Splenda - Beware!

[Bear03]

So, recently, my cousin told me that I should avoid splenda, because it spikes your blood sugar just the same as sugar does.  I checked the ingredients in a splenda packet and noticed that it has both dextrose and maltodextrin in addition to sucralose.  Be careful you don't use this stuff like it's calorie-free; it's not!

[250Ben250]

Yes indeed.

I think its minimal so its still better than regular sugar, but that's also why I stick to regular sweet and low.

[Bear03]

Yes indeed.

I think its minimal so its still better than regular sugar, but that's also why I stick to regular sweet and low.

dude sweet and low's got it in it too!  Basically what i mean is, i'd been using it like CRAZY in oatmeal and stuff, but i realized it probably was spiking my blood sugar and adding a bit more fast carbs than i'd been accounting for.

[big E]

I switched to splenda 6 months ago and in two weeks with no table sugar my b.f and b.w went down. and i use 100 packs every 7 days.

[Bear03]

sucra etc isnt digested by the body i dont think... im about 1050% sure that splenda does NOT spike your blood sugar levels what so ever

how do you explain the intense cravings i get after eating it?

[Bear03]

LOL i dont know why you have intense cravings after eating it, but Splenda is not "sugar" per se, its made from sugar. It has zero calories, there arent any carbs in it that would effect your blood sugar.

Alright, i dunno, i'm just going to cut back on it, worst thing that would happen is i'd save some money...

[Brutal_1]

how do you explain the intense cravings i get after eating it?

eat more! 

[Bear03]

eat more! 

12 egg whites and 1 c. oats?

[Brutal_1]

no, 12 whole eggs baba!

[Bear03]

no, 12 whole eggs baba!

i'm not an eater, i'm an artist.  dig the tookie thread on the gossip board.

[gammahydroxy]

It has a small amount of both dextrose and/or maltodextrin..If you consume like 20 packs in one sitting of course your going to have an insulin spike...Mike(1fast) has bulk spenda with dextrose or malto for sale...

[Brutal_1]

i'm not an eater, i'm an artist.  dig the tookie thread on the gossip board.

true true 

[Princess L]

So, recently, my cousin told me that I should avoid splenda, because it spikes your blood sugar just the same as sugar does.  I checked the ingredients in a splenda packet and noticed that it has both dextrose and maltodextrin in addition to sucralose.  Be careful you don't use this stuff like it's calorie-free; it's not!

I think your cousin may be mis-informed or over-reacting. Of course, if you're going to injest mass quantities in one sitting ~ sure you might have some issues.  Splenda is recommended by the American Diabetes Assn. because it does not spike insulin.  Here's what they say:
In SPLENDA* Granular, the bulking agent is the common food starch maltodextrin which will contribute 1/2 gram of carbohydrate or the equivalent of 2 calories per tsp. Up to 6 tsp of SPLENDA* Granular are considered a free food in a sugar restricted diet. When used in larger amounts, as in cooking or baking, these calories should be accounted for in the daily allowances towards bread/starch exchange. As an example, 5/8 of a cup of SPLENDA* Granular contributes 15 g of carbohydrates and is counted as one starch food choice
Similarly, in SPLENDA* Packets, sucralose is combined with maltodextrin and dextrose. These ingredients will contribute a total of 1 gram of carbohydrate or 4 calories per packet. Therefore, three SPLENDA* Packets may be considered a "free" food, however, when used in greater quantities, the calories from SPLENDA* Packets should be counted towards the fruit exchange.

[Bear03]

I think your cousin may be mis-informed or over-reacting. Of course, if you're going to injest mass quantities in one sitting ~ sure you might have some issues.  Splenda is recommended by the American Diabetes Assn. because it does not spike insulin.  Here's what they say:
In SPLENDA* Granular, the bulking agent is the common food starch maltodextrin which will contribute 1/2 gram of carbohydrate or the equivalent of 2 calories per tsp. Up to 6 tsp of SPLENDA* Granular are considered a free food in a sugar restricted diet. When used in larger amounts, as in cooking or baking, these calories should be accounted for in the daily allowances towards bread/starch exchange. As an example, 5/8 of a cup of SPLENDA* Granular contributes 15 g of carbohydrates and is counted as one starch food choice
Similarly, in SPLENDA* Packets, sucralose is combined with maltodextrin and dextrose. These ingredients will contribute a total of 1 gram of carbohydrate or 4 calories per packet. Therefore, three SPLENDA* Packets may be considered a "free" food, however, when used in greater quantities, the calories from SPLENDA* Packets should be counted towards the fruit exchange.

thanks, princess! i reached a similar conclusion.  to the best of your knowledge, is splenda completely safe?

