Splenda = EVIL.

So these past few weeks, I have been having crazy sugar/fatty binges. Even though I had already eaten a filling meal, at lunch AND at dinner, I would crave some fries, mozzarella sticks, frozen yogurt, cookies, pies, cereal, etc. I never had these cravings before and I couldn't understand why I wanted to eat all these things all of a sudden. Then I thought about it... Every morning, I add at least two packets of Splenda to my coffee. I looked around online and found a forum where people share their experiences with Splenda and there were other people who went through the same thing! I can't believe it. My friends also went through like 3 packs of Diet Cheerwine one weekend and they were giggling for no reason sometimes. I have heard that people got cancer from it too... No more Splenda for me. Just thought I'd share.

not to put you down; but don't you think it would be a better idea to wait and see if it works first before sharing?

Original Post by yssirhcmik:

... ... I have heard that people got cancer from it too... ...

I am glad you are making an effort to stop whatever makes you unhappy. I hope it works for you but I am also a two Splenda a day gal and cannot do without it. I even now use the one that has fiber in it - it's genius! I cannot have coffee without some sweetener.

However, according to the scientific literature the possible risk of artificial sweeteners to induce cancer seems to be negligible and the rumors on the contrary about Splenda and other sweeteners do nothing but undermine the public's sense of security.

Artificial sweeteners are not good for you for many different reasons. If you must have something sweet health wise it is best to eat real sugar. Artificial sweeteners increase your cravings for sweet things. It is a vicious cycle.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/9684 9.php

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/OnCall/Story?id=427 1246&page=1

http://www.oprah.com/article/omagazine/health _omag_200411_weight

Original Post by littleshellys:

Artificial sweeteners increase your cravings for sweet things. It is a vicious cycle.

while i have heard this (and read several of the articles) i do not find that artificial sweeteners affect me in this way. I suppose it's another one of those things where everyone is different. (i do agree that artificial anything is not really "good" for you, but i'm comfortable making a few concessions. i just try not to over do.)

yssirhcmik, what size coffee do you drink with that 2 packets? i find one packet in my afternoon tea (16-20 oz) is more than enough.

and on the "cancer" front, i find those studies hard to swallow when they change every 6 months (or so). when my mom hears about a new study like that she's fond of recalling the ones about saccharin killing people (almost everyone she knew growing up drank a LOT of saccharin sweetened tea and none of them has been killed by it yet)

but like nycgirl said, do what works for you.

and good luck!

i doubt 2 packets of splenda a day would give anybody cancer.

everything in moderation.

I agree that sucralose is evil. It has a vile, vile taste. Along with aspertame, it gives me headaches and makes me feel ill in general. I'd rather just count the sugar and eat something that doesn't taste like chemical.

I was having NASTY headaches and I could not figure out why.  I had been to several doctors and none of them could tell me what was going on.  A friend of mine sent me this article which I then took to my Doctor and asked could this be the reason.  They did some testing and found that it was in fact the problem.......  If it is marked DIET and it doesn't say splenda on the label it contains aspartame.  Sweet n Low, Equal, Nutrasweet all contain it.

Splenda and Splenda like substances do not contain aspartame.

The only diet drinks I have found that contain splenda instead are Diet Rite, Pepsi ONE and Publix Generic Diet Soda.  Diet Coke used to have it, but they have since stopped making it.

Yes, it is true that ALL chemicals some how or another have proven dangerous to lab rats, but think of how much they are giving the poor creatures and how much they weigh.  It would take a HUGE amount for a human.

Just watch your Aspartame intake....

read the article below......

The research and history of aspartame is conclusive as a cause of illness and toxic reactions in the human body. Aspartame is a dangerous chemical food additive, and its use during pregnancy and by children is one of the greatest modern tragedies of all.

Why haven't you heard about aspartame poisoning before? Partly because the diet industry is worth trillions of American dollars to corporations, and they want to protect their profits by keeping the truth behind aspartame's dangers hidden from the public. When NutraSweet® was introduced for the 'second' time in 1981, a diet craze revolutionized America's eating protocols and a well-oiled money machine was set into motion changing modern lifestyles.

After more than twenty years of aspartame use, the number of its victims is rapidly piling up, and people are figuring out for themselves that aspartame is at the root of their health problems. Patients are teaching their doctors about this nutritional peril, and they are healing themselves with little to no support from traditional medicine.

