Splenda... Good or Bad?

cem2168

This zero calorie sweetener is in everything too good to be true... diet soda, etc. But, I have also heard that over time people who use large amounts of splenda for numbers of years have developed health issues from tumors to MS. I have also heard that people who use regular sugar, but in moderation in comparison to people who use splenda end up having a more healthy weight. I would like to hear what others think of splenda or other zero calorie sweeteners! I would love to use truvia...but its just so expensive!

Tarah1357

Hm...this is interesting. I would love to hear what others thing too. I myself use equal or truvia sweetener if I use sweetener at all. But you're right, it is found in just about any diet drink, or no sugar items. It's taking over the world. lol jk

kmunis

I've used Splenda for years - about a pack a day (sounds like a smoker :op ). I haven't had any problems but would be interested to hear any other comments.

sarah44254

There is just something about adding a chemical sweetener to my foods that just throws me off. I can't bring myself to do it!

If I want a soda, I'll take a Pepsi. I've never touched a diet drink in my life and I don't plan on it. I can barely drink a 12oz can of Pepsi it is so sweet, but that is what is so good about it. I drink half and save the rest for the end of the day or the next day.

I haven't done any studies or anything of the scientific type about artificial sweeteners, but I have noticed (through working at a convenience store) in just every day life in work and anything else, the folks that I see choose 'diet' drinks are usually overweight compared to the ones who choose 'regular' drinks.

I don't understand if there is a connection between the two but it definitely makes me think!

Have you tried just using regular sweeteners? Or if you don't want to add sugar, add a natural food that is high in sugar, like apple slices or a banana?

NoAdditives

Splenda is made when a scientist in a lab removes a couple molecules from the carbon chain and replaces them with chlorine. This creates a chlorocarbon which is actually very dangerous for the human body and can cause any number of health problems, the long term effects really haven't been studied. But, we do know that chlorocarbons are very bad for the human body and should not be ingested.

chiliflea

In the UK on BBC3 recently was a programmes about "diet" and "low fat" foods and drinks....

They showed a little experiment where they gave half a rugby team full sugar drinks e.g. coke and tango, and the other half the diet versions of the drinks...
After a while they were all taken to a room where there was a massive bouffet and told they could eat what they liked as long as they wrote EVERYTHING down..
They found that the half that had drunk the diet versions ate MORE than the other half.

I think the explanation was along the lines of the body thought it was going to get a massive sugar rush from the drink but ultimately didn't and so craved the sugar rush from other foods... (but don't quote me on that!)

I'll see if I can find a link to the programme on youtube or bbc iplayer...

This doesn't really help with your splenda question though... sorry...

MiloBloom83

In my opinion all chemical sweeteners are bad. If it doesn't exist in nature, don't eat it. Real sugar, honey, agave nectar are foods your body can recognize. Lose everything else.

bikerbiz

There are so many reports on both sides. Personally, I place the most "weight" in how the stuff makes me feel over time (and how my smart pharmacist friend scientifically explains it). I feel better and have no cravings or low blood sugar days when I stay away from diet sodas and artificial sweetener in coffee or tea, or anything else. The body reacts to the sweetness, and signals the brain to release insulin, whether the sugar is real or not....which then leads to lower blood sugar and cravings, because the sugar wasn't real. I stay away from it because it makes me crave stuff...and because the chemicals keep your liver busy getting rid of them, rather than doing it's real job of processing nutrients and fats. "If it can not process the nutrients and fats that your body needs, this will cause you to gain weight, or will prevent you from losing weight."

Plain coffee, by the way, contains oils that your body cannot digest, and is also responsible for triggering insulin release in the body...and other hormonal effects. I cut way down on the coffee, cut out the sweeteners in the one cup I may or may not have, and feel better...and started burning the fat, now. Not to say this is the same for everybody...it probably depends on tolerances, and how your body adapts over time...

monoxidechick

Ya Im not a big fan! I know that I occassionally have some fake sweeteners in some items I use, but I do not use them on their own or at home. I sometimes have a sugar free red bull or sugar free jello, which has fake sugar. I just figure that it is better to have a bit of the real stuff, then lie to my body. I also go with real butter in most instances, but very small amounts.

I use sugar, sugar in the raw, honey, agave nectar when I can afford it. I tried stevia, but I dont really like it either, mabe I have had the wrong brand, not sure.

Anyways, I feel safer with the real deal in small amounts.

NoAdditives

In the UK on BBC3 recently was a programmes about "diet" and "low fat" foods and drinks....

They showed a little experiment where they gave half a rugby team full sugar drinks e.g. coke and tango, and the other half the diet versions of the drinks...
After a while they were all taken to a room where there was a massive bouffet and told they could eat what they liked as long as they wrote EVERYTHING down..
They found that the half that had drunk the diet versions ate MORE than the other half.

