This article straight from the FDA may help clear up some things. http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/1999/699_sugar.html. Now, the FDA isn't the be all and end all but it is certainly more credible than what some guy claiming to be a doctor writes on the internet.


From the article:
Saccharin:
"In the late 1970s FDA and NCI conducted a population-based study of saccharin's role in causing bladder cancer in humans and found that "in general," people who used the sweetener had no greater risk of bladder cancer than the population at large. However, the study found "suggestive evidence" that heavy saccharin users--defined as those using six or more servings of the sweetener a day--may have an increased risk. Laumbach says that for consumers who use saccharin, the key to a lower risk may be moderation, as is the case with many foods that can cause problems when eaten in excess. Other health groups, including the American Medical Association, the American Cancer Society, and the American Dietetic Association, agree that saccharin use is acceptable."

Aspartame:
"While questions about saccharin may persist, the safety of another artificial sweetener, aspartame, is clear cut, say FDA officials. FDA calls aspartame, sold under trade names such as NutraSweet and Equal, one of the most thoroughly tested and studied food additives the agency has ever approved. The agency says the more than 100 toxicological and clinical studies it has reviewed confirm that aspartame is safe for the general population."

Sucralose:
"Also known by its trade name, Splenda, sucralose is 600 times sweeter than sugar. After reviewing more than 110 animal and human safety studies conducted over 20 years, FDA approved it in 1998 as a tabletop sweetener and for use in products such as baked goods, nonalcoholic beverages, chewing gum, frozen dairy desserts, fruit juices, and gelatins. Earlier this year, FDA amended its regulation to allow sucralose as a general-purpose sweetener for all foods."

I've read some concerning things about aspartame. This site has a lot of info on aspartame poisoning.

http://www.holisticmed.com/aspartame/

My third eye hasn't grown in yet, but I'm still going to try to ween from aspartame for awhile.

Considering Monsanto created Aspartame, the government would likely say anything they could to make it look good. I don't know who created Splenda, but my money will stick with Splenda sweetened products, at least for the time being.

If anyone knows anything about Monsanto, you know they're also responsible for the BHT that dairies use to increase milk production (messes with their hormones big-time). This same hormone is now causing our own daughters (especially if they're heavy milk drinkers) to mature at an alarmingly early age.

I know personally of a dairy where they use BHT. They shoot the cows up so frequently with the stuff that after about two years of milking, the cows just lay down and die. It's just sick. A good milk cow will milk for at least 11 years without the hormone. This dairy has been losing its milking herd at a disturbing rate, about where it isn't even profitable to use the BHT.

Check the ingredients on your Splenda. Everything I have that's sweet has aspartame in it. This is going to be tough!

As some others have pointed out, that first article is bunk. The good 'doctor' appears to be quite skillful at distorting the truth, leaving out crucial information, and generating propaganda. Most of his sources aren't even primary literature.

While there certainly is more to be learned about the complete metabolism of sucralose/Splenda as is true for any artificial sweetner;sucralose, when taken at non-ludicrous doses has been shown to be benign. Here is a more recent article(abstract) regarding sucralose.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/...5&dopt=Abstract

The whole sweetner industry is nasty, think of the money and interests involved that would keep Stevia (which is free compared to the millions that go into developing synthetic sweetners) from entering the market. She'll never see the light of day.

Is this just a conspiracy theory, or is there more to it??

A main goal of the Atkins Nutritional ApproachTM is to stabilize blood sugar (glucose) and insulin levels through the restriction of carbohydrates. Sugar is a carbohydrate, so it is strictly limited. Controlling carbs naturally curbs sugar cravings. However, if you still crave sweets, we suggest you use a sugar substitute. The prudent, moderate use of artificial sweeteners is usually acceptable. But be aware that not all sugar substitutes are created equal. We recommend specific sweeteners that are safe and will not interfere with weight loss. Some people experience negative reactions to certain sweeteners, and the risk increases with the amount used. With all artificial sweeteners, the less used, the better.

Our preference is sucralose, marketed under the name Splenda®. Derived from sugar, it is non-caloric, contains less than 1 gram of carbs and doesn’t raise blood sugar. It has been used in Canada since 1991 and has been thoroughly tested for safety and efficacy. In 1998, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved sucralose for sale in the United States after reviewing more than 100 studies conducted during the past 20 years.

If Splenda is not available, saccharin is the next best thing. The FDA recently removed saccharin from its list of carcinogens, basing its decision upon a thorough review of the medical literature and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences’ statement that “there is no clear association between saccharin and human cancer.” It can be safely consumed in moderate amounts--no more than three packets a day. Sugar poses a greater threat to good health than saccharin does. Saccharin is marketed as Sweet ’n Low®.

Acesulfame potassium, also known as acesulfame K, another non-caloric sweetener, is approximately 200 times sweeter than sugar. Because it cannot be metabolized, it passes through the body without elevating blood sugar. The FDA has authorized the use of acesulfame K after evaluating numerous studies and determining its safety. It is sold under the brand name SunettTM.

We do not recommend the use of aspartame--sold under the brand names of Equal® and NutraSweet®. Also, during Induction, avoid natural sweeteners such as fructose, lactose or maltose.

Atkins recommends Splenda, but advises against aspartame.

I bought a box of Spenda and it has aspartame in it. What's the deal?

I Don't know if Splenda and Spenda is the same, but my Splenda does not contain aspartame, just Maltodextrin and sucralose. But hey, I'm no chemist.

Product info:The only no-calorie sweetener made from sugar so it tastes, pours and measures just like sugar. Use in cooking, baking, sweetening coffee or tea. no harmful chemicals or carcinogens.

Not a significant source of calories from fat, sturated fat, cholesterol, dietary fiber, sugars, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium and iron.

Other Ingredients:
Maltodextrin, sucralose.

sucralose is the primary sweetner that you taste. Maltodextrin is the fluff that lets you work with sugar-like volumes, but unfortunately also has some carbs itself.

Another chance to ask why they refuse to the sale of liquid splenda in the US...

Thanks, fortunately I was wrong about the aspartame in Splenda. Just maltodextrin and sucralose as Nille mentioned.

I see some health warnings on the net about sucralose, but I guess it's better than aspartame!

Acohn,

Thanks for the info on Stevia. I will try the now foods stevia glycerite. I have tried stevia before and really didn't care for it. I love splenda, but I think Stevia would be better because it is natural. Hopefully I will like the Now brand.

Looks like the use of Splenda in products is on the rise, I was glad to see Bryer's come out with an ice cream that uses Splenda instead of Nutrasweet. Looks like Splenda might eventually replace Nutrasweet, that would be great.

I still drink some of the diet sodas with Nutrasweet because they just don't make enough flavors with Splenda yet, BUT in time maybe they will all be Splenda sweetened. I think that would be great........

By the way, I've used a pretty good Stevia which has a filler which is supposed to be a fiber, and so it doesn't add any carbs-the ingredients are:


It's called SteviaPlus.

I like it really well, and it's nice to have it with me when going out to eat.

From Emily