Watch for Sucralose (aka Splenda)

I know many love the stuff and swear by it and it's probably true that it won't cause any problems in moderation (for many people) in the short term (no long term studies have been done - so we will have to wait and see), however, that being said -  it is being added to many foods that we are unaware of - so what you think is moderation is turning into regular high-end consumption.

Personally, I can't have splenda - it causes heart palpatations and hot sweats.  When I researched it, I found that it is a chlorocarbon (like DDT) which our bodies will metabolize (some people more than others).  I read the FDA report and found that they tested only twenty MEN (men only) and in those, they found that 20% of the sweetener was indeed absorbed in their bodies.  I have a feeling it mimics estrogen...but I'm not a chemist or doctor.

Anyhow, I have bought items such as Hawian Punch, Quaker rice cakes, Propell Water, etc. - ONLY to find that hidden in the ingretients is Sucralose! 

It's fine if people want to consume it - I have no problem with that - BUT Please don't hide it in our food!!!

 If anyone is interested, there is a natural alternative called Stevia.  It is very strong, so if you use too much it will taste bitter.  I just started using it in my tea (switching over from good ol'sugar) - I found Stevia packets at Trader Joe's and it adds the perfect amount and tastes just like sugar.

Thats what I find funny. All you people anti sucralose and anti splenda: Almost half the foods and beverages you people drink have it ALREADY hidden in there and your completely fine, correct? Stop freaking out over artificial sweeteners. So sick of these threads.

Original Post by corky101:

It's fine if people want to consume it - I have no problem with that - BUT Please don't hide it in our food!!! 

  Is it really "hidden"?.  I'm willing to bet that every single one of those products you mentioned had "sucralose" in the ingredients list on the packaging or label.  Actually, with a quick google search, I was able to find the ingredients list for Propell, and sucralose was plainly listed.  Not exactly "hidden" when the information is openly available.

If you have problems with it, or any ingredient, label reading is very important.

on edit:  And comparing it with DDT is a little disingenuous - chlorine in a compound does not automatically translate to being toxic.

You know, I tried to make my post non-offending to those who love the stuff, but....some people....

Anyhow both of you previous posters are wrong:

1.  The sucralose is NOT labeled on the front of the items that I mentioned: The Quaker Rice Snacks - with the caramel corn - is sitting in front of me as I write this and it is NOT there - it is HIDDEN in the ingredients (on the back in tiny print) as sucralose.    This is the same with the Hawian Punch that I was feeding to my son.  I actually checked the label looking for HFCS (which was there) and was surprised to see the sucralose too.  Yes, you CAN go on websites and check ingredients in these products and it will have it listed, but it is not clearly displayed on the front packaging - and it peeves me b/c I don't have all day when food shopping to read every ingredient list right thru to the end and I hate wasting my money - buying the stuff that I will just toss in the garbage.

2.  As for eating it without knowing it:  as I said, I have a bad reaction to the stuff and a few times - when I started to not feel right, I check the package and lo and behold - there it is.  I suppose you'll tell me it's all in my mind, but it's not. 

As I said, I'm not trying to change all of you people who love the stuff and have no reaction to it - I'm merely trying to point out that our society is eating more of it without knowing, so be informed.   If you do start showing symptoms (such as upset stomach, diarea, rashes - or the kind I get - heart palpatations), then it may be the sucralose.

Original Post by corky101:

You know, I tried to make my post non-offending to those who love the stuff, but....some people....

Your post wasn't offensive.  And I'm not sure what "some people" is supposed to mean, but my post was not incorrect.

You said you managed to find sucralose listed in the ingredients section of the package - which is what I stated, not that it was on the front of the packaging.  It would only be "hidden" if it weren't listed at all, which is clearly not the case.  It may be small, but unless some very large packaging is involved, ALL ingredient listings are in small print, even if there's nothing objectionable in them.

As for not having the time to look at labels, I'm afraid that's the burden of the consumer who wants to take an active interest in what they consume.  Some people have to scan the label to make sure it's low in sodium, some have to make sure there are no peanut or sesame products in it - it's the responsibility they take on for the sake of their health. 

Making the food industry cater to it is a matter of consumer pressure and feedback - if it's likely to affect product sales to put "contains sucralose" on the front of the Propell bottle when there's already limited graphics space, then corporations will change it.

And I don't think your reaction to it, or anyone else's is in your head.  All I was saying is that it is possible to know the contents of what you're buying with minimal effort.

When I say "hidden" I didn't mean "omitted".

People are allergic to nutrasweet - so you'll see (usually under the ingredients) in bold that it contains Phenylalanine.  This goes for wheat and peanuts too (this will be displayed boldly).  If you search the web, you'll also find that many people have adverse reactions to sucralose- so this ingredient should also stand out so we can easily see it.  I know someone is going to chime in saying that someone will be allergic to just about any ingredient - so what's the use calling attention to any one ingredient in particular. I say to that: it's all in percents and if sucralose bothers a good percent of people, then it should be displayed as Phenylalanine, wheat products & peanuts.

