Sucralose, "Splenda" - I really think it's poison!

[fearless]

Once in a while I accidentally eat or drink sucralose (aka Splenda) - and my saliva tastes sickeningly sweet for a week or even more (even just one drink will do it).  I really think this stuff is bad news for people whose kidneys don't work.  But what does that mean?  It probably means it's bad for everyone.  Wonder how many years it will take til they find out that it's dissolving people's glomeruli or something.  Really frightening.  I've seen drinks in the supermarket that are basically just water with sucralose in it.  Ever hear about animals drinking antifreeze that someone carelessly left out because it has a "sweet taste"?  Sucralose is what I would imagine antifreeze tastes like.  Antifreeze kills your kidneys.  I'm probably being overly dramatic, because I know there's no logical connection to antifreeze, but I did read that it accumulates in your liver, kidneys and digestive system.  I really resent that it's easy to end up eating or drinking this stuff before I realize it.  Foods that contain it should be boldly labelled.  Please, don't eat this stuff.  And tell all your friends!  I don't think it's good for anybody and there's just no need for it.  If you really have to have a sweet taste, go with fruit or stevia.

[Chris]

Sucralose has been around for many years. It was around when I was a kid in the 70's and was and still is part of many of the artificial sweetners diabetics used back then and today. There was even Fructose syrup for sweetening. The natural safe sweetner for diabetics is stevia if I have the spelling correct that is made from a plant. Splenda is made different than just sucralose. I do not like Splenda, it takes more to use to get the same sweetness I am use to from Sugar Twin, Sweet N Low, or Equal unless it is in a soda made with it. Many new diabetic's who are told to switch and people who are on a low cal kick like it, but I can not switch due to taste. I have an online article that goes over sweetners over the years and which ones were banned, but I do not think Splenda was part of that article. Since I am not home, I can not post it. It is on my external hard drive.

[amanda100wilson]

Splenda doesn't do that for me, but anything containing aspartame does.  Can't stand that lingering sweet taste that lasts for a good couple of days.

[Chris]

Nutrasweet/ Equal has caused headaches in many people, but I wonder how much they are using and ingesting a day.

[Weggy]

Acesulfame potassium does it to me. I have a really bad sweet aftertaste. Worse part, it is in most diet/sugar free products since it helps balance the 'metallic' taste of these artificial sweeteners and make it taste more natural to sugar.

I prefer aspartame and saccharin as sweeteners.

[talker]

 South America that has gotten some buzz in the natural health world over the last decade. It’s name? Stevia Rebaudana, or Stevia for short. Grown in areas of Brazil and Paraguay, the stevia plant produces a natural sweetener that can be extracted from the Stevia plant leaves. The leaves themselves are 10-15 times sweeter than table sugar.
The FDA prohibited use of this 100% natural and safe sweetener in the U.S. and Europe for many years. This was probably to promote aspartame usage, a chemical sweetener that has been proven dangerous for human consumption.
However, it is now approved by the FDA, thanks to consumer demand and those who have stood up against aspartame.

The compound in stevia that produces the sweetness is called stevioside. It contains glucose, sucrose, steviol and several other compounds. Stevioside is the sweetest of all natural sweetening products, and is over 300 times sweeter than sugar. It is typically found in liquid extract or powder form.

Disease Prevention and Treatment
 So what does this have to do with diabetes and cancer?

First of all, stevia is rich in many different antioxidants. These include quercitrin and apigenin. Studies have shown that Stevia extract can protect DNA against damage by hyroxide radicals. This makes it effective as a safeguard against the formation and growth of tumors and cancerous cells.

Additionally, stevia is an excellent treatment for type 2 diabetes. Not only is it calorie free, it does not raise blood sugar. It is an insulin sensitizer, and studies have shown that it aids in glucose tolerance and usage after eating. One recent study showed that stevioside increased insulin sensitivity and reduced blood glucose in rats in the laboratory. The Japanese have used stevia as a diabetes treatment for a long time now.

As if all that weren’t enough to extol its amazing properties, stevia is also effective in lowering high blood pressure.

How To Use
 Stevia can be used to in both powder and liquid extract form to sweeten drinks, desserts such as yogurt and homemade ice cream, breakfast foods such as oatmeal, and even salad dressings to make sweet
(Remove the @, then copy and paste.)

@http://naturalhealthonline.com/this-sweet-tasting-plant-could-prevent-cancer-and-diabetes/

@http://www.thetalker.org/archives/121/118-the-daily-deadly-diet-and-you/

[Athena]

I have tried to use Stevia and I have to say I just simply don't like the Stevia sweetness taste. Although I am a diabetic, I have no trouble eating foods with just plain sugar in it, provided it's not too concentrated in sweetness. I also take half a teaspoon of sugar (raw brown crystals) in my coffee. I have never like artificial sweetners of any kind & refuse to eat 'diabetic desserts' that are so sickeningly over sweetened with artificial sweeteners.

[cattlekid]

To me, Stevia doesn't taste sweet - it seems to have an "herbal" taste that creates an off flavor in anything it contains.  I just limit sweeteners as a whole because they all seem to have their pitfalls.  It's gotten to the point that I can no longer tolerate more than one bite of most desserts, which is probably the best for my waistline anyhow.   

[Charlie B53]

Being a lifelong chocoholic you can be sure that I thrive on sugar.  Lots of it, in most every form.  So it is no real surprise that 6 months after starting dialysis the Dr's decided I AM diabetic and need to start taking insulin and try to cut down on both my chocolate and sugar.

This ain't no fun!

I can't stand the taste of any of the sugar substitutes.  The Wife switched 20 years ago when she was first diagnosed diabetic.  Rarely ever uses sugar.  Over the years I have railed at her to get OFF those poisons and switch to Splenda.  She did a few years ago, and looks for it, asks for it in restaurants

I did try Stevia, and was pleasantly surprised that I tolerated it, although I did mix it with regular sugar 50/50.  Which still cut my sugar consumption in half.  I should seriously think about getting another box.  But I have pretty much given up tea and instead just drink ice water.

IIRC aspartame was denied by the FDA Board, but the agency head over-ruled the Board and approved the chemical.  Months later he resigned from the FDA and took a very well paid position with Searle,  the makers of aspartame.

Correct me if I am wrong.

Chris, if you remember to find those links when you can at home, I would read the information.  I'm sure a number of these replacement chemicals are NOT good for consumption but it would be great to find evidence.

Thanks,

Charlie B