Barb’s Blog

 

I was reading over at Chris Pirillo’s blog how he has come to the conclusion that Aspartame is poison. However, he mentioned that he thought the dangers of Splenda was still on the fence, but he was going on the side of caution. Wise.

I wanted to comment on his blog, but getting a password sent to my email proved impossible. So instead, I will blog my thoughts on splenda here.

I used to use splenda in my coffee, on my cereal, but have stopped. Apparently it was in many a softdrink that I was drinking as well.

I wasn’t sleeping very well and I had some other issues, so I went to the local Nutrition Shop to ask for advice. When I mentioned I wasn’t sleeping very well, they asked me, “Do you drink diet colas?”  I said yes, and the man there looked up a few things in a big book and said, “Stop drinking them and see what happens.”

Well, in fact, my sleep has been great (not perfect, but great) since then.

For those who believe that Splenda is safe, they might want to think again.

“Splenda is the trade name for sucralose, a synthetic compound stumbled upon in 1976 by scientists in Britain seeking a new pesticide formulation. It is true that the Splenda molecule is comprised of sucrose (sugar) — except that three of the hydroxyl groups in the molecule have been replaced by three chlorine atoms.

While some industry experts claim the molecule is similar to table salt or sugar, other independent researchers say it has more in common with pesticides. That’s because the bonds holding the carbon and chlorine atoms together are more characteristic of a chlorocarbon than a salt — and most pesticides are chlorocarbons. The premise offered next is that just because something contains chlorine doesn’t guarantee that it’s toxic. And that is also true, but you and your family may prefer not to serve as test subjects for the latest post-market artificial sweetener experiment — however “unique.”

Once it gets to the gut, sucralose goes largely unrecognized in the body as food — that’s why it has no calories. The majority of people don’t absorb a significant amount of Splenda in their small intestine — about 15% by some accounts. The irony is that your body tries to clear unrecognizable substances by digesting them, so it’s not unlikely that the healthier your gastrointestinal system is, the more you’ll absorb the chlorinated molecules of Splenda.

The manufacturer’s own short-term studies showed that sucralose caused shrunken thymus glands and enlarged livers and kidneys in rodents. But in this case, the FDA decided that because these studies weren’t based on human test animals, they were not conclusive. Of course, there are countless examples of foods and drugs that have proved dangerous to humans that were first found to be dangerous to laboratory rats, and then again, countless others that have not. So the reality is that we are the guinea pigs for Splenda.

Artificial sweeteners are body toxins. They are never a good idea for pregnant women, children or teenagers — despite the reduced sugar content — because of possible irreversible cell damage. If you decide it’s worth the risks, then go ahead, but pay attention to your body and your cravings. Once you start tracking your response to artificial sweeteners, it may surprise you.”

As for me now, for my tea and cereal, I have switched to raw sugar and in moderation.

 
More reading:

Holistic Med
Women to Women
Dangers of Splenda
Splenda Truth