I wanted to comment on Splenda. Splenda, also known as sucralose, was created accidentally when some chemists were trying to produce an insecticide. Here is the process by which they produce the formula sold in stores:
“1. Sucrose is tritylated with trityl chloride in the presence of dimethylformamide and 4-methylmorpholine, and the tritylated sucrose is then acetylated with acetic anhydride.
2. The resulting sucrose molecule TRISPA is chlorinated with hydrogen chlorine in the presence of tolulene.
3. The resulting 4-PAS is heated in the presence of methyl isobutyl ketone and acetic acid.
4. The resulting 6-PAS is chlorinated with thionyl chloride in the presence of toluene and benzyltriethylammonium chloride.
5. The resulting TOSPA is treated with methanol in the presence of sodium methoxide to produce sucralose.” (Note that methanol, wood alcohol aka paint remover, is one of the questionable ingredients in aspartame.)
In addition, the bags and packets of Splenda commercially available are not pure sucralose. They also contain bulking agents. All artificial sweeteners use bulking agents. Do you know what they use? Sugar. Dextrose, sucrose, and maltodextrin. (Maltodextrin is corn syrup solids composed primarily from fructose and glucose in a starch form.) All sweetener packets are at least 96 percent sugar. Splenda is 99% sugar.
The packets are labelled calorie free as a result of manipulating a loophole in the food labeling laws. The product can be described as sugar free if a serving contains less than 5 grams of sugar, and calorie free if a serving is less than 5 calories. So they set the serving size on bags at .5 grams and the packets contain a serving of 1 gram. A one gram packet contains 4 calories. This can be confirmed on the manufacturer’s website in the FAQ section: “Like many no and low calorie sweeteners, each serving of SPLENDA® No Calorie Sweetener contains a very small amount of common food ingredients, e.g., dextrose and/or maltodextrin, for volume. Because the amount of these ingredients is so small, SPLENDA® No Calorie Sweetener still has an insignificant calorie value per serving and meets FDA’s standards for “no calorie” sweeteners. ”
To make matters worse, when sucralose was shown to not raise blood sugars, it was the pure substance that was tested, not the mixture that is sold to the public. Dextrose, sucrose, and/or maltodextrin are definitely going to raise a diabetic’s blood sugar. There is also a great deal of evidence that artificial sweeteners actually cause an increase in appetite, causing people who consume them to take in more calories than they would otherwise.
Stevia, on the other hand, lowers blood sugar, making it a much better choice. If you have tried stevia in the past and did not like the flavor, you might want to try another brand. SteviaClear is a good brand which will sweeten beverages and some foods using just a very small amount. For sweeting hot liquids, you might prefer KAL stevia powder. For baking, recipes are a little harder to convert because sugar in baked goods liquifies when heated. To replace sugar with stevia for baking, you need to find a way to add extra liquid to the recipe.
Parents, if you want to be sure your children are avoiding sucralose, remember to check their medications. Many over the counter medications, prescription medications, and even chewable vitamins contain sucralose or other artificial sweeteners. If you are looking for whole foods vitamins without artificial sweetener, colors, or flavors, here are some safe choices.
Information about artificial sweeteners is available in greater detail in Dr. Mercola’s book, Take Control of Your Health or through his website, sweetdeception.com.
This work is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
Life With my Kids 
ChristineMM said,
March 6, 2008 at 4:29 pm
Thank you for this post. We don’t eat stuff with sucralose in it but I have friends who love it.
I didn’t know these things about Sucralose.
I am kind of addicted to a certain gum that has the sweetner Sorbitol. I looked that up the other day and found out that it causes diarrhea. Apparently in some children if they eat even small quantiies of certain foods they can get abdominal pain, distress and diarrhea. Some kids landed in the ER and doctors were said to sometimes go crazy looking for a disorder, found none, and later found it was linked to intake of foods and drinks with Sorbitol in it. Crazy.
Jen & Den said,
August 21, 2008 at 3:43 pm
Here we were trying to limit our 21 month old’s contact with juice and sugars….so Kool-Aid Roarin’ waters shows up with very low sugar—-supposidly! She’s had diahrrea without vomit and fever all morning! I am sensative to Splenda, as was my dad, and now that I know Sucralose is Splenda…so is my precious little girl!
Thanks for the lesson in Splenda and sucralose!
