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Are you a Splenda user?

Posted on Jan 10th 2007 1:14PM by Brian White

Filed Under: Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements

In many cases -- heck, all of them -- I search out for natural sweetening alternatives like cane sugar, stevia and agave nectar when I need to add a bit of nutritious sweetness to my foods and drinks. I never use artificial sweeteners like aspartame, NutraSweet or Splenda. Why?

Well, I won't go into specifics, but aspartame and NutraSweet (just a brand name) are chemicals, that -- when I used to use them years ago -- gave me headaches. Once I researched what those items were, not only was I shocked, but I stopped using both products permanently.

On the trail of a never-ending quest to find sugarless and calorie-less sweeteners for products, sucralose was invented and given the name Splenda for marketing purposes I still prefer not to ever use fake sweeteners, including this one. Do you?

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10 Comment

Tags: Agave nectar, AgaveNectar, Aspartame, Cane sugar, CaneSugar, NutraSweet, Splenda, Sucralose

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Andy C 1-10-2007 @ 2:47PM

I've gone back to sweet and low.

I'm one of those supertasters that acidity is not always on equal footing. Sugar makes my mouth foul, my teeth feel funny, and in the right quantity makes my tongue feel burned. Most of the time I opt for a faux-sugar because it blunts all of this and I appreciate that.

However, after reading about how engineered splenda was with their extra chlorine I've pulled it from my diet until a good long-term study can show that it holds no ill will towards us. The ancient saccharin scares were debunked and has been shown in 50 year studies to not be a health risk. As always with us crazy humans, YMMV.

Carol 1-10-2007 @ 3:38PM

I always got headaches and severe stomach cramps from anything with NutraSweet; so I'll stick to good, old-fashioned, plain old sugar. I don't trust any of the fake stuff.

Mike 1-10-2007 @ 3:49PM

I refuse to use artificial sweeteners or any products that contain them. I think Splenda above all others tastes nasty. There's just no other way to describe it. "But it's made from sugar and tastes like sugar!" they try to say. Bullshit. It tastes awful. And there just aren't enough studies out there to prove that it is safe. Remember, just because the FDA approved it doesn't mean anything. Hell, Vioxx was FDA approved. (google vioxx if you don't know it's history)

At least diet colas with aspartame tasted OK, but I didn't like how they affected my body. I don't believe that aspartame is toxic to everybody, but it clearly is to me. Memory loss, fatigue, knee pain... all greatly lessened a few months after cutting aspartame out of my life.

Anna 1-10-2007 @ 4:00PM

I am on a pain management regiment and was told by by PM team that studies have been done that show that Splenda increases pain.
Therefore - I am not a Splenda user.

Kacee 1-10-2007 @ 4:17PM

I used to use Sweet and Low and Splenda, until I researched them! Now I go for Stevia or just plain old sugar. The fake stuff didn't affect me outwardly but I would rather not subject my body to the toxic ingredients.

Interesting fact: If you have an ant problem in your house, open a packet of Splenda and dump it on the floor in corner. The ants are attracted to the sweetness but the chemicals kill them. Kind of scary isn't it?

starwxrwx 1-13-2007 @ 1:32AM

I also get migraines from all artificial sweeteners! - especially NutraSweet (aspartame), but also from sucralose. I avoid anything diet or 'sugar-free' and always check labels.

I can take one sip or one bite of something with artificial sweeteners in it and know straight away! There is a strange aftertaste and then the pounding in my head begins... and can last all day.

Jim Biancolo 1-10-2007 @ 10:10PM

I recently poked around the Internet reading up on Splenda, and the I thought Cy Willson's piece, The Truth About Sucralose, seemed the most reasonable.

Jim Biancolo 1-10-2007 @ 10:22PM

Argh, URL stripped. Didn't read the instructions. Here's the link:

http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=1188638

Sandy 9-14-2007 @ 8:48PM

I can't stomach Splenda. I was really excited when it first came out b/c they kept proclaiming that it "tastes just like sugar". Not the case with me. I don't know why, but anything with Splenda in it tastes really, really sour and leaves an almost bitter aftertaste in my mouth. The only artifical sweetner I've been able to use regularly is Equal (aspartame). The first time I drank something with aspartame in it, I experienced minor headaches as well as a noticeable taste difference. But when I worked at a school that switched completely to diet drinks, the headaches went away after I started drinking aspartame sweetened beverages regularly...no more than a couple of days to acclimate. I drink a lot of Crystal Light and use a packet in my morning tea. I try and cut down by drinking barley and corn tea (unsweetened) regularly as well.

Doug 9-17-2007 @ 2:08AM

Also check out http://www.stats.org/stories/spoonful_bile_feb15_05.htm as we need to be sure of our facts before claiming some things. I do not work for or support the manufacturer, but do know something of how to do research. A careful study brings out more truth so we can make better decisions. Some people just have allergic reactions to things that many others do not. We are in a group who use alot of this and have not reported the "huge" numbers of headaches and other reactions claimed in the media and here. Be careful what is claimed! As we tell our teenagers "everyone" is alot of people!!!