I'm just upset that they're adding this to just about everything - ice cream, yogurt, flavored water, cookies, gum, pan cake syrup, etc.  I think I'm buying something healthy, but it's got this artificial sweetener in it and I feel duped.  Sugar doesn't have that many calories per teaspoon (only 16) so what is the big deal?  By adding this stuff, the product (many times) becomes too sweet.

This weekend I had two more surprises: my son's juice and rice cakes (that my very very thin children eat). 

Original Post by corky101:

I'm just upset that they're adding this to just about everything - ice cream, yogurt, flavored water, cookies, gum, pan cake syrup, etc.  I think I'm buying something healthy, but it's got this artificial sweetener in it and I feel duped.  

If you're buying ice cream, cookies, or syrup that are lower in calories, then there's a reason why they're like that.   I think it's safe to assume that if you come across syrup that's only 35 calories a 1/4 cup that the sweetness is artificial.  (Sugar may "only" be 16 cals a teaspoon, but that's 770 cals per cup.)

It's not hard to find sweet stuff without artificial sweetnener in it, it's hard to find low calorie sweet stuff without artificial sweetener.  When I go to the ice cream, cookie, soda, or juice aisles, I've discovered there's no shortage of items without nutrasweet, sucralose, or sacchrine in them - but I don't expect them to be low calorie. 

Juice is something that I've always been careful about.  It's naturally high in calories, so I automatically know that if I see cran apple juice that's listed as only 40 cals a serving, it's not because it's naturally like that.

And I would hesitate to feed my kids rice cakes anyway - I've never thought they were all that substantial of a snack.

man, I just cannot get on the stevia bandwagon.  My mom bought me some and I tried it in tea and coffee and both ways I have to say it was just gross to me :( I guess I'll be sticking with my raw sugar and just counting the calorie

Actually I agree with santonacci.  It is very hard to find low calorie sweet stuff "healthy" but the ingredients are definetely not hidden.  By law they have to write everything down because in case somebody has a severe alergy in a certain ingredient and is not listed they could have a major law suit.  So, yes there not hiden, it's just stupid that they advertise those products as "healthy" when they're really not.  Anyway I find it more satisfying to have a piece or two dark chocolate or my tea with raw sugar than any artificial sweetener in.  And what?  If at the end of the day I have consumed 1440 calories instead of 1400 because of regular sugar, I really don't think is a HUGE deal.

Personally, additives in food don't have any affects on me although I am trying to limit them... it is all personal choice whether to consume them or not so it doesnt bother me if people are for or against them..

I have created a list to take shopping with me as a lot of the artificial sweeteners and preservatives aren't actually named in the ingredients list.. instead they are listed by their corresponding code.

Here is a list of additives that I got from the web that recommend you to avoid these in particular... I find it extremely hard to cancel out all these in my foods but at least I am aware of what is in the food before buying it.

102       Tartrazine, yellow #5 AVOID      &nbs p;       & nbsp;      &nbs p;       & nbsp;      &nbs p;       & nbsp;      &nbs p;       & nbsp;     