Jasmin S. Braithwaite said,
September 8, 2008 at 3:28 pm
While on a low-carbohydrate diet a few years ago, I still craved sugar and decided to replace all of my sugars with Splenda. I used it in baking, hot beverages, chewing gum, candies, and those low-carbohydrate and sugar nutrition bars. All of the sudden I was suffering from an uncontrollable bladder. I was using the restroom every 30 minutes, even at the sound of water. It was extremely embarrassing, and I even couldn’t hold it while driving home from work. I knew this wasn’t normal. I went to see a natural nutritionist who tested my liver and kidneys. It turned out that I had chlorine toxicity in both organs. He asked me about my eating habits and when I said Splenda, he immediately knew about the chlorine content in it. He put me on a detox program, and it took six months to cleanse myself of the chlorine from the Splenda. Within the first two weeks my using the restroom every 30 minutes subsided. I was very appreciative of the fact that the nutritionist was able to pinpoint the problem and help me to resolve it. Ever since then, I have never touched the stuff, and I have never had any further problems with an uncontrollable bladder. I always try to share my information with others, but I usually find that people don’t want to hear the truth about Splenda/sucralose because they enjoy it too much.
Gerlinda said,
December 5, 2012 at 3:56 pm
Exactly same here, can I know your detox diet program?
L Wilder said,
January 25, 2013 at 5:49 pm
In my 30s I spent nearly two years suffering from incontinence and didn’t know why. I drank at different times, went to the bathroom even when I didn’t have to go, wore those damned guards. It was affecting my quality of life. Finally I went to the gynecologist who immediately wanted to check out my uterus, not my urethra, and performed a horribly uncomfortable procedure. Finding nothing wrong, she proceeded to prescribe expensive drugs. The efficacy wasn’t perfect; I still had to wear guards, and then the drug stopped working. She wrote a different prescription, and that drug didn’t work at all. I started doing my own research and found a site called SweetPoison, and it listed incontinence as one of the well-known side-effects of sucralose. The FDA and Splenda lie like dogs, but of course they’re in each others’ pockets. I no longer have the problem, but I have to read all packaged food labels. I’m even limited to my choice of mouthwash, and that doesn’t even get swallowed. The minute amount in a mini Tic Tac is too much. I have absolutely no shame in telling people about the poison they’re ingesting and why I know that.
Lara Evans said,
October 9, 2008 at 4:13 pm
Sucralose triggers migraines for me, even if it is just the tiny amount in chewing gum. The “sucralose creep” is seriously impacting my life. More and more products that I am accustomed to buying in the confidence that they are safe are being reformulated to include artifical sweeteners, even if they include actual sugar, too. The latest: Quaker instant oatmeal flavors. They put a banner on the package stressing the high fiber content, but nowhere does the box say that they also packed in sucralose until you read the teeny tiny list of ingredients. How can we make food manufacturer’s understand that consistent formulation and clear identification of ingredient variations is necessary? I’m frustrated to have to spend my time reading every label of every product every single time I go to buy it. Not everybody can eat artifical sweeteners! I’m running out of options. Help!
Sara L said,
February 1, 2011 at 1:17 pm
Laura – You’re not alone. I’m the same way with aspartame, and can get migraines even from gum. I’ve been to many coffee places and gatherings that only have artificial sweeteners, but like you said, not everyone can eat those. I also know exactly how you feel about having to read the ingredients on everything you buy. Sadly, too many people don’t realize that when a person says, “I can’t have X”, there may be a medical reason for it. My mom was on heart medication for a while and couldn’t have caffeine because the interaction would cause chest pains. I don’t know how many times we went out to eat and she ordered decaf coffee only to start feeling chest pains as we were leaving the restaurant. I know some restaurants really don’t bother too much with keeping the decaf pot full of actual decaf, and will use regular coffee instead pretty often.
This whole issue with ingredients makes me think more and more about ‘clean eating’, but I just don’t have that much time to spend on cooking.
Bethanne said,
January 9, 2009 at 5:37 pm
I love this post. When Splenda first came out several years ago, I fell for the ads “Made from sugar” and thought it had to safe and natural. I was trying to lose baby weight and used it for everything. At that time there weren’t that many choices. I would use 2 cups of to make a gallon of sweet tea, etc. I think that the amount I was consuming could be condidered the lab rat that is fed the stuff. Anyway, after a while I began getting hives everyday. For nearly 2 years, I too antihistimines twice daily just to survive. Nobady could figure out what was causing them. Many Drs told me it was my nerves. Eventually, I stopped using Splenda. Within 3 days the hives went away and the ony time I get them is when I accidently consume something laden with Splenda. Stevia is my sweetener of choice and I am excited that it is finally getting the credit that it deserves. I would like to know what chemical in Splenda I am allergic to though.
