Sucralose : Chlorinated pesticides?

As I've posted few months ago on artificial sweetener aspartame, I'm adding another post about this synthetic sweetener, but this time, it's sucralose. Sucralose is also known as Splenda in the USA. This artificial sweetener is found in many processed food including protein powder supplement, chewing gum, fruit juices, frozen dairy desserts, etc. Today, I'm going to share with you guys some background information about sucralose. 

To begin with, the birth of sucralose, started off with couple of chemical lab students who accidentally discover the sweetness level of this 'formula' which was supposed to be a chlorinated pesticide. I can't remember the whole story of this discovery, but the money starts rolling when it was approved by FDA in 1998. Yes, the FDA yet again. 

Splenda, best known for its marketing ploy, "made from sugar so it tastes like sugar," has taken the sweetener industry by storm. Splenda has become the nation's number one selling artificial sweetener in a very short period of time. It’s very important to realize that Splenda (sucralose) is actually NOT sugar, despite its marketing slogan “Made from sugar, so it tastes like sugar”. Rather, it’s a chlorinated artificial sweetener in line with aspartame and saccharin, and with detrimental health effects to match.

The belief that consuming artificially sweetened foods and drinks will help you to lose or maintain weight is a carefully orchestrated deception. So, if you are still opting for diet choices for this reason, please understand that you have been sorely misled. In reality, these diet foods and drinks can cause serious distortions in your biochemistry and ruin your body's ability to control calories. As a matter of fact, it’s been shown that diet soft drinks can double your risk of obesity! If you are using Splenda (the brand name for sucralose) because you think it is a safe alternative to sugar or other artificial sweeteners, then you may be in for a surprise. Splenda is not healthy and it can cause many problems in the body.

Sucralose is a synthetic chemical that was originally cooked up in a laboratory. The chemical process to make sucralose alters the chemical composition of the sugar so much that it is somehow converted to a fructo-galactose molecule. This type of sugar molecule does not occur in nature and therefore your body does not possess the ability to properly metabolize it. It is not that Splenda is naturally zero calories. If your body had the capacity to metabolize it then it would no longer have zero calories.

The best way to determine if Splenda or sucralose is affecting you is to perform an elimination or challenge with it. First eliminate it and other artificial sweeteners from your diet completely for a period of one to two weeks. After this period reintroduce it in sufficient quantity. For example, use it in your beverage in the morning, and eat at least two sucralose containing products the remainder of the day. On this day, avoid other artificial sweeteners so that you are able to differentiate which one may be causing a problem for you. Do this for a period of one to three days. Take notice of how your body is feeling, particularly if it feels different than when you were artificial sweetener free.

Meanwhile, below are some of the reaction symptoms which may occur from consuming splenda or food and beverage products containing sucralose.

• Rash
• Itching
• Blisters on the skin
• Stomach cramps
• Feeling forgetful
• Moodiness
• Headache
• Bloated abdomen
• Diarrhea
• Trouble concentrating

Consuming food or beverage products containing sucralose, it's like putting a pesticide in your body. There’s overwhelming evidence that consuming artificial sweeteners will likely wreak havoc on your body. Previous news has centered mainly around artificial sweeteners’ ability to impair your appetite regulation and leading to weight gain. Splenda is approximately 600 times sweeter than sugar, but the sweetness is forced, not like a natural sugar the body uses for fuel.

If you have a craving for sweets, rather than trying to find "healthier" ways to continue indulging in them, it is in your best interest to learn ways to relieve your cravings. The obvious one would be to stop eating any of the products to begin with. But sweets are powerfully addictive, sugar has even been shown to be more addictive than cocaine. 

However, complete avoidance of sweets is often necessary to break your addictive cycle, as your hormones insulin and leptin likely play an important role in your cravings. If you are unable to achieve abstinence from sweets, your emotional connection to cravings might be an important factor for you. The decision is yours to make, just be aware of food and beverage products containing sucralose. Stay away from artificial sweeteners.