SEARCH:
Sign in | Join | Help
search Mercola.com
 
FREE Subscription 
The World’s Most Popular Natural Health Newsletter
Share this article
Next Article
Splenda Celebrates Fifth Anniversary
Posted by: Dr. Mercola
October 09 2004 | 1,902 views

This year marked the fifth anniversary of Splenda No Calorie Sweetener, also known as sucralose. Since it was first made available in 1999 via the Internet, Splenda has been given the title of the number one branded sweetener in the United States, finding its way into nearly 20 percent of consumer homes. That is more than any other pantry staple food brand.

Splenda fans enjoy the product's versatility and are drawn to its sweet taste. Splenda Franchise Director explains why people love the product so much: "People have learned that they can have the best of both worlds -- all the sweetness and taste they love, without the calories."

The newest member to join the Splenda brand family is Splenda Sugar Blend for Baking, which is predicted to heavily hit the market during the holiday season.

Consumers Sweet Addiction to Splenda:

  • Based on dollar sales, Splenda is now the leading branded sweetener in U.S. homes. This means that its sales are ahead of those of both Domino and C&H Sugar.

  • An astonishing 51 percent of Splenda's volume growth is from the sugar category, which declined 4 percent in the most recent year.

  • The sweetener's dollar share of the low calorie sweetener category is greater than those of both of its nearest low calorie sweeteners combined.

  • 5 billion Splenda packets are consumed each year. This equals about 9,000 per minute.

  • It is approved for use in 79 countries.

  • Splenda No Calorie Sweetener is used in more than 4,000 products worldwide.

Yahoo Financial News September 22, 2004


Dr. Mercola''s Comments
Dr. Mercola's Comments:
Follow me on facebook

All those great numbers and facts might lead you to believe sucralose is a pretty safe product, but nothing could be further from the truth. Animal research has shown that sucralose can cause many problems such as:

  • Reduced growth rate in newborns and adults at levels above 500 mg/kg.day

  • Decreased red blood cells - - sign of anemia (at levels abofe 1500 mg/kd/day

  • Decreased thyroxine levels (thyroid function) (According to McNeil, since this only occurred on male rats and no abnormalities were observed with the thyroid tissue, this was considered insignificant.)

  • Mineral losses (magnesium and phosphorus) McNeil stated that these patterns were variable and at times not dose related so they were not significant.

  • Decreased urination

  • Enlarged colon (The FDA Final Rule states cecal enlargement is often seen with poorly absorbed substances and is not significant.)

  • Enlarged liver and brain (McNeil stated these were insignificant due to a lack of a dose response.)

  • Shrunken ovaries

  • Shrunken thymus aboe 3 grams per day

  • Enlarged and calcified kidneys (McNeil stated this is often seen with poorly absorbed substances and was of no toxicological significance. The FDA Final Rule agreed that these are findings that are common in aged female rats and are not significant.)

  • Increased adrenal cortical hemorrhagic degeneration (McNeil stated that this is a variable finding common in aged rats and not toxicologically significant.)

  • Increased cataracts (McNeil stated that cataracts were discovered upon microscopic sections of the eye tissue and that this was not as accurate as in-life ophthalmological examinations and did not reveal any treatment- related ocular findings.

  • Abnormal liver cells (The FDA Final Rule states that this was only marginal and probably not treatment related due to the severity of the lesion was not contaminant with the dosage.)

McNeil concluded that all of these findings could be explained by reasons other than sucralose toxicity and were insignificant. This seems to be a pattern in all of McNeil's study conclusions. I find it suspect that for every single adverse finding in the animal studies, McNeil always has some rationale that renders it "insignificant." Their downplaying every harmful finding makes it seem as if they are more interested in making sucralose appear safe than making sure that the people are not harmed.

The FDA concluded that most of these findings had no toxicological significance and those that did such as the decrease in thymus weight and the decreased red blood cells, would not be a problem because they occurred at doses of sucralose much higher than what people would consume.. As a physician, I beg to differ. I believe that these findings are not of no significance." Many of these are symptoms of serious pathology.

If you think using Splenda is worth risking your health, than go ahead and use it. Just keep this in mind: Nearly every month we receive a report from someone who has had an adverse effect from Splenda. The fact is, many people are uneducated about the reverse effect this product can have on your health and body and find out only after they experience a negative reaction.

If dramatically reducing your intake of sweet, whether it is sugar or alternative sweeteners like Splenda, feels close to "impossible" for you, I strongly urge you to read my bestselling TOTAL HEALTH Program (which has a special offer now!) It presents my entire dietary program that has helped many tens of thousands of patients, and one of the key reasons this book has received such widespread critical acclaim is its strong focus on eliminating unhealthy dietary cravings and addictions like "sweet addiction" through natural solutions like nutritional typing and much more.

For further information on Splenda you can review my Splenda toxicity page and read through the many testimonials people have sent in about this product.

Related Articles:

Sucralose (Splenda®) U.S. Product List

U.S. Government Influenced by Sugar Industry

12 Questions You Need to Have Answered Before You Eat Splenda

Splenda is Not a "Healthy" Sweetener

Now Even Starbucks Can Make You Sick With Splenda

More Splenda -- Now Jambajuice Adds





Share this article
Next Article
Comment on This Article Community Comments (0)

 
Share this article
Next Article
 
 
© Copyright 2009 Dr. Joseph Mercola. All Rights Reserved. If you want to use this article on your site please click here. This content may be copied in full, with copyright, contact, creation and information intact, without specific permission, when used only in a not-for-profit format. If any other use is desired, permission in writing from Dr. Mercola is required.
* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. If you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition, consult your physician before using this product.