Sandra said,
October 17, 2009 at 7:42 pm
Bethanne, I enjoyed reading your post. I have been experiencing unexplained facial swelling – it starts out as a spot that itches and then it begins to swell, lasting about 24 hours and then slowly goes away – first episode occured 8 Aug. My lower lip swelled over my bottom lip. I had to go to the ER – I was on an Ace Inhibitor and the drs. felt I had become allergic. Changed to a different med yet the swellings continued. Was referred to an allergist who tested for eveything and all came back negative. I do like my tea – practically have a glass all day long. Being diabetic I sweeten it with splenda or “generic” brands. Could this unexplained facial swelling be triggered from Splenda? I am slowly going crazy trying to find the reason. It happens about every 2 weeks; and the first episodes I had hives along with them. Any help or directions to some information would be appreciated. Thank you.
Jennifer said,
March 21, 2009 at 5:09 pm
It’s so disturbing to me how hidden sucralose is in practically EVERYTHING! I don’t buy a thing without looking for it on the label. But what really makes me so mad is I can’t find any children’s medicine like Tylenol or Benedryl or cold medicine that doesn’t have sucralose. What am I supposed to do? If my child gets sick or has a fever and he needs Tylenol…WHAT DO I DO?? It burns me that I have to be forced to administer sucralose in the medicine. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE HELP me find the right info and the right products that are sucralose-free. I actually called Tylenol and told them how angry I was that all their medicine had sucralose in it. Their only response was…oh, I’m sorry…yes it does have sucralose…sorry about that.
UGGGHHHH!!!!!!! I’m SO FRUSTRATED!
Charles Potts said,
May 24, 2012 at 1:50 pm
You might try going on line and looking up chamomile tea. I looked
it up and saw that it is good for babies and older kids also. It may be
just what you need to solve your problems with your child.
charlie potts
Julia said,
June 14, 2012 at 9:48 am
Echinacea will allow a fever to do it’s job without letting it get to a dangerous level. Cool baths, cool cloth on the head, etc is another way to ensure a fever doesn’t get high enough to cause damage. Our ancestors survived their fevers long before these meds were invented. 🙂
jstevens said,
March 21, 2009 at 6:15 pm
First of all, think about whether your child really needs medication for the fever. Often, for my children, I’ll watch and wait rather than treat the fever. Under certain conditions, fever can be helpful to fight infection. If my child has a fever under 104, is not lethargic, and is able to eat and drink, sometimes I will wait and see if the fever will come down on it’s own. Sometimes a bath will help, if the water is a comfortable temperature so the child won’t shiver. (Shivering will increase body temperature.) But if I feel the fever is too high, or my child is very uncomfortable, I like to use a plain, regular strength tylenol tablet in the appropriate strength for my child’s weight. A regular strength tablet contains 325 mg of acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol. I crush 1/4 or 1/2 tablet, or whatever the correct dose is, and mix it with honey, applesauce, jelly or other sweet food. Here is some information on how to calculate Tylenol dosage: http://www.askdrsears.com/html/8/t089101.asp It is VERY important not to overdose Tylenol, as it is very toxic to the liver. Remember not to give honey to children under 1 year of age.
Jennifer said,
March 21, 2009 at 7:18 pm
to jstevens…thank you for your advice. This is an issue that I always end up battling my husband on…he thinks that any sign of fever or teething pain, or whatever…give Tylenol. From what he researched, he found that it was OK to give Tylenol when teething…so in his mind that means any time the child is fussy from teething. i had such a hard time with that but often conceded at bedtime. Thankfully my youngest is no longer teething, but I do hope for at least a couple more kids. what is the youngest age you would give crushed tylenol w/honey? My youngest will be 2 on Monday. Thought she was still too young for honey.
Still…just in case…are there NO kids meds w/out sucralose? Thanks again for all your info…I REALLY appreciate it!
jstevens said,
March 21, 2009 at 9:51 pm
I have not been able to find any children’s medications without sucralose of aspartame, including the chewables. As far as honey, I have always read no honey for children under 1 year, because it can contain spores of clostridium botulinum. Babies don’t have sufficient stomach acid to kill the spores. But, as far as I know, after a child turns 1 they can have it. I gave it to my youngest son shortly after his first birthday, because he was having nasty allergic reactions to any liquid medication we tried. If you feel more comfortable using jelly, that I what my mother used when I was a child. Sweet fruit baby food might also work, but taste it to make sure you have used enough to cover the bitter flavor of the tylenol.