I think the explanation was along the lines of the body thought it was going to get a massive sugar rush from the drink but ultimately didn't and so craved the sugar rush from other foods... (but don't quote me on that!)

I'll see if I can find a link to the programme on youtube or bbc iplayer...

This doesn't really help with your splenda question though... sorry...

I've read studies that have shown that the brain doesn't distinguish between natural sugars and artificial sweeteners. So the body treats artificial sweeteners the same as natural sugars. Which means that insulin is still released, causing the body to stop burning fat and to take sugar from your blood for energy. When there is no sugar, or a low level of sugar in your blood your body sends hunger signals to make you eat to compensate for the low blood sugar.

eating4balance

Splenda is supposed to be the safest no-calorie sweetener out there.

The only problem with splenda is that it makes you crave more sugar an carbs, which can create a diverse affect to your diet. If you limit your intake of it though, and don't give into cravings, I believe that it is a relatively safe substitute for sugar.

chiliflea

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-513519/Why-low-calorie-sweeteners-fattening-sugar.html

richiefixo

splenda = great! i dont give up my sweet cravings....i just make it no cal.

Aylilth

Ok while I'm divided on the whole Splenda causing Cancers and that kinda stuff, I did use it for a bit.

I only had it in my Tea/Coffee I just can't have it w/o being sweetened. I noticed that one day while adding it to my tea after the water was in the cup that the splenda fizzed and bubbled a bit before it dissolved. That was a bit off putting to me.

So I switched to a Low GI sugar here in Australia they have it's called LogiCane. It's better then normal sugar, while yes there are some cals in it I would rather this as it's just for my Teas and that I don't use it for anything else/

fullofhope

I quit using Splenda the day stevia came on the market. I don't use many sweeteners, but if I do it will be a natural one like Agave, honey or stevia. Truvia is expensive, and although I don't use it much I have found another brand I like equally as well. It is called Ideal and is half the price. I can even find $1.00 off coupons for Ideal, making it about a $0.98 a box of 40. I use it in iced tea and for strawberries. I have found soda with stevia as a sweetener in health food stores and Whole Foods, but I don't like the taste. If I am going to drink soda I am opting for the the 9 oz cans of regular Coke.

MakingAChoice

I have been using liquid Splenda for years. I do not have sugar craving or have any cravings for anything due to Splenda. The fillers used in the packets of Splenda are what fizz and have the 1-2 calories in it. You can get liquid Splenda at www.sweetzfree.com if you want. Straight sucralose and water in the bottle. I have always needed a sweetener in my tea, I have tried honey, but never liked that it is 60 calories per teaspoon.

I am thinking of cutting the tea string next so I will no longer have caffeine or Splenda in my diet. I will be curious to see if there is an impact. Learning that even decaff coffee and tea have low amounts of caffeine was an annoying fact to me. So I will be going to straight water if I do this.

FlashBang

Anecdote but, when I took all the artificial sweeteners out of my diet I stopped craving sugar. It is a powerful place to be. I had 32 sweet teeth. I really believe it helped me. I drink water, unsweetened tea, and black coffee, always have. If I had to have sugar in my tea or coffee it would be plain old table sugar and I would allow for it in my log. I eat honey most days. I only drink calories during workouts. There is plenty of sugar and calories in the stuff I eat.

tinboy

I learned, in a class by a very interesting PhD in Nutrition, that the sweeteners of this type are so much sweeter than nature's sugar (found in fruit, unprocessed foods), that they send signals to the brain that naturally sweet foods are not sweet, causing one to think they need more sweetness than those natural sweetened foods (like an apple). This tends to encourage more calorie consumption.

CricketKate

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I haven't done any studies or anything of the scientific type about artificial sweeteners, but I have noticed (through working at a convenience store) in just every day life in work and anything else, the folks that I see choose 'diet' drinks are usually overweight compared to the ones who choose 'regular' drinks.

I don't understand if there is a connection between the two but it definitely makes me think!

CricketKate

I think that the correlation between diet soda and over-weight is more mental than anything else. Watch people at a fast food restaraunt, they will order a super-sized fries to go with their diet coke. I, personally, have a very black and white way of thinking, meaning that my brain would tell me that if I saved calories on my soda then I could "afford" to splurge on my fries. I'm guessing that I'm not the only one who thinks that?

PegasusDeb

I don't drink dt coke for the reason it's cal free, I like the taste.
I have heard & would tend to agree that since I have been using the sweetener, when I go to regular sugar I tend to add more. My gripe with Splenda is the after taste. My friend is losing alot of weight & he's doing the no processed thing. I'm slowly easing my way there. He uses real butter & sugar, but in moderation. I just worry about all these so-called "low-fat" etc items that are pumped with other things to make them taste good, what's the point? Reading labels is a pain, but I am certainly learning alot!