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.
corky101- Thank you for the original post. I was not aware that so many different types of products were using sucralose. I am also a little disturbed by the fact that the green light to market it was based on a sampling of only 20 men. So maybe 0 in 20 do not have moderate to severe side effects; what about the 21st person, or a female, or better yet a child!?! I'm also trying to avoid artificials, especially ones that haven't been studied for long term effects. There's also nothing against advocating your opinions on the forums, and you did yours in a very tasteful, non-abrasive way, I might add. With enough like minded people banding together to try and make a difference, we may just get our wish of front packaging alerts to the use of artificial sweeteners.
Maybe you should stop buying so much processed junk food and you would be better off for not consuming the splenda AND the other artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives.
Original Post by mladdy:
corky101- Thank you for the original post. I was not aware that so many different types of products were using sucralose. I am also a little disturbed by the fact that the green light to market it was based on a sampling of only 20 men. So maybe 0 in 20 do not have moderate to severe side effects; what about the 21st person, or a female, or better yet a child!?! I'm also trying to avoid artificials, especially ones that haven't been studied for long term effects. There's also nothing against advocating your opinions on the forums, and you did yours in a very tasteful, non-abrasive way, I might add. With enough like minded people banding together to try and make a difference, we may just get our wish of front packaging alerts to the use of artificial sweeteners.
The testing that was in the news wasn't even on humans, it was on 20 rats. Hence, why the testing was a joke. Many of us have been using splenda 20-30 times a day, and Ive personally lost over 200 lbs and many people have lost more, so THATS why we get kind of tired of these repeated sucralose posts. Having to come to these threads every single day is tiring, sorry.
I agree that it is the consumer's responsibility to read labels.....and finding splenda in "juice" and diet fitness water wouldn't come as a surprise to me. Unless it says 100% juice there is surely going to be something added.
If you are that concerned about what is in your food, then you need to learn to read an entire ingredient list, or stop buying packaged food. Ingredients are not HIDDEN. They are printed on the package! Period!
Sorry if you'd rather gripe about what is "sneaking" into your body because on the one hand, you're SO concerned about it, but on the other hand, you're not concerned enough to read a label.
I drive people in my grocery store crazy because I stop and read labels on new products I'm trying. (And sometimes on ones I've been buying for years ... sometimes they will change up on you.)
I am all about the "informed decision" but you know ... INFORMED is the key word there.
Original Post by sammyxx:
Here is a list of additives that I got from the web that recommend you to avoid these in particular...(snip)
Sigh.
So, you read it on the internet, so it must be true.
I won't proclaim to be a medical or chemical expert, but let me say it this way: just because something has a chemical sounding name, doesn't mean it's automatically bad for you. For example, some of the chemicals among those that you listed are antioxidants that also appear naturally in green leafy vegetables. Why would they be bad for you?
The fact that something is a chemical doesn't mean it's bad for you. It only means that its chemical structure is known. For example, water is a chemical, as each molecule of water is made out of two hydrogen and one oxygen atoms. Yet, when you say dihydrogen monoxide, it sounds scary, doesn't it?
In response to some other posters, what is this nonsense about sucralose only ever being tested once on 20 rats? where did you get this information from? I quote from FDA, via FDA website:
“In determining the safety of sucralose, the FDA reviewed data from more than 110 studies in humans and animals. Many of the studies were designed to identify possible toxic effects including carcinogenic, reproductive and neurological effects. No such effects were found, and FDA's approval is based on the finding that sucralose is safe for human consumption.”
By all means, everyone is free to avoid whichever ingredient they wish to avoid, but do not misinform others.
Get off that pedestal you put yourself on CCer's! If you don't like posts such as these, then DON'T READ THEM! Wow, what a concept...almost as easy as knowing to read the ingredient list on products, huh?
These posts, that you may think you see frequently and are highlighting the need to read labels are good information for those new to calorie counting.
perhaps everyone should read this that I found out about sucralose
http://www.ific.org/publications/brochures/su cralosebroch.cfm
and
http://www.redicecreations.com/specialreports /sucralose.html
as well as this one
http://www.thepowerhour.com/news2/dangers_spl enda.htm
perhaps this will shed some light on the subject.
Okay, went to Target - about to buy 100 calorie english muffins and - tada! There it is - Sucralose!
