rashes, hives, swelling and itching
• Breathing difficulties, wheezing
• Runny nose, cough
• Palpitation, chest muscle pain, itchy eyes
• Anxiety, depression, mood swings, sudden onset of anger
• Dizziness

Think that's all?  Think again, the following are also side effects that can be fatal:

• Enlarged liver and kidneys
• Growth rate plummets
• Atrophy of lymph follicles in the thymus and spleen
• Rise in cecal weight
• Hyperplasia of the pelvis
• Decreased fetal body weight
• Decreased placental weight
• Pregnancy period may stretch for a longer period
• Decreased red blood cell count
• Aborted pregnancy or stillbirth

Still thinking about using Splenda?  Go ahead, I wouldn't though.  After reading about the side effects a little while ago, I told my parents about the info I found knowing that they use Splenda on a daily basis.  I figured that if I pointed out all the side effects, they might stop using it and switch to a safer product.  Well, they did.  Perhaps the best outcome of their ceasing use of Splenda was for my mother.  She suffered from routine headaches that would not go away.  She could take any type of painkiller and it would still be there.  She could go in for a chiropractic adjustment and it would still be there.  Guess what, she stopped using Splenda and the headaches practically went away.  She still has a few here and there, but all in all, the worst of her headaches are gone, all by eliminating an artificial sweetener called Splenda. 

Splenda, if used in excess, can actually lead to weight gain.  How is this possible if it is zero calorie sweetener?  Simple, 1 cup of Splenda contains 96 calories and 32 grams of carbohydrates.  If a person not only uses Splenda in their coffee, but also consumes other foods made with Splenda, it could be possible to consume a cup of Splenda a day.  An additional 100 calories a day could lead to an extra 10 lbs by years end.  That amount of carbohydrates is not good for people with diabetes either.  So this amazing artificial sweetener that was supposed to help people eliminate calories from their diet and lose weight is not so amazing after all.  What it really is is a toxic substance that is portrayed as a sweetener.  Personally, anything that was discovered while trying to make a new insecticide will not enter my bloodstream.  This is not to say that I have not ingested Splenda, I have, but it was years ago and way before I knew the truth about it.  Also, I never really like the taste of it and as such, only used it a few times.  So what do people who want to lose weight do?  Simple, don't simply substitute artificial sweeteners for the real thing and eat more vegetables and fruits.  Its amazing what happens when we eat healthy, not artificially healthy, but truly healthy.  The best option for success is to keep it natural and keep away from manufactured sweeteners and other food substitutes.  In the long run, they will create more problems and make you less healthy.