Splenda (sucralose) sucks!

[sendero]

For reasons medical science cannot explain, I cannot eat sugar. At all. I've been this way since 1977, and it sucks, but it started getting better in the 90s.

Why? Because really decent sugar-free products started appearing then. Some use carbohydrate sweeteners like sorbitol or mannitol, and others add artificial sweeteners like aspartame (Nutrasweet) and sodium or calcium saccharine.

I can get decent chocolates, cookies and other goodies that I otherwise would not be able to eat. But, there is a dark cloud on the horizon.

A couple months back, I started having trouble with itching. My whole body, very strange. It took a while, but I finally figured out what was causing it - Splenda (sucralose). I was drinking diet sodas sweetened with it. If you do a search on the net for the side effects of sucralose, itching is number one.

But, I'm starting to see the horrible itching chemical appear on ingredient lists for treats I've enjoyed for years. Yes, many sugar-free food makers are adding Splenda to their foods. Which means I can't eat them. It really sucks - how can I stop the Splenda juggernaut?

[Dookus]

1. I've had it often

and had no side effects. Sorry it bothers you, but I don't think you can stop it. Nor should you.

[sendero]

2. It took awhile..

... for the problem to develop. Don't congratulate yourself yet :evilgrin:

[ropi]

3. i hear this is good...

stevia

does anyone use it?

[soothsayer]

8. yeah, but it's strong, and a little too much makes things bitter

Japan uses it in their diet coke. why not us?

[morningglory]

14. Stevia took as long to get used to as Equal and Sweet'n'Lo, but

now I lllooooooooooooooooove it! Can't wait to get my iced tea and swoosh it around in my mouth.

[MuseRider]

4. That is too bad.

Man, I hate that when something is so good then they change it and it is either bad or there is some reason you can't use it. I am sorry. I like the stuff and have been excited to see it appear more, now I will think a little differently. It had never occured to me that it had side effects.

[koopie57]

5. that is very interesting

thank you for posting it. The diet soda I drink uses aspartame, but I have noticed splenda more and more on labels. Since I'm diabetic I stay away from the sweets, but have tried some sugar free chocolate. That was several weeks ago which coicides with a terrible bout of itching that was almost unbearable. I thought it was cuz of the cold weather, but it may have been the splenda.

[sendero]

9. Based on web reading I've done...

... I'll be surprised if the itching problem is "isolated".

If 10% of people develop this response, is the product good?

[brentspeak]

6. I prefer it over anything with aspartame, "Rumsfeld's elixer"

I'm concerned about all the potential brain-wasting effects of Nutrasweet (aspartame).

Just tonight, I bought two bottles of Arizona diet green iced-tea because they finally ditched aspartame in favor of Splenda.

It's a shame that saccharine is not used much anymore; that would be the best answer to your diet drink dilemma.

[Mistress Quickly]

7. They are putting Splenda

in kids cereal now.

** LESS SUGAR **

then in small print: Sweetened with splends

I's rather my kids just have plain sugar, as opposed to artificial sweeteners, or unsweetened with mom-controlled sugar.

Kelloggs does have Frosted Flakes and Froot Loops with honest to god less sugar and no artificial sweeteners. And they rock!

[nutsnberries]

10. it sucks that that happens to you

and that things you enjoy now have Splenda in them.
Like Splenda says, "it tastes like sugar because it's made from sugar".
So, it figures that your body reacts to it.

I like Splenda, but you're not alone in not liking it. I remember a thread here months ago... people complaining about it.

Here's to a perfect sugar-substitute coming along... :toast:

[lavenderdiva]

11. i never heard this before...

I use Splenda all the time, in cooking, baking, diet drinks, etc. I haven't yet had a reaction, but I only drink about 2 drinks a day with it. Does the quantity you ingest per day make a difference? I have used Stevia before, and the previous poster was correct: if you use too much its bitter. If you use the right amount its good. I wonder what it is in the sucralose that causes the itchy reaction?

[morningglory]

15. Someone who claimed to be a chemist on a forum, said Splenda

is made with chlorine or from it or under it or something. I could not understand and now can't remember, but the good ol' USA can't seem to go along with something like Stevia that has been through many years on the market in Japan and Europe with no ill effects.

[KitchenWitch]

12. I have a different opinion

I love Splenda (sucralose), because I get blinding debilatating migraine headaches from Nutrasweet (aspartame). I have gotten very good at reading food labels for aspartame, because within 10 minutes of ingesting aspartame, I am rendered useless.

[morningglory]

13. Makes ya fart, too. n/t