Also, wanted to buy some instant oatmeal and was attracted to the one that said "lower in sugar" - I liked that idea b/c the other stuff is just way too sweet, but, nope - sucralose! About to buy the low fat Vanilla yogurt and, you Just goes to show - READ THE LABELS!
BTW: Since I couldn't find my usual oatmeal, I bought the Archer Organic blueberry instant oatmeal (160 cals/serv) and it is REALLY good!
Original Post by corky101:
Okay, went to Target - about to buy 100 calorie english muffins and - tada! There it is - Sucralose!
Also, wanted to buy some instant oatmeal and was attracted to the one that said "lower in sugar" - I liked that idea b/c the other stuff is just way too sweet, but, nope - sucralose! About to buy the low fat Vanilla yogurt and, you Just goes to show - READ THE LABELS!
BTW: Since I couldn't find my usual oatmeal, I bought the Archer Organic blueberry instant oatmeal (160 cals/serv) and it is REALLY good!
I read in Dr. Oz's book that Stevia can cause infertility. So my mommy won't let me have any. Of course I don't know if its been proven to be true or not but I think of him as a reputable source. Maybe you should look into that more. It could be just as harmful as you say sucralose is, which IMO doesn't seem very harmful at all but some people avoid it like the devil.
and I second everything skp_here82 said.
None of the theories been proven, that doesn't mean we should be
guzzling splenda down but I also find avoiding it like the
plague to be rather ridiculous. I understand you want to be healthy but
life is short, eat the damn muffins.
Stevia causes infertility and is a mutagen, causing cell mutations in the liver.
Yay!
Not.
Stevia? Infertility??? That's not a problem for me.... Besides, it's being used all over the world for many years, so I'm confident that it's fine. I'm done with kids, so infertility is fine, but I highly doubt that it causes it. If anything, I believe that sucralose acts like an estrogen, which could cause problems in men - but that's my personal belief and I'm not going to try to prove it or explain it.
Dr. Oz doesn't know a lot about holistic anything b/c he isn't trained that way - I love the guy, but he misses the boat on a few things.
I have a very bad reaction to sucralose which is why I avoid it like the plague - you would too if you were me. Many people get rashes and diarrhea, so they avoid it. I'm just trying to give them a heads up to what is in the food. I'm not arguing if it's bad for you or not - that's for someone else on another thread - but not here (and I won't even go there).
Like I said (over and over) I was just trying to give a heads up b/c the stuff is being added to everything. If you have a bad reaction to it, wouldn't you want to know that????
Read your lables then.
@ the fact that you don't care if it causes your reporductive organs to mutate to the point you can't produce offspring -- wow
There are reasons it wasn't approved as a food additive in the US. Maybe because it causes your liver to mutate. Sweeeet....mutating livers! Sign me up!
Original Post by corky101:
I have a very bad reaction to sucralose which is why I avoid it like the plague - you would too if you were me. Many people get rashes and diarrhea, so they avoid it. I'm just trying to give them a heads up to what is in the food. I'm not arguing if it's bad for you or not - that's for someone else on another thread - but not here (and I won't even go there).
Oh sorry I just thought you were doing it for health reasons like many other people have been on here. Which I would never argue but at the same time I think people should live a little. I can see then why it can be a big deal to people that have reactions to it who probably wouldn't have thought it to be in so many foods.
Hi. I too have had problems with sucralose. It began when I started biking last summer. My husband and I bought Propel water to take with us to drink. We would drink 2-3 on our rides. (Up to 30 miles) Within days I began having problems that felt like tendonitis in my elbow. I thought it was from the hand brake on the bike. After bike season ended, my elbow continued to bother me. I was not drinking as much Propel, but had switched to Splenda from Aspartame as I thought Aspartame was making my ears ring. So, I got rid of all things Aspartame and purposely bought foods with Splenda! Wow! This winter with Swiss Miss cocoa, tea, instant oatmeal, regular oatmeal with Splenda, Baking with Splenda instead of sugar, etc. I have had extreme elbow pain! I also noticed that my arm muscles felt like someone had shredded them they just hurt all the time. I have been living on Advil. Then one day I thought. Maybe it is the Splenda! Since it started right after we began biking and drinking the Splenda sweetened Propel. Since that day I have been avoiding all things sucralose or at least I thought I was! I was feeling somewhat better but I was still having flare-ups of extreme elbow pain. I checked more labels on things I was eating and what do you know, my chewable vitamin C from Costco has Sucralose in them! I have been re-checking all labels in my house. I expect I will begin feeling better once the sucralose leaves my body completely. I think we will have to continue to check labels even of foods we "know" doesn't have sucralose in them as the food manufacturers are always changing their ingredients.
