Questions on sucralose

This Week In The HSI Forum

“Anyone know about this sugar substitute?”

That question is also the title of a thread on the HSI Forum this week. It comes from a member named Peggy Sue, who elaborates in her posting: “I would like to know about sucralose and if it’s a safe sugar replacement? I read some disturbing things about itand was wondering if these things are true or just speculation.”

A member named Sally steps up with some strong opinions about sucralose. She writes: “I, personally, consumed mass quantities of sucralose in an attempt to lose weight. After discovering how unhealthy aspartame is, I thought this was the perfect substitute. Wrong! I was also giving my 12 year old son protein bars with sucralose in them. He started having allergic reactions to the stuff including nausea, stomach aches and hot red ears and face. I decided to do some research. I discovered that it shrinks the thymus gland 40%, which is important for immune system health. Besides the allergic reactions it can cause, I wouldn’t touch the stuff with a ten foot pole!!! I now only use stevia which is all natural with absolutely no side effects!”

As I’ve written in previous e-Alerts, stevia is an herb that has been shown to suppress glucose response while increasing insulin levels. In the e-Alert “The Sweet Life” (3/10/03), an HSI member named Arline wrote: “The best sweetener for diabetics is Stevia. I am a diabetic and have been using it for years. You can even cook with it in powder form. I use the liquid to sweeten drinks, etc.”

If there’s a downside to stevia, it’s a tendency to taste bitter – a tendency that varies from one brand to another. A member named Kathy points out that using too much of any brand will cause bitterness. And she adds, “We’re talking about the white, powdered extract, not the green, powdered stevia leaf.”

Another excellent sweetener is Xylitol; a birch wood extract that has 40 percent fewer calories than sugar, and does not cause a spike in blood sugar levels. A member named aardvark shares his first experience with Xylitol:

“I just received today a nine-pound supply of Xylitol. Stuck my finger in one of the jugs. Sweet with no aftertaste. Supposed to be a 1:1 usage equivalent with regular sugar for sweetening effect — appears to be true, according to my tongue. Also supposed to eliminate oral bacteria that cause plaque. Like all sugar alcohols, not to be consumed by the handful.”

As aardvark points out, Xylitol makers actually claim that their product prevents cavities. In the e-Alert “The Sweet Lowdown” (6/3/04), HSI Panelist Richard Cohan, D.D.S., M.B.A., explained that Xylitol is a five-carbon sugar, which can’t be metabolized by bacteria. That doesn’t mean you’ll never get cavities. But if you do, they won’t be caused by Xylitol use.

More on Xylitol from biztekmom: “I have a toothpaste made with it. There is also a chewing gumpretty good.”

And a member named Harry agrees: “I’ve been using an all- natural, xylitol-sweetened gum called, ‘XyliChew’ for a couple years. I’ve only been able to find it at the health food store and on the Internet though. I’ve tried and enjoyed the fruit, peppermint and spearmint flavors. The thing I like most about the gum (aside from the potential health benefits of xylitol) is that it doesn’t disintegrate in my mouth like other natural gums.”

Several other sweeteners are discussed in this thread, so if you’re looking for a healthy alternative to sugar, this is a good place to start.

Other topics on the HSI Forum this week include:

• Cinnamon
• Sciatic nerve in leg
• Contact lenses
• Skin tags
• Hypothyroid testing and symptoms
• Salt

To reach the HSI Forum, just go to our web site at www.hsionline.com, click on “Forum,” and add your voice to the wide range of topics concerning health care and nutrition.