I am also more likely to give medication for fever at bedtime, if the child’s fever is fairly high and I am concerned it will continue to go up. Or, I might recheck the child’s temp before I go to bed, and give the medicine at that time so I don’t stay awake worrying about the fever going up. And of course, it almost goes without saying, if my child wakes me at some unholy hour of the night I give the medicine. But that’s just me, I don’t like to feel tired and grumpy in the morning. 😉
I would probably research something natural for teething pain, like homeopathy. My youngest is 4 1/2 now, so it hasn’t been an issue for us in a long time. For some babies, a frozen wet washcloth to chew on is helpful. Here are a few other ideas: http://www.parenttime.com/babyarticles/teethingnaturalrelief.html
Hope this helps!
Jen
Jennifer said,
March 22, 2009 at 9:41 am
jstevens….THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!! You have been MOST HELPFUL!!!!!!
Stay Away from Splenda®! | Go Green Park said,
June 2, 2009 at 12:45 pm
[…] How Sucralose (aka Splenda) Is Made And Why You Want To Avoid It […]
Sugar and sugar substitutes are making us sick - The Secret Recipe Forum said,
August 12, 2009 at 6:37 am
[…] […]
Sweeteners – The Good, The Bad and the UGLY – Nutritiongal Volume 2 « The Nutritiongal's Blog said,
September 12, 2009 at 2:17 pm
[…] https://jstevens.wordpress.com/2008/02/20/how-sucralose-aka-splenda-is-made-and-why-you-want-to-avoid… […]
Lisafrequency said,
October 28, 2009 at 7:00 pm
Why do people feel that sweet is so important. Our body given the right stuff will make it’s own dna brand of sugar.
They put so much junk in food. It makes me very concerned for children. I hope more and more moms become aware. With Diabetes on the rise we need to understand this sugar imbalance and where it is coming from. Learning what is going on with that is not rocket science. It’s common sense.
G Zahn said,
November 16, 2009 at 6:27 pm
Thankyou for publishing this info on the net. I had a lot of kidney and bladder problems Cysts in my kidneys.. After reading this stuff I have switched to stevia.
Thankyou so much for getting the word out.
K Klein said,
December 27, 2009 at 12:52 am
I am a diabetic and have been using splenda for many years with no ill effects at all! In fact I started using it before it was sold in stores (had to buy it on-line) I think it is great! It does NOT raise my blood sugars. I now even added two packets (minimum) daily in my hot tea.
It is a fantastik product and most especially so I can have my coffee (16 OZ with non-fat milk and 1 OZ of Torani chocolate sauce) it is the best and I start my day with it!
I got to this site looking for the new splenda which has one gram of fiber in each packet and i would like to know what EXACTLY it is.
I also have polycystic kidney disease however it is not affected by using splenda.
trumpsahead said,
April 14, 2012 at 3:24 pm
To KKlein,
Ha, your comment sounds like a testify in favor of insanity. Splenda/sucralose is known to effect kidneys, liver and other organs. Ever think maybe this unnatural product contributes to your polycystic kidney disease?
In any case, why tout a known poison only because you “think” it is not harming you?
Raw Foods All The way said,
August 14, 2012 at 10:56 am
Nice to know you enjoy destroying your body with poison
blah said,
January 6, 2010 at 5:18 pm
i thought splenda was aood thing. im doing a science projec on it.
tammy said,
January 16, 2010 at 2:13 am
I have severe milk allergies, and low and behold, anything with splenda sets off my allergies (I’m not lactose intollerant, but downright allergic to both milk sugar and milk protein, so this is not a gastro/intest problem, but flat out anaphylaxis including hives, asthma, swollen throat, a date with an epi pen and a nice ride to the ER by the local volunteer fire dpt.)
I can’t find a straight answer as to rather or not splenda has any hidden dairy / milk derivatives. Also, I too have found it lurking in foods… for example; hawaiian punch. My mother’s fruit punch always contans hawaiian punch. She is so careful to get regular and not diet because of my allergies. At christmas, I had a massive reaction. Way down on the label (past the high fructose corn syrup and regular sugar) was Sucralose….. I mean, the biggest ingredient in it is high fructose corn syrup, it wasn’t reduced calorie… so why on earth did it need splenda too????
thanks for the help! 🙂
Don said,
February 13, 2010 at 8:33 pm
Whoops, here’s the “below” from Don above. It’s from the main copy of the article.
The packets are labelled calorie free as a result of manipulating a loophole in the food labeling laws. The product can be described as sugar free if a serving contains less than 5 grams of sugar, and calorie free if a serving is less than 5 calories. So they set the serving size on bags at .5 grams (1 tsp) and the packets contain a serving of 1 gram. A one gram packet contains 4 calories. This can be confirmed on the manufacturer’s website in the FAQ section: “Like many no and low calorie sweeteners, each serving of SPLENDA® No Calorie Sweetener contains a very small amount of common food ingredients, e.g., dextrose and/or maltodextrin, for volume. Because the amount of these ingredients is so small, SPLENDA® No Calorie Sweetener still has an insignificant calorie value per serving and meets FDA’s standards for “no calorie” sweeteners. “
Paul Burch said,
March 11, 2010 at 7:31 am
This is all great, but to us it leaves no sweeteners at all. Anyone who can stand the bitter aftertaste of Stevia doesn’t have a very discriminating palette. Tried it for a day or so, gave it away.