I just wanted to make a quick comment to corky101:
your OP was not offensive
I happen to be allergic to Aspartamine, nuts, chocolate and about 10 other things..and take it from an avid label reader, not all these things are displayed BOLDLY!! I take the time to read every label of a new thing I buy and still miss things occassionally.
The only time I would say something is hidden is when a product has multiple names, Like MSG or hydrolyzed yeast extract..same thing different name. But because I am allergic to this, it is my responsibility, a matter of life and death with some stuff, to read the labels and be conscious of what I put in my mouth.
I happen to love Splenda because this is the first time I am able to eat something sugar free, but still most things have Aspartamine in it, it's getting better, but I am still very limited.
I did not take the time to read the entire thread, so forgive me if I repeated another post.
hey-- well i know i'm just jumping in here--- but i am 29 and about 2 years ago was drinking things with splenda in them like it was crack---i lovvveeed it--- but i had gotten (people) parvo and have had mono alot -- and ibs---so i started having really bad stomach problems-- and developed colitis and a hiatal hernia---i was allergic to many medications ---including my stomach one-- but not foods---ever--- and with some other things going on---it really was hard to tell what the cause was----splenda was about the last thing i cut--- i found a random post about a woman with a similar story--- like she drank propel or something --all the time and slowly developed a toxicity to splenda----- well her symptoms were very similar to mine so i tried to stay away from it----- however --- i still occassionally ate some things---- this applesauce i liked---because i still wasnt sure------- i also had a hard time being diagnosed because --quite honestly i had been a victim of sexual assault not too long before all this--- and everyone thought i was being hypersensitive---so i did ignore it---even though it was physical----- well my stomach issue has gone on for a while ---and my immune system is a bit lower than most adults my age---- because i did have the constant rash-- bloating and swelling--- and other things as many people have posted---i did point it out-- but here's the suck factor---
--- i have been keeping a very close eye on what i ate---- one day a few months ago i was eating an icecream sunday and my lips started to tingle---i got hives immediately on my arms and felt like i couldnt breathe--- i threw up and had terrible diarrhea--- this was my first actual immediate allergic reaction---compared to intolerance--but i had no clue why---i thought i was being stupid-- like placeboing something because i knew what i was eating--
--except my dad accidently got whip cream with splenda in it----
so for the people who say that people who get it slipped to them are fine---can really well get over yourselves because like everytime it happens to me---i nail it flat out--
- BUT it takes a bit because the onset is weird at least for me--because if i have had the flu or something it is immediate---but sometimes it takes a few minutes to realize why i feel weird-- but about five to ten minutes in----when the fingers go numb or if i get the immediate forceful cough---i know to grab a label---and if i was blind tested--im tellin ya-- it still shows---
but as far as with me---even though it is an allergy that is very apparent and i do get really sick---if i get allergy medication fast enough--- its not like life threatening or anything---but its just that for people like me---once you have a reaction like that you have to be more careful---because it increases in intensity---it is not like an allergy you build a tolerance to ---so --- after that day ---- i was extra careful---- yes i did accidently make my own mistakes--
but when i ate one bite of a sugar free jello--i felt it immediately---like i got this immediate need to forcefully cough---then flashed a rash and was sick on my stomach for days-
what scared me was that my tongue actually swelled---which was new---- even though i treated it with allergy medicines---- after a reaction of this type---- i have found myself extremely sensitive to other non sugar sweeteners --especially sorbitol----but because the reactions are somewhat milder---that took forever to figure out too------- i had to stop chewing my favorite gums ----and even watch for toothpastes-- i do have seasonal allergies and have found that daily claritin has minimized effects of the other sweeteners --- i avoid them still---but it doesnt get as bad if i accidently drink the wrong thing or something----
----so about the HIDDEN quality---- yes it is true----- i know i have made mistakes because things are so bright on packages---but they can still look so similar--- that i didnt realize at first that foods with splenda in them could be labeled way down as sucralose--
at first--- now i do know one good trick is to watch any juice bottle or jam/whip cream with the LIGHT BLUE CAPS!! that denotes splenda---
faster than reading all the labels----- however, i recently came back to college to finish a degree and i noticed more than ever that it can be hidden--- like i asked straight up if splenda was in the fruit of the smoothies i got or anything ---i always watch out for any item mark sugar or even low fat---