[WhiteHulk4]

From Splenda.com

SPLENDAŽ No Calorie Sweetener contains sucralose (SPLENDAŽ Brand Sweetener), the no calorie sweetener made from sugar, so it tastes like sugar, with no unpleasant aftertaste. SPLENDAŽ No Calorie Sweetener can be used virtually anywhere sugar is used. It can also be used in cooking and baking in a variety of recipes. Like many no and low calorie sweeteners, each serving of SPLENDAŽ No Calorie Sweetener contains a very small amount of common food ingredients, e.g., dextrose and/or maltodextrin, for volume. Because the amount of these ingredients is so small, SPLENDAŽ No Calorie Sweetener still has an insignificant calorie value per serving and meets FDA's standards for "no calorie" sweeteners.

How was the safety of SPLENDAŽ Brand Sweetener determined?

Regulatory agencies worldwide have reviewed more than 100 safety studies on sucralose and found sucralose to be safe including the United States Food and Drug Administration, the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), the Health Protection Branch of Health and Welfare Canada, and Australia's National Food Authority.

Over 80 countries now permit the use of sucralose (and over 4,000 food and beverage products around the world are now sweetened with SPLENDAŽ Brand Sweetener).

[Princess L]

thanks, princess! i reached a similar conclusion.  to the best of your knowledge, is splenda completely safe?

IMO, in reasonable moderation (as in everything, except peanut butter) it is.  I'm sure some day they'll come up with all kinds of horrid studies showing how harmful it is    Beats aspartame IMO.  You could always go with stevia if you're concerned.  Personally I can't stand the taste tho.

[Bear03]

IMO, in reasonable moderation (as in everything, except peanut butter) it is.  I'm sure some day they'll come up with all kinds of horrid studies showing how harmful it is    Beats aspartame IMO.  You could always go with stevia if you're concerned.  Personally I can't stand the taste tho.

No, i find stevia to be a little bitter too.....I just want rebuttal for everyone who says "Ohhhh you use too much splenda that's so bad for you!"  My opinion is, though they say they do these things b/c they care about you, they really like to feel briefly superior to you- since you're so much healthier in eating habits etc, they like to poo-poo your splenda use and feel temporarily superior by being "concerned".  But that's neither here nor there.  I just need a rebuttal to the health risks.

[Borracho]

Yes indeed.

I think its minimal so its still better than regular sugar, but that's also why I stick to regular sweet and low.

I'd stay away from Sweet & Low cause saccharin sp? is said to cause cancer.

[Borracho]

Good article about sweeteners.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/md26.htm

[Bear03]

I'd stay away from Sweet & Low cause saccharin sp? is said to cause cancer.

just talking about splenda here, mate....thanks for the article.  i really would prefer a medical journal though, medical proof to contradict medical proof.

[Princess L]

how do you explain the intense cravings i get after eating it?

I think I read somewhere that SOME people do get an insulin response to a sweet taste.  Something to do with the hypothalmus or something....

[Princess L]

I just want rebuttal for everyone who says "Ohhhh you use too much splenda that's so bad for you!"  My opinion is, though they say they do these things b/c they care about you, they really like to feel briefly superior to you- since you're so much healthier in eating habits etc, they like to poo-poo your splenda use and feel temporarily superior by being "concerned".  .  I just need a rebuttal to the health risks.

 
So, do these 'holier than thous eat all organic, free range, all natural bs?  What are they trying to say is so bad about Splenda?  What's their medical proof?    Are they talking about the chlorine thing?  They've probably swallowed/absorbed (thru the skin)  more chlorine from a swimming pool in their lifetime than you're getting with Splenda.
ewwww, that just gave me the thought of public hot tubs and that nasty bacteria breeding ground    mixxed with chlorine 

[Bear03]

 

ewwww, that just gave me the thought of public hot tubs and that nasty bacteria breeding ground    mixxed with chlorine  [/color]

you know when you're in a swimming pool, underwater with your eyes closed, and you come up right next to a bandaid...?

anyways yeah it's not so much that they're granola, they just like to find a vice in me to counter their own vices.

[SamoanIrishman]

yeah..uh..as a food and chemical supply salesperson I can tell you in all confidence that he is wrong.

While Splenda is made from a sugar molecule it is non-caloric...though it does contain chlorine..as do most all sugars.

It is the most powerful however. Here's some quick info..

Sweet n Low - Product of sulfur dioxide, chlorine, ammonia and two biochem acids, 300x sweeter than sugar. (PS - saccharin was taken off the FDA list being that it caused cancer in rats, not humans)

NutraSweet / Equal - combo of two amino acids, 180x sweeter than sugar.

Splenda - sugar molecules blended w/ chlorine, 600x sweeter than sugar.

Sugar Alcohols - sugar molecules with added hydrogen, same sweetness as sugar (DOES have laxative effect)

Stevia - Derived from the dried leaves of the stevia plant, not yet approved by FDA (in Euro / Lat Amer never the less) 150-400x Sweeter than sugar.

But, now available  (but in blends only..for now..available direct to manufactures of food products only..for now) is NEOTAME. This new product is 8000x  (yes, eight thousand) sweeter than sugar.BU

[(nothing)]

stevia is the way to go man!