Sometimes “eating healthy” doesn’t actually makes you live longer, it only makes it seem a lot longer.
jstevens said,
March 11, 2010 at 9:58 am
Some brands of Stevia are better than others. If you find it bitter, you might want to try another brand. I have suggested a couple of brands that my own group of friends have used and are happy with.
Rhondalee said,
March 28, 2010 at 7:01 am
What about xylitol? Haven’t tried it yet but it sounds good even though it is a bit expensive. Anyone tried it?
jstevens said,
March 28, 2010 at 9:34 am
I think it is better than some choices but there are some potential problems. I will quote some from this article: http://www.westonaprice.org/Sugar-Free-Blues-Everything-You-Wanted-to-Know-About-Artificial-Sweeteners.html#sugaralcohols I do think it is fine in small amounts, such as xylitol gum. It is probably the only safe choice for gum that I have been able to find.
“Sugar alcohols are not broken down in the stomach, so they make their way intact into the bowels. It is here in the bowels that the “passive diffusion” mentioned by the ADA takes place, meaning that the presence of the sugar alcohols draws water into the bowels. This leads to the fermentation by undesirable bacteria and a resultant partial degradation or “metabolism” of the sugar alcohols. (This fermentation of intestinal bacteria can lead to or exacerbate problems with candida and other yeast problems.) The direct result of this chain of events is the severe stomach cramping and diarrhea that many people experience after ingesting too much sugar alcohol. ”
“Stomach cramping and diarrhea are certainly not as serious as the conditions associated with some of the non-nutritive sweeteners, but the sugar alcohols can cause other more serious problems. One of these conditions is metabolic acidosis, which can lead to acid reflux and an increased risk of cancer of the larynx. And diabetics and hypoglycemics should be aware that sugar alcohols do raise blood sugar levels, although not as much as sugar. Sugar alcohols also promote dehydration and loss of electrolytes, creating feelings of excessive thirst. This is a potential concern to those who consume a lot of low-carb, energy bar types of foods. Exercising after consuming these types of products may put one at risk for heat stroke, muscle cramping and cardiovascular problems. Those who are trying to avoid carbohydrates and burn body fat should also know that sugar alcohols will immediately take the body out of ketosis, the state wherein fat reserves rather than dietary calories are being metabolized. . . assuming that the body was in a state of ketosis to begin with.”
Click the link above for more information.
Peter K Fitness » Blog Archive » Can you trust food labels? said,
April 9, 2010 at 12:31 pm
[…] Here is an interesting blog on splenda […]
Esther said,
October 20, 2010 at 4:49 pm
Thanks for your informative article. What do you think about xylitol for baking? It does not have the after taste of stevia (which I find ok for coffee) and is as bulky as sugar. I would be interested in your input.
Esther
S C said,
November 18, 2010 at 12:18 am
I love splenda! I’ll keep on consuming it. DON”T LET SCIENCE SCARE YOU!
Do you use Splenda? - Pregnancy - First Trimester Forum (Page 2) said,
December 6, 2010 at 2:40 pm
[…] Originally Posted by EvieVonKittie i thought the nice thing about splenda was that it was made with real sugar? and what about stevia, its made from a real plant.. i'll ask today when i go to the gyno.. You would think it would be that easy, right? When you have time read this article. . it's very interesting and imformative.. . my husband insists on using Splenda instead of sugar (low carbing it). . I'm going to have to put my foot down and not buy splenda prodcuts anymore. . https://jstevens.wordpress.com/2008/0…t-to-avoid-it/ […]
Vita Dixon said,
January 11, 2011 at 3:40 am
I started drinking green tea three days ago. Because I am trying to control my weight I used splenda as the sweetner of choice. Well…This was the worst mistake “I have ever made!! I have been having the worst headache ever since with blurred vision. Nothing has releived the headache. I began the process of elimination before going to the hospital and
i realized that it is the Splenda!! Please everyone be careful this stuff is so dangerous!!!
