Splenda (Sucralose) down from "Safe" to "Ca... - Diabetes India

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Splenda (Sucralose) down from "Safe" to "Caution"

Caveman1951 profile image
18 Replies

The artificial sweetener sucralose, better known by its brand name Splenda, has been on the US market for fifteen years.

US –FDA had approved Splenda in 1998 based on more than 110 safety studies , only two of which were actually conducted on humans, a total of 23 people..

The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) has now finally downgraded Splenda from its former “safe” category to one of “caution” following an unpublished study ( in Italy) that found Splenda may cause leukemia in mice…at last an ALARM.

The track record of CSPI is not great:

It spearheaded a campaign against the use of healthful saturated fats during the 1980s, touting trans fats as a healthier alternative to palm oil and coconut oil..

CSPI reversed their position on synthetic trans fats in1990s citing it as the greater public health danger, but the damage had already been done.

Is "Caution" the right word?...

Splenda is a synthetic chemical created in a laboratory. In the five-step patented process of making it, three chlorine molecules are added to one sucrose (sugar) molecule. Some will argue that natural foods also contain chloride, which is true.

• However, in natural foods, the chloride is connected with ionic bonds that easily dissociate. In Splenda, they're in a covalent bond that does not dissociate. In fact, there are NO covalent chloride bonds to organic compounds in nature, only ionic. Covalent chloride bonds only exist in synthetic, man-made molecules such as DDT, PCBs.

Your body has no enzymes to break down this covalently bound chloride. Why would it? It never existed in nature, so the human body never had a reason to address it. And since it's not broken down and metabolized by your body, they can claim it to be non-caloric—essentially, it's supposed to pass right through you. However, the research (which is primarily extrapolated from animal studies) indicates that about 15 percent of sucralose IS in fact absorbed into your digestive system, and ultimately stored in your body.

Splenda May Wreak Havoc Within Your Digestive Tract

Splenda has been found to be particularly damaging to your intestines. A study published in 2008 found that Splenda:4

• Reduces the amount of beneficial bacteria in your intestines by 50 percent

• Increases the pH level in your intestines

Further, some of the initial studies done on Splenda revealed:

• Decreased red blood cells -- sign of anemia -- at levels above 1,500 mg/kg/day

• Increased male infertility by interfering with sperm production and vitality, as well as brain lesions at higher doses

• Enlarged and calcified kidneys

• Spontaneous abortions in nearly half the rabbit population given sucralose, compared to zero aborted pregnancies in the control group

• A 23 percent death rate in rabbits, compared to a 6 percent death rate in the control group

Worse still, the longest of the two human trials conducted on Splenda lasted only four days and looked at sucralose in relation to tooth decay, not human tolerance! So if you’ve been ingesting Splenda for years, you’re actually acting as a human guinea pig, as no one knows what happens when humans consume this substance for long periods.

Aspartame Also Linked to Leukemia

Splenda is not the only artificial sweetener that has been linked to leukemia. The longest-ever human aspartame study, spanning 22 years, found a clear association between aspartame consumption and non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and leukemia in men.

The long-term nature of this study is really crucial because one of the primary tricks manufacturers use to hide the toxicity of their products are short-term trials. The longest study prior to this one was only 4.5 months, far too short to reveal any toxicity from chronic exposure. Unfortunately, because there are so many of these short-term trials, manufacturers get away with saying that aspartame is one of the most studied food additives ever made and no health concerns have ever been discovered. Splenda’s maker has used similar tricks as well.

Aspartame is primarily made up of aspartic acid and phenylalanine. The phenylalanine has been synthetically modified to carry a methyl group, which provides the majority of the sweetness. That phenylalanine methyl bond, called a methyl ester, is very weak, which allows the methyl group on the phenylalanine to easily break off and form methanol. This is in sharp contrast to naturally-occurring methanol found in certain fruits and vegetables, where it is firmly bonded to pectin, allowing the methanol to be safely passed through your digestive tract.

