Dr. Mercola February 26 2005 3,860 views
Since its introduction in 2000, Splenda has practically become a "staple" in many households. Appearing in everything from ice cream to candy bars to jams, this no-calorie artificial sweetener (made from suclarose) will soon be joining forces with two of the largest soft drink distributors: Coca-Cola and PepsiCo.
Diet Coke sweetened with Splenda is scheduled to debut this spring, and will be branded with the name of the sweetener as well as a distinct yellow streak. Despite its new addition, however, Coca-Cola will continue selling its traditional Diet Coke, flavored with aspartame. Other changes/additions Coca-Cola has made to Diet Coke--in order to boost sales in North America--include the introduction of new flavors, such as:
Similarly, PepsiCo has made plans to reformulate its single-calorie drink, Pepsi One, with Splenda, while Diet Pepsi is sweetened with aspartame.
More on Splenda
Splenda is sold by Johnson & Johnson's McNeil Nutritionals as a table and baking sugar substitute. Manufacturing of this artificial sweetener involves selectively replacing three hydrogen-oxygen groups on the original sugar molecule with three chlorine atoms. It is 600 times sweeter than sucrose, or white table sugar.
USA Today February 7, 2005
Just before the end of 2004, shortages of Splenda had forced its manufacturer, Tate & Lyle, to ration new customers, putting the brakes on "new and improved" product lines with the artificial and totally unnatural sweetener. Since Pepsi and Coke already had relationships with them they weren't under that restriction.
The overwhelming demand for Splenda is largely due to those who believe using potentially toxic products like this are making a healthier choice by using it instead of sugar. Folks, if you are consuming Splenda because you believe it is a safe alternative to sugar or other artificial sweeteners, then you're in for a big surprise.
Let me tell you something the manufacturer or the FDA is not telling you that may have you reconsider using Splenda. The simple fact is that there is not even one long-term study on Splenda--the FDA doesn't require it and the company did not perform any long-term tests. Why should they? That could only hurt their sales. Did you ever hear of Vioxx killing over 50,000 people? Well the FDA approved that drug and let me assure you that the approval process for a drug is far more stringent than it is for a food additive like Splenda.
If you really trust the FDA to protect you than I would strongly encourage you to read my review of the expose on Nutrasweet. You will be in for a shocking surprise.
Research in animals has also provided us with some additional concerns, linking consumption of Splenda with severe health problems such as shrunken thymus glands (up to 40 percent shrinkage), enlarged liver and kidneys and atrophy of lymph follicles in the spleen and thymus.
I strongly urge you to learn more about the potential ways Splenda can adversely affect your body by reviewing the Splenda side effects page, which I update frequently. It has been my experience that many appreciate reviewing other's personal experience(s) with Splenda. There's no sense in reinventing the wheel here folks. Why not benefit from learning what this absolutely unnatural product can do to you. I am certain that the tens of thousands of those who died from taking Vioxx would have loved the opportunity to see what could happen to them before they started taking a drug that killed them. At least they could have made a more informed choice.
What Should You Do?
Eating too much sugar will also adversely affect your health, as it causes your insulin level to rise and this is associated with a host of health problems.
Therefore, the best option for your health is to radically reduce the sugar and sweets in your diet. Over time and once you normalize your insulin levels your desire for them will dramatically decrease.
Related Articles:
The Meteoric Rise of Splenda Controversy Surrounding Splenda's Deceptive Marketing Campaign Splenda--Here We Go Again Beware of Splenda's Latest Marketing Ploy 12 Questions You Need to Have Answered Before You Eat Splenda
The Meteoric Rise of Splenda
Controversy Surrounding Splenda's Deceptive Marketing Campaign
Splenda--Here We Go Again
Beware of Splenda's Latest Marketing Ploy
12 Questions You Need to Have Answered Before You Eat Splenda
Dear Dr. Mercola. I do have some questions which are pertinent to the use of these sugar substitutes.
Fortunately, I do not have a problem with diabetes or other illness which requires me to use a sugar
substitute. However, you mentioned chlorine as being a very toxic chemical. As it happens, I was in
WW II, served in the Phillipines, Luzon campaign, our drinking water was purified using chlorine, which
was SOP for the military. Also, I believe it was chlorine which was used for years, from the beginning of
our time when it was found that water had to be purified. Is not the chlorine you mention the same chlorine that was used to purify our drinking water the same as that you talk about?
Also, I am very knowledgeable about aspartame, as much as a layman could expect to be. There is a
web site <aspartamekills.com> which has a lot of information about how aspartame affects the human
body, they say that it is a cause of weight gain, when people drink this diet drink thinking they are losing
weight, their body is functioning to put weight on. You did mention obesity, I believe, thankfully.
Thank you very much. Albert Benson