Im still in pain as I type. I have to now wait til it all have left my body.
suddrik said,
June 9, 2011 at 1:09 pm
I’ve worried about sucralose since I first heard of and refused it. Didn’t have all the facts though, so thanks for the information!
pastapup said,
July 8, 2011 at 2:53 pm
I love xylitol and have not had any stomach problems using it. I also use erythritol and d-mannose which is actually good for bladder and kidneys. Lo han is also good. I haven’t enjoyed the Stevia I’ve tried but Truvia which is a combo of erythritol and stevia might be a good alternative. I wouldn’t touch Splenda with a 10-foot pole.
Rose said,
July 18, 2011 at 2:57 pm
Ugh. Well, that explains it. I had a tooth pulled and obviously was not myself, as I usually read labels better. Aspertame nearly ended my life and I have health problems. Today I checked the yogurt I bought, as it had a too sweet aftertaste, and they sometimes sneak in aspertame as a lesser ingredient. Nope, thank goodness, but after reading this, I now know why my IBS has sent me to the floor in pain since I started eating it. Dang, I hate having to check “health food” for chemicals.
Before you let your kids eat it or mannitol, think of this. Even a rather plump adult has intestinal problems with rather small amounts of the chemical sweetners mentioned. One small hard candy or chocolate will give me pains, two can make me wish I was dead.
Thanks for the article, I was wondering why my IBS medication wasn’t working. From now on I shop BEFORE I get my dental work done!
Brian Cormack Carr said,
August 7, 2011 at 8:00 am
Interesting article. I’d caution against those stevia products, however. They’re highly processed. Stevia is neither a clear liquid, not a white powder, in its natural form. It’s a leaf. Look for the dried, powdered whole leaf. It’s green, and has a very slight aniseedy aftertaste (easy to get used to). This whole variety is the one that brings benefits with it. Stevia “extract” is a fragmented, highly processed food…
jstevens said,
August 7, 2011 at 9:21 am
Good point, they are processed but I think a safer bet than artificial sweeteners. I am trying to grow some from seeds, although I think I’m going to end up breaking down and ordering plants online instead. I like to drink iced herbal teas, especially red raspberry leaf, and I am wondering if adding some stevia leaves to the mix would work to sweeten it.
Princess T L said,
November 14, 2011 at 6:27 pm
Wow! I knew the general gist of this info but really appreciated the scientific breakdown of molectular sstructure! Thanks so much!
Hi. I have gas. « Eat to live well said,
February 1, 2012 at 9:50 pm
[…] important that you start thinking about the reality of ridding yourself of them. Here’s a great read on their effect. Yes, Splenda was created as a by-product when attempting to make insecticides. […]
Tired N Exhausted said,
February 8, 2012 at 1:10 am
Wow! This is very interesting and enlightening information! Don’t think I’ll be buying any more Splenda or Equal. I’m learning alot right now about foods that are harmful and dangerous. This is another lesson learned…
Karen said,
February 9, 2012 at 11:34 am
I don’t doubt that anything written in this article is true. Yesterday, I cited your article (and posted a link) on facebook when someone was asking about splenda. A woman that called herself a “Nurse Health Coach” said that this article is only “opinion” and I got the impression that she advises her “patients” to use splenda freely. What I need to find is a study or official document, test, etc. that verifies what you state here. Can anyone help me?
Aspartame, Splenda, and Corn Syrup – Part 2 « what teens need to know about food said,
March 5, 2012 at 5:17 pm
[…] Every packet of Splenda is over 90% bulking agents – sugar being the most prominent. But because the packets contain only 1 gram of Splenda and only 4 calories, it can be called calorie free, because of a loophole in FDA regulation – “The product can be described as sugar free if a serving contains less than 5 grams of sugar, and calorie free if a serving is less than 5 calories.” [quote from here]. […]
Laura B Scibetta said,
March 10, 2012 at 10:31 am
anyone using artificial sweeteners needs to see this!
Walking With Diabetes said,
April 5, 2012 at 7:08 pm
[…] this (which I got from this blog): …the bags and packets of Splenda commercially available are not pure sucralose. They also […]
TLH said,
April 5, 2012 at 7:20 pm
I absolutely must excerpt part of your essay here, and link to this blog, because just last week I was diagnosed as a type 2 diabetic, and I started eating “sugar-free” raspberry preserves instead of mayo on my chicken breast wraps…and my glucose shot up right away. I’m absolutely mortified that I got “taken for a ride” by the “sugar-free” label on the jar. Never again.