Methanol acts as a metabolic Trojan horse; it's carried into susceptible tissues in your body, like your brain and bone marrow, where the ADH enzyme converts it into formaldehyde, which wreaks havoc with sensitive proteins and DNA. All other animals, on the other hand, have a protective mechanism that allows methanol to be broken down into harmless formic acid… but, according to aspartame expert Dr. Woodrow Monte, there's a major biochemical problem with methanol in humans, because of the difference in how it's metabolized, compared to all other animals. This is why toxicology testing on animals is a flawed model. It doesn't fully apply to humans who are unable to convert the toxic formaldehyde into harmless formic acid.

ACK: Dr.Mercola

…………………………………

Dr. Mercola recommends stevia,(NOT POWDERS (PROCESSING INVOLVED) in liquid form, a natural plant that has been around for over 1,500 years, He says ”it is required only as few drops to sweeten a drink).; Cautions and says” That said, like most choices, especially sweeteners, I recommend using it in moderation, just like sugar.”

IT IS YOUR HEALTH....YOUR CHOICE .. MAKE INFORMED CHOICES

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18 Replies

Why bother? Sugar is an acquired taste.Give it up for a few weeks and afterwards you will not even like the taste of sugar.

akb123 profile image
akb123 in reply to

I fully agree. Loved sugar for 55 yrs and then when found diabetic gave it up gradually. I now find 'No sugar' to be sweet enough for my taste bud. In fact I shall hate sweetened Tea. However I must also confess that once in 3 months or so in the parties I do taste sweet stuff (bengali after all !) but that is more as an experiment and experience. I really can manage without sugar and I am sure almost every body can and diabetics MUST.

Caveman1951 profile image
Caveman1951 in reply to akb123

Thank you for taking time to respond.

I feel this forum is for heart to heart talk....

" No SUGAR" is sweet enough!. WELL SAID.

I have replaced 2 cups of tea by green tea long back. ( This tea was in addition to 3 cups of coffee per day. Now replaced one coffee by D Protein. ( on the advice of my cousin( doctor)'s advice. The other two I take with simple glucose. ( At least there is no fructose content). Trying to learn about stevia and availability..

Avoided sweets, energy/fruit drinks, all processed foods, reduced rice, trying to reduce wheat, well it is a long and sweet life. Every thing is in the brain. Once you start enjoying what ever you are doing you are adding vitamin P (leasure) to your system.

I will very shortly write about Life style and nutrition where one of the main issues to be discussed would be MIND: Why " ALL IS WELL : is a good mantra.

Yes, occasional mischiefs occur, but that is deliberate, intentional and calculated. Some ice cream once in a month, some tea or coffee some where.

While attending marriages as a guest, I would rush to the buffet queue..

So many things ONE CAN DO........YES WE CAN....

LET US STOP TALKING OF DIABETES.. ( Literally).. LET US TALK OF LIFE STYLE AND NUTRITION CHANGES...

GOOD HEALTH WILL AUTOMATICALLY FOLLOW....

Birdie1949 profile image
Birdie1949

Is Dextrose (Glucose-D) safer than all other sweeteners? for Diabetics.

There is, of course no other alternative for persons having Diabetes Type I or II, except reducing sweet tasting food items to a bare minimum (read negligible).

Caveman1951 profile image
Caveman1951 in reply to Birdie1949

There is NO comparison...

All sweeteners are ARTIFICIAL..... with mind boggling bad effects. ( Bad effects is such a MILD word)

Atleast glucose is some thing the body knows for eons of time. It will NOT mind.

Only thing is you need almost double the quantity of conventional sugar ( 50 % glucose and 50 % fructose)

uthir profile image
uthir

Hats up to kkmmss. Efforts in digging-out and sharing with all is no doubt not only social cause but laudable contribution. Continue Explosive contribution..