This sugar substitute, sold commercially as Equal and NutraSweet, was hailed as the savior for dieters who for decades had put up with saccharine's unpleasant after taste. There are quite a few problems with aspartame. The first is phenylketonuria (PKU). One out of 20,000 babies is born without the ability to metabolize phenylalanine, one of the two amino acids in aspartame. Toxic levels of this substance in the blood can result in mental retardation. Beyond PKU, several scientists believe that aspartame might cause altered brain function and behavior changes in consumers. And many people have reported the following side effects from aspartame:

• Fibromyalgia Syndrome and symptoms of Fibromyalgia
• Multiple Sclerosis symptoms
• Dizziness
• Headaches
• Menstrual problems

I can't help but laugh when I hear that there's a big nationwide conspiracy that THEY don't want you to know about just to get you to use aspartame/splenda/etc. That just reminds me of Kevin Trudeau... I keep waiting for the plug to come telling me what product I'm supposed to buy instead.

For the record? My only problem with diet soda (including the aspartame-including ones) is water retention from the sodium.

We're all going to die anyway, who cares?  All this stuff is such bull.

I like Splenda.  I sometimes put it on cereal.  It has no effect on me. 

It affects everyone differently. If it makes you miserable, don't eat it. If it doesn't, eat away.

The fact even Huntingdon Life Sciences, where the stuff was tested, admitted that over 10,000 animals, mainly beagles and monkeys (one monkey was reported to be dissected alive, seemingly concious [Kolata, Gina. "Tough Tactics In One Battle Over Animals In the Lab," The New York Times, March 24, 1998.]), were brutally mistreated and killed to create the stuff makes it evil in my eyes.  Testing new cures for diseases is one thing, but just to get some fake chemical sweetener?  Was it really worth it?

It's believed safe in moderation, but I'd rather have 30 calories for two packets of sugar than 8 calories for two packets of Splenda and the unnecessary blood of helpless animals on my hands.

I won't let my consumer dollars support that kind of inhumanity for something as frivilous as sucralose.

That's my two cents.

I don't agree with the concept "everything is ok in moderation" that is just so silly. Would you eat arsenic "in moderation" rat poison "in moderation" I am using these as examples. I am not saying splenda and other artificial sweeteners are arsenic or rat poison but enough studies have been done that show they are not good for you. What amount you have to eat to cause problems is in question but since it does cause problems I try to avoid them.

I'm sure if you looked, you could find a study saying pretty much anything is bad for you.  What about cell phones and brain cancer?  Typing your anti-aspertame message on calorie count and getting carpal tunnel?  The strain your eyes are going through looking at your computer screen?  The emmissions from your car when you drive?  Second hand smoke?  Drinking and liver damage?  I could go on.

I have no real opinion on this subject but I do hear about various things all the time that may or may not cause cancer.

According to this site: http://www.canceriq.org/causes.html

Possible causes are microwaving your food, dying your hair, using a cell phone, wearing makeup, and others including the artificial sweeteners. It is almost impossible today to avoid everything that might cause cancer, but that really isn't the point of this topic, either you like them or you don't, but I don't think you should be too worried about the cancer unless you are excessively using them.

Most of the studies done on Splenda with negative results were sponsored by the sugar industry. I'm waiting for an unbiased study to be done before I completely stop using it. I don't use it often anyways, it makes me retain water and crave sweet things. But i'm sure the amounts most people use won't cause anyone any harm.

really? splenda is an alcohol why would one get cancer? i better stop drinking beer

I asked my doctor and nutritionist about splenda, after I read a story about it being bad.

According to them, the original testing was done on mice, and they were fed enough to equate to a human eating a whole garbage can of splenda - and this was over a small time frame! Well no wonder they got sick. I don't think in my lifetime I could come remotely close to eating a whole garbage can of splenda....

I do agree with the other posters though, if it makes you feel sick, don't eat it.

Maybe someone can post the references which published the results of these supposed studies into sucralose and cancer suggesting a link (I am not talking about internet website but the real publications). I looked myself in the scientific literature and see NOTHING but refutes.

Wow I received a ton of posts about the Aspartame Poisioning Article I posted.  The reason I posted was because of an actual Diagnosis.  No, I didn't write the Article.  I just had headaches and no one could explain them until I was told to come off of anything containing Aspartame.  Once I did...the headaches stopped.

I use Splenda.  It does not affect me.  That is what I was saying.  If you are affected by Aspartame then you may want to switch to Pepsi ONE, Publix GGeneric Diet Soda or Diet Rite.  All contain Splenda instaed of Aspartame