but it does get mixed in with apparently regular foods toobecause--- see people do sometimes use sugar as a main sweetener but add splenda to keep calories down--and if you eat in cafeterias where foods arent marked--- diet or otherwise--- it can be slipped to you---because mainstream people dont see a problem with it-- its not out there how bad a reaction someone can have--even if you ask-- you may not get a concrete answer-
so back to the smoothie thing--- i would get one in particular, and i felt my chest tighten in class--- and started to feel sick to my stomach--but everyone was getting the flu and with some buildings being torn down i thought it was a chemical allergy or something-if not flu--- but it happened stronger the next day----- and so i went back to the counter and asked to be sure that i had the sugar mix instead of the no fat one--- and they swore i got the right thing--as they stared at me like i was a freak------- but it felt too similar to the other allergy---it was intense---so i went to the website for the company who makes the mixes----- it turns out---that where most of the fruits are flash frozen----the peach component was a liquid syrup ---that has sorbitol in it!! the company proudly displays a sign above the counter showing their new use of splenda brand----which is why i asked--
--- but it is flat out not in the information that the staff has on hand--- the kids pour out of non descript dispensers--- ---they genuinely didnt know------ and then just before the semester got out----as i now diligently check what i am getting----- i got my drink switched with another customer---but ---yet again i felt it as it was going down--- i know that feeling---and it is getting nearly as bad as the splenda one--
- the person who mentioned things getting slipped into peoples food can totally take note of this one---yes sorbitol is one of the single most used additives in non-sugar foods--- but i can tell everytime---- and it really is not always labeled--- and i find that splenda and sorbitol tend to be found near one another in certain places so i do check everything out--- but it is not your common allergy---and people who give prepared foods dont always know what they are serving--
-now of course i sometimes pass altogether----but i have been told outright things were certainly sugar made and still gotten sick ---and gone bleedingly deep into their management team to find if one of the two got slipped in there---and the only times i got sick----at least sorbitol was--- and all they could say was sorry---but not everyone cares ---because they dont get it
now i am allowed to drink smoothies---its kinda of my right to choose-- but i was really angry that even though the main juice mixes are labeled --those new syrups are not----i called the company and got a list of the only full sugar drinks they carry so i still get one particular drink with no problem---but one day ----the boy poured me the wrong thing---they stare at me constantly because-- every time i buy---even though i see the red cap ---and i know what should go in---i ask to make certain they read me out the labels--
- and sure enough the dude was about to give me not only the one with actual splenda---- but with the peach sorbitol flavoring---- even my gastroenterologist said to watch every dessert at restaurants because it is not always clearly advertised---especially when sugar is a main ingredient-----
---so yes i thought it was sent from heaven---but it didnt work for me--- and i had to learn to read better--- but this is one allergy i can flat out say that ---is not always labled---even on the packaging----expecially in commercial kitchens --because it is a new allergy i am learning the hard way---but i even got sick from an afterdinner mint--- at a restaurant---
the hard thing too---is like with that smoothie stand---- some companies are switching to splenda from aspertame without announcing it---including many sugar free candies----
i know this is terrible but i am probably the one person who begs for aspertame---and just this year nearly all my favorite candies--- ---even those i have researched before-- have switched------ and like some cola companies--- have it in their 'diet' sodas ---and aspertame in the zero ---when aspertame used to be the big thing in diet sodas--- it may seem like people are just whining-----
but if you were afflicted with a severe allergy of a food substance that is rushing the market----you would realize that it is hidden--- i mean who would think to ask at a nicer restaurant if their regular "decadent" cakes--- which dieters are told to avoid---would be made partly with sugar substitutes like splenda--
- splenda is actually chemically closer to ddt than to sugar------- though it is neither---- and it is fine for people who like it-whatever--however
-----it really should be taken seriously for disclosure---like msg---- there used to be alot of products with msg that didnt claim it---- until forced--- now everyone has to be informed-----
every chocolate bar has to say it may contain minute particles of peanuts---true or not--for safety----and really splenda should be put up there with those--- i mean i try hard too--- to stay informed--- but not all foods have ingredient list--
cuz it may be an ingredient ---in an ingredient--- like those people were truly sure my smoothie was made with sugar because the mix was--- but they weren't informed about seemingly small garnish type syrups or sweeteners------