Bob Pulaski said,
April 17, 2012 at 11:36 pm
I’ve used Splenda for 2 years….6 to 8 packs a day, every day. During this time, I’ve gained a lot of weight (50+plus lbs.) and, after numerous tests and a lot of money and meds, my doctor couldn’t figure out why. Other problems in the past 5 months included mood swings, very persistant rash/hives over 50% of my body, sleeplessness, bloating/gas, irritability, out-of-the-blue hot flushes from mid-section to my head that felt as if I were out in the sun the day after a bad sunburn, diarhea/constipation, fatigue, restlessness, anger and numerous other effects. I haven’t used Splenda for 2 weeks now, and all but the weight gain have dissapeared, although I have lost 9 lbs. in 2 weeks. SPLENDA…..bad stuff. May as well put arsenic in one’s coffee!
Steve said,
April 24, 2012 at 8:20 am
I have been using SPLENDA for years, and it is possible that my problem in losing weight is directly related to it; however, over the years, I have met and talked with so many others who describe their experience as being the opposite, in that when they switched from sugar to SPLENDA, they dropped 50 pounds or more. I am really at a loss, because with the blogs and articles out there, EVERYTHING is bad for us, EVERYTHING is going to kill us…yet we know if we stop eating food, no matter how toxic, and drink only purified water, (which according to some blogs is really toxic water being passed off as “pure”) we will surely die. If we cut out all foods that contain any sugar, we effectively eliminate anything edible from our diet. One article cites “9 grams of sugar is TOO MUCH!” However, a single apple contains 15 grams of sugar; (a single peach is reported to have 42!)
I wonder just how much internal damage is the STRESS is causing, i.e., the panic created by the constant barrages of articles of DOOM, preaching that we need to heed these warnings that everything and anything we touch, eat or drink is killing or will kill us?
I am overweight, and I always have been. Everyone in my family has always been overweight, too. Recently, I was diagnosed with high blood pressure (which I’ve NEVER had, and to boot, there’s the possibility I have type II diabetes, and this is all caused by “SPLENDA”?
For the past month, this has been my ritual. For breakfast, I eat PLAIN Greek yogurt, with fresh fruit for breakfast, most of the time, a bowl of soup for lunch…and a normal dinner. In between meals, I’ve been snacking on these little single serving packets of raw carrots (which apparently also contain sugar OMG!! ) and raw broccoli. I’ve been drinking a lot of water, and sometimes a sugar free energy drink. No cakes, no cookies, no candy…no junk…and over the past month, I GAINED 6 pounds! Give me a freakin’ Break! Is SPLENDA doing this? It is so discouraging to try an manage one’s weight and health issues, when each day is consumed with working to make ends meat and put food on the table regardless of the horrors of it all killing us one day.
I’m at a loss. Perhaps fasting, with nothing but water derived from some type of condensation process, which would prevent any of the water from touching one of those convenient 16.9 oz toxic plastic bottles. I’ve been fighting against obesity all of my live, and I’m now 62 years old…how much longer can I continue to fight against the inevitable, since up to this point, NOTHING has worked?
jstevens said,
April 24, 2012 at 9:03 am
Steve, it’s hard to say whether Splenda is the cause of your problems losing weight. But why not try giving it up for a while and just see what happens? Consulting a naturopath who can help you get to the root cause of your weight problems could also be very helpful.
Marisol said,
April 28, 2012 at 3:44 pm
Thanks for this post! It baffles me what industries are putting out there for consumers. Everyone is scared of the cancer epidemic yet they still put a little insecticide in their coffee every morning.
bina2j said,
June 15, 2012 at 12:30 pm
Did you know that Swiss Miss Classic version has sucralose (splenda) in it’s ingredient list even though it is not a sugar free product. I buy products for my church refreshment table. I called Con Agra to ask why they did not label their product to say it contains this ingredient…Their answer was because people are looking for low sugar products so they are allow to mix splenda into the mix and only include it in the small font ingredient label. So classic really isn’t classic anymore. Now I don’t purchase anything from Con Agra or Nestle. It makes me sick to my stomach because so many people have trusted companies to do the right thing but they don’t.
jstevens said,
June 16, 2012 at 8:26 pm
Thanks for your comment. I haven’t purchased cocoa mix in a while because we are dairy free, but it is really important to check all food labels. I never would have expected that. I suppose they either want to lower the sugars on the nutrition label or sucralose is cheaper than sugar and saves the company a bit. Either way, very deceptive practice.
lquigles said,
June 26, 2012 at 9:28 pm
There are other choices for sweatening things that are natural but need to be used sparingly. There is raw sugar that is called raptura. It still has fiber in it and does not cause sugar levels to rise as quickly. Honey and maple syrup are also good and local raw honey is great for fighting alergies. Coconut sugar is also a very good choice and very yummy.
