Five Surprising Sources of Splenda/Sucralose

Splenda, which is also known as sucralose, is a great alternative to sugar for many people. It is a no-calorie, non-carbohydrate sweetener that is 600 times sweeter than sugar. It is made by modifying the sugar molecule so the body does not recognize it. Sound too good to be true? For some of us it is.

Splenda is not natural - they even admit it on the website. They start with a sucrose molecule and replace three hydroxyl groups (a hydrogen and an oxygen atom) with chlorine atoms. The resulting molecule is supposedly not metabolized by the body.

If one reads the frequently asked questions on the Splenda website, however, they state that, "After it is ingested, most (about 85%) is not absorbed and passes through the body unchanged in the stool. Of the small amount that is absorbed, most leaves the body unchanged in the urine within 24 hours." This means that 15% of the Splenda molecules - each consisting of 3 chlorine atoms - is allowed to wreak havoc on the body.

Sucralose belongs to a class of compounds known as organochlorides (or chlorocarbons). Some organochlorides, especially those that accumulate in fatty tissues, are toxic to plants or animals, including humans.

We all know that we can expect sucralose in diet foods, such as diet soft drinks, breakfast cereals and canned fruits. I, however, have recently undergone much discomfort after inadvertently ingesting certain products and only finding out they contained sucralose after the symptoms started.Some of these include the following:

• Sugarfree gum and mints - Trident, for example
  
• Cough medicine - such as Robitussin
  
• Supplements - like Airborne
• Toothpaste
• Yogurt
  

I now understand that sucralose is practically ubiquitous - it is everywhere! And sometimes there is no warning, like "less sugar", "diet" or "Splenda" on the front label. I believe that more and more products will use it because most people do not understand how harmful it can be.

In conclusion, I learned from my last experience that I have to read the list of ingredients on everything I ingest from now on.