The article is highly informative one. As venkataramanaji suggested, it is good to adieu and a big good-bye not alone to sugar products but also to the artificial sweeteners by all the diabetic friends. The body will get adjusted within a few days practice.

sultanji profile image
sultanji

Another artificial Sweetner is "SUGAR FREE"-India's N0-1-Sweetener.

A low Calorie Sugar Substitute.Ingredients:- Lactose, Aspartame etc.etc.

Check out details on website: sugarfreegold.net

Pl. suggest whether how much it is Safe??????????????

Caveman1951 profile image
Caveman1951 in reply to sultanji

Safety of Aspartame or any other artificial sweetener?

Please all my reads under kkmmss or sbaksh in this forum and come to your own conclusion, Please also read so many readers who have written their views on artificial sweeteners.

BREAK FREE FROM THE MIND BLOCK.. STOP ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS>

NO-SUGAR IS SWEET, Thanks to " akb123" (see above

healerkaka profile image
healerkaka

How many sweeteners are available in market?

Can anybody guide which sweetener is good for diabetics?

ksacharster profile image
ksacharster

Dear friends ,instead exploring all this ,better keep away from sugar the most safest.

I am doing it for the fast 3 years.

sriveera profile image
sriveera

i am a diabetic patient for the last 15 years. i am consuming natural sugar and controling my sugar lavel constantly. for the last 15 years i am testing my sugar level in the urine only. i am living like a normal man. i am doing research work in diabets. i am controling my diabets by consuming herbals and colour therapy.i am consuming normal diet.

Caveman1951 profile image
Caveman1951 in reply to sriveera

Good to hear your reponse..

I presume you would have been wise enough to test BS occasionally just to re-confirm, as sugar in urine is a delayed indicator, you may know this

For my own info I would like to know the herbal being used by you...

barkatram profile image
barkatram

Sriveera recipe sounds the most natural way of controlling Sugar level to normal or near normal. One needs not worry till sugar levels exceed 150 or even 175 occasionally!

Narendra Nath

Caveman1951 profile image
Caveman1951

The main hub is Jaipur. Stevia liquid is preferred as there is no processing involved. There are many web sites abroad where we can buy, but I am trying to find a local source which can give a good product. As soon as I get one and test on myself, I will write in these columns...

Ameerpet profile image
Ameerpet

We have been using Splenda for the last eight years substituting for sugar and we find no

problem so far. Now with the information of it's side effects, we should carefully study the

correctness of the information.A country like USA would have banned its sale long back.

Caveman1951 profile image
Caveman1951 in reply to Ameerpet

Sorry, Sir,

A country like USA would NOT ban it since a few tens of Billions of dollars are riding on the product. Reg authenticity of my blog I stand by every wordof what I have written.

If you stll have doubts kindly confirm from sources.....

Wynad profile image
Wynad

Most in U.S.A. are habitual sweet lovers from childhood. They consume it either as chocolates or as sweet drinks as a way of life. Hence they go for the so called sugar free items when they are advised against consumption of sugar. Hence the wiser lot keep away from such gimmicks. I am a frequent visitor to States and is aware of the issue.

Caveman1951 profile image
Caveman1951 in reply to Wynad

Thanks for your comment...

Next time when readers go to supermarkets or their neighbourhood shops let them scan the shelves for "calorie free, sugar free , fat free items, mints, menthols, chewing gums, canned fruit drinks, diet items, diabetes sweets, diabetes biscuits, etc,etc.

They will find the words Aspartame, sucralose, processed, hydrogenated, homegeneated etc,etc

Let us learn from each other for a better HEALTH....

A small anectode here.

Reading that peanut butter is 'GOOD' I scanned the shelves and saw six brands

All of them had theword " with hydrogenated fats"

Oneof them had " Unsat fats"......

The fact is: "Polyunsaturated " is Not given. Instaed, it iswritten as " Unsaturated"

If Idid not KNOW I would have picked it up....

The label wasright but a word " POLY " wasintentionally left out.

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