Issues with sucralose

Questions On Sucralose

The splendor of nature does not include Splenda.

In response to the e-Alert “The Sweet Lowdown” (6/3/04), an HSI member named Sharon had this question: “Why didn’t you mention Splenda as a sweetener?”

Good question, Sharon. In fact, several members wrote to ask why Splenda wasn’t included. The simple reason is that the e- Alert only addressed natural alternatives to sugar and aspartame. And the processing of Splenda is anything but natural.

We’ll start with the plus side: Splenda does not cause a spike in sugar levels, so it’s considered an acceptable sweetener for diabetics. It’s also the sweetener used in many Atkins products. But Splenda is a brand name for sucralose, which is chlorinated table sugar.

Representatives for Johnson & Johnson (the makers of Splenda) claim that chlorine processing is not a problem because sucralose passes through the human body without being absorbed. A similar claim is also made on the Atkins Web site, which states that sucralose is “inert” in the digestive system, and passes quickly through the body without accumulating in tissues.

According to the sucralose “Final Rule” issued by the FDA, however, the body may absorb from 11 to 27 percent of ingested sucralose. But research from the Japanese Food Sanitation Council doesn’t agree; it estimates that perhaps as much as 40 percent is absorbed.

In addition, the Sucralose Toxicity Information Center (STIC) has determined that once sucralose is absorbed, as much as 20 to 30 percent may be metabolized by the body where it could accumulate in the gastrointestinal tract, as well as the liver and kidneys. And what it may be doing there, over a long period of time, with more added daily, is the unknown factor of sucralose. STIC research in the ’90s demonstrated that years of sucralose use may lead to immune system and neurological disorders.

The only real complaint that most people have about sucralose is that it sometimes causes stomach pains and gas. But only time will tell if daily sucralose use might lead to more serious problems. I don’t know about you, but I don’t like the idea of being a guinea pig in these worldwide experiments.

To Your Good Health,

Jenny Thompson
Health Sciences Institute

Sources:
“The Sucralose Toxicity Information Center” Holistic Healing Web Page, holistic.med.com
“The Potential Dangers of Sucralose” Dr. Joseph Mercola, 12/3/00, mercola.com