so back to my points--- A--- it can be hidden
B--- oh you can tell---but you just dont always know immediately why you feel it if you shouldnt---- but it doesnt mean people dont feel it---especially if the rashes are somewhat constant-for certain people --- and other symptoms are fatigue or general sick stomach--- i mean i got a reaction from a restaurant where people i knew had gotten a touch of food poisoning prior--
so especially when i was working it out--- it was hard to pinpoint----- but i still felt it--- i just was dumb enough to eat there later -- and realize what it was----- but now that i spent so long thinking it was other sources---- my body cant take it at all-- and if people were more aware of this potential allergy i could have stopped eating this before i became so intolerant that i have to limit --the sorbitol--xylitol--and so on--
-- i know that is alot to say on the subject--- but it bothers me when people try to pull the card of sneaking it to others--as if they wont notice-to see if its a real allergy---
additive allergies are complicated-- and the severity of an allergy can effect the onset of symptoms--- it may take a bit for people to figure out what it exactly was that caused them to feel bad--- but it doesnt change the fact that it boiled down to splenda that they clearly didnt know they were eating ---in a food that yes--- may not have been labeled---
--i really am sorry for people who struggle with aspertame or even sweet and low--- because i know they do make people sick--but this substance has an effect on others of us-- so as cool as i thought it was--- i do wish i could have my aspertame back-- --
-however the one good thing of this ---is that for people who do like the product--- many large stores like target--carry alot of nice candies and sodas with it--- and of course with my sorbitol issue--- i am having major trouble with especially toothpastes right now--- and that is odd and rare-
my point was just that it was physically hidden from me even though i do always look---but it is hard to analyze the odd names that certain ingredients share--'it took me months to figure out that my issue is with products created from sugar alcohols--- which is much easier to say and look up---
-splenda and other products can be great for many people -it really is tasty--but for me it was like a year of slowly poisoning myself--with what i thought was this miracle thing-and led to other intolerances--so it is fair to still recognize it with warnings so that more people take it seriously ---- and understood that we arent just hypochondriacs---
yeah ---okay so i know i said like way too much already-- but just about the comment that just because something sounds chemical doesnt make it bad--- and some things are antioxidants.. well yeah--- but the point is how this particular chemical--advertised as being like sugar but not sugar-- is about how much it is realllyyy not sugar based-- it is a compound that alot of people are finding bery hard to metabolize--- and white willow bark is natural--- its in some nice tasting sobe drinks--- it is supposed to make you feel a bit better or something---it is a natural anti-inflammatory.... of which aspirin is based--- if you are on anti inflammatories -- and you drink it--- it can be bad for you-- i knowi am weirdly sensitive because my stomach stuff---but honestly ---everyone can benefit from the reality that not everything approved the fda is good for everyone ---and in many drink sweeteners and additives--- that is not always pointed out--- ginseng shouldnt be taken in high doses --- it is a "natural" caffeine substitute-- but picture that for a moment--- if something is a substitute for something else--- natural or synthetic--- it must do something near the effect of what you are trying to avoid--- and in that process-- people should know that it will have its own properties, not all of which are positive for everyone--- so generalizations about food products should not be made---im sorry-- but im no doctor either---
but this is about informing people about potential issues of new products before jumping on the band wagon---and with many of these type products--- info is hard to get --if you dont know what to look for ---- just like medications---- there is no one size fits all..especially when most literature on new things is by the companies for the positive side- it is not something that the general consumer necessarily knows how to research--- i mean not that many decades ago psychiatrists gave people ecstasy for couples therapy... and when people are needing to do the right thing for their bodies---be it losing weight or getting around an allergy---- it can be a daunting task--- and pointing out problems is allowed.. and necessary-- we all want to do the right things---but especially for those of us who fall under the poverty line--- avoiding packaged foods altogether is not always an option--- and yes some of these things are great--but it is about connecting people to different sources too- not just --splenda--- 8th wonder of the world-- but again it still is not completely knocking it -for you---but if i have to put chemicals in my body--- i appreciate others telling me which ones they had to watch out for and why--- because not everyone can go to the better stores--- so it is really important to acknowledge that prepared foods may be misleading --- so we can pick the right ones-
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