104       Quinoline yellow AVOID

107       Yellow 2G AVOID

110       Sunset yellow AVOID

122       Azorubine, carmoisine AVOID

123       Amaranth AVOID

124       Ponceau 4R, brilliant scarlet AVOID

127       Erythrosine AVOID

128       Red 2G AVOID

129       Allura red AVOID

132       Indigotine, indigo carmine AVOID

133       Brilliant blue AVOID

142       Food green S, acid brilliant green AVOID

151       Brilliant black BN AVOID

155       Brown HT, chocolate brown AVOID

160b     Annatto extracts, bixin, norbixin AVOID

200       Sorbic acid AVOID

201       Sodium sorbate AVOID

202       Potassium sorbate AVOID

203       Calcium sorbate AVOID

210       Benzoic acid AVOID

211       Sodium benzoate AVOID

212       Potassium benzoate AVOID

213       Calcium benzoate AVOID

220       Sulphur dioxide AVOID

221       Sodium sulphite AVOID

222       Sodium bisulphite AVOID

223       Sodium metabisulphite AVOID

224       Potassium metabisulphite AVOID

225       Potassium sulphite AVOID

228       Potassium bisulphite AVOID

242       Dimethyl dicarbonate (new, untested)

249       Potassium nitrite AVOID

250       Sodium nitrite AVOID

251       Sodium nitrate AVOID

252       Potassium nitrate AVOID

280       Propionic acid AVOID

281       Sodium propionate AVOID

282       Calcium propionate AVOID

283       Potassium propionate AVOID

310       Propyl gallate AVOID

311       Octyl gallate AVOID

312       Dodecyl gallate AVOID

319       tert-Butylhydroquinone, tBHQ AVOID

320       Butylated hydroxyanisole, BHA AVOID

321       Butylated hydroxytoluene, BHT AVOID

620       L-Glutamic acid AVOID

621       Monosodium L-glutamate (MSG) AVOID

622       Monopotassium L-glutamate AVOID

623       Calcium di-L-glutamate AVOID

624       Monoammonium L-glutamate AVOID

625       Magnesium di-L-glutamate AVOID

627       Disodium guanylate AVOID

631       Disodium inosinate AVOID

635       Disodium 5'-ribonucleotides AVOID

951       Aspartame (Nutrasweet, Equal) (artificial sweetening substance) AVOID

The thing with phenylketonuria, and peanut/gluten allergies, and why they are actually labeled, is the large number documented cases of fairly SEVERE symptoms. They're not just mere adverse reactions, we're talking about anaphylactic shock and permanent retardation.

If you want your sucralose allergy to be more conspicuously labeled on foods, you're going to need to find more people with sucralose allergies, and with clear, documented cause tying to Splenda, and somehow get the companies to notice.

I'm on santonacci's side; it is the burden of the consumer to look for information on the labels. Hidden was probably a bad word choice to pick, because it implied that it wasn't listed at all, and you had to look on the company's website to find it.

I agree with the op splenda is a terrible product we should boycott it out of production. I'm more of a asulfame k/aspartame fan myself anyway, and neotame is on its way so that will be good as well,

I think many of you are missing my point:

The whole point of my original post was to say : BUYER BEWARE - that you have to go searching thru the list (all the way thru) to find the sucralose - which BTW is very close to sucrose (aka sugar). 

It would be GREAT if they would put this on the front of package as many products do (example:  "Made with Splenda") but it's not a perfect world (for me at least). 

I was upset b/c I assumed that a product was healthy and I spent my money on it only to find that I was not able to eat it - so I write the post that if anyone else out there is anti-sucralose to beware - it's in so many items that you have to look for it "hidden" amongst the other ingredients.  When I say "hidden" I meant that it blends in - you have to LOOK for it and since it is so similiar to sucrose you MUST be careful.  Also, sometimes you'll see "sugar" in the ingredients and think that it's OK, only to find sucralose listed later on...so you have to go all the way thru the listing.

mgrondin,

I didn't like stevia either until I found the premeasured packages - I just couldn't get the measurment right. 

As for another poster who stated that why not just use regular sugar - I used to - but with 2 tsp per cup of tea with a dash of milk - that was 50 cals and I like 2 or 3 cups a day.  My cal limit is 1300 which is not so easy to stick to (maybe if it were 1800 I'd just use sugar and be done with it).  But, another thing to consider, many people need to cut back on sugar due to other medical problems so stevia is a nice alternative.

sammyxx,

that's some list.

The best thing is just try to stay "all natural" as much as possible and avoid processed foods.

Original Post by corky101:

I think many of you are missing my point:

The whole point of my original post was to say : BUYER BEWARE - that you have to go searching thru the list (all the way thru) to find the sucralose - which BTW is very close to sucrose (aka sugar). 

It would be GREAT if they would put this on the front of package as many products do (example:  "Made with Splenda") but it's not a perfect world (for me at least). 

I was upset b/c I assumed that a product was healthy and I spent my money on it only to find that I was not able to eat it - so I write the post that if anyone else out there is anti-sucralose to beware - it's in so many items that you have to look for it "hidden" amongst the other ingredients.  When I say "hidden" I meant that it blends in - you have to LOOK for it and since it is so similiar to sucrose you MUST be careful.  Also, sometimes you'll see "sugar" in the ingredients and think that it's OK, only to find sucralose listed later on...so you have to go all the way thru the listing.

 

 

 I get the impression from this, you're upset, because you couldn't make the effort to flip a package around, and read it.  I can't remember the last thing I bought, that I didn't read the ingredients.  Food producers aren't mandated to cater to folks, who, well, didn't bother to look. 

Original Post by corky101:

sammyxx,

that's some list.

The best thing is just try to stay "all natural" as much as possible and avoid processed foods.

Tryin my best in my circumstances at the moment to go all natural (house under renovations- no fridge/kitchen etc.).. but i also enjoy my tea or coffee once or twice a day and i prefer it sweet and the calories do add up if your using real sugar.. but nevertheless.. everythin in moderation

Wow, people get defensive about their artificial sweetners! Personally, I drink it more than I should, and eat it as well, which sucks, but like you said it is in everything. I try to stick with natural sugars, and feel better when I do.

But anyways, the stevia sugar is amazing. I love it. I use it in my tea/coffee and it is actually sweeter than splenda and equal. Plus it has added fiber. And its from a leaf! How great is that?

It is ridiculus that they don't put "with splenda" or something on the from. It causes migraines and everything with some people, and it should be properly advertised, but they aren't breaking any laws, just being annoying ugh.