The best choice though is to break the sugar habit and develop healthy eating habits with lots of veggies, fruits, healthy fats and protein. Healthy foods taste great and there are so many choices. But like all addictions, sugar is hard to eliminate from our lives, it takes discipline and a plan.
mary a register said,
October 25, 2012 at 10:36 pm
started the research today because I told the sitter not to give the two year old toddler herbal tea with spenda and she started arguing that it’s not artificial -well she has a very long list of chronic health problems along with diabetes and now I’m wondering how to get her to read this. Myself, it’s taken awhile to train my tastebuds to black coffee and unsweetened teas. saves me money and worry. there are other poisons in food and now if there are more than a few ingredients it stays on the shelf.
Stephanie said,
December 8, 2012 at 1:54 pm
I stopped consuming sucralose and aspartame three months ago. Within three days, pelvic pains that I have complained about nearly all my life – undiagnosable and untreatable – completely disappeared. I’ve also stopped waking up at night to go to the bathroom. Take the challenge yourself: Stop all diet sodas, Splenda, sugar-free yogurts and gum – and see what happens for yourself.
teddy said,
January 14, 2013 at 12:50 am
I used to drink 80 ounces of classic coke a day for 20 years. I switched to diet soda with aspartame for the next 6 years because I felt like crap. I developed type 2 diabetes. I then went to truvia drinks and my blood sugar went down. I tried a beverage for a week that had sucralose in it and my blood sugar went sky high, had to urinate more frequently, and had blurred vision. All these symptoms I had when drinking regular coke and then aspartame beverages. No doubt in my mind it raises your blood sugar and then some!
Love Splenda said,
April 29, 2013 at 2:09 pm
I have never had a problem with Splenda(c) like i do with all other low calorie products. I do agree that it is hidden in way to many products and it should be clearly labled for those who want to avoid it and have reactions to it.
bladder cancer prognosis said,
May 24, 2013 at 11:41 am
Hi, do you have a facebook fan page for your blog?’..`.
jstevens said,
May 24, 2013 at 10:04 pm
I do not, but I have twitter. @crunchynurse
June DePasquale said,
June 3, 2013 at 6:23 pm
Can you tell me where you got all this information? How are you privy to the actual ingredients and process to make Splenda? While I appreciate you providing information, how do we know it is true information? Thanks, June
jstevens said,
June 3, 2013 at 8:10 pm
Chemical Abstracts Service Registry number for sucralose 56038-13-2
db said,
September 4, 2013 at 9:52 pm
For those of you suffering from hives, please listen. It’s not simply the Splenda. It’s the maltodextrin in the Splenda that is the source of your distress. If you were to consume Truvia (a different sweetner also containing maltodextrin), your reaction would be the same, as you would also get hives.
Please spread the word about this terrible, mysterious product. Maltodextrin is in just about everything. If you suffer from hives, but have not been able to find the cause, it is very possible that maltodextrin is the culprit. Maltodextrin also causes gastrointestinal distress in many people. I do not understand why this product causes these issues in some, but many others can consume this product without a problem.
But that is irrelevant, and ultimately, that is for scientists, doctors, and chemists to figure out. The FDA is useless with regard to maltodextrin being that they have allowed companies to list this ingredient even on products marketed as “organic” or “natural”. For shame.
Maltodextrin. You must read the labels with due diligence. It will be difficult because it’s in just about everything, but it is possible to find alternatives. If you can remove the maltodextrin from you diet, your hives will cease. Of course, when you eat out, there is a danger. Believe me, it is extremely frustrating trying to avoid all foods with maltodextrin (especially when eating out at chain-type restaurants as they use frozen sauces, etc).
Maltodextrin is even in many types of vitamins, for pity’s sake. Pringles, Doritos, Splenda, Truvia, Sucralose, soups, snacks, frozen dinners, candies, Slimfast. I could go on for hours, and still would not be finished.
I pray for the day that this ridiculous, mysterious, unnecessary, and unwanted product is removed from all foods, and for that matter, from existence. MALTODEXTRIN. Avoid it, please, my friends. I hope that you will get the relief that you need, and I wish all of you every happiness (and to one day be hive-free).
AHW said,
January 11, 2014 at 12:12 pm
Great post and replies! I’ve had much success using whole fruit as a sweetener in all sorts of things, including with unsweetened cocoa/chocolate. I’m on an anti-inflammatory/Paleo eating plan, so sweeteners are not in the cards, aside from the fact most of them overwhelm the flavors of real food that isn’t toxic. It’s easy to puree whatever you use, including a single prune. Some of this battle comes from changing one’s palate; fortunately, I’ve never liked sweets all that much. We all need to protest the inclusion of sucralose, maltodextrin and so many other sweeteners in so many products. Agribusiness/big Pharma has destroyed so much of our food supply. Many of these items are banned in many countries.