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Anyone know if splenda is dangerous? Is it really unhealthy to use it, or is it just a myth?
No one knows
I avoid fake sugar whenever possible.
There will always be people who cant handle “artificial” sweetener of ANY kind, the same way people cant deal with REAL sugar. See if it works for you.
At one point my doctor advised me to get off of sugar, I asked him about splenda he told me no problem.
Your doctor has no way of knowing that. But that’s the way of most doctors.
Sugar is only 16 calories a teaspoon (about what a cup of coffee needs), so there is really no reason to use the artifical stuff.
And for the folks who do so “to avoid sugar” the challoh and danish you eat (unless its whole wheat) mostly turns to sugar anyways, so the teaspoon of the real stuff is the least of their concern.
If anything, the packets of the artifical stuff give a measured serving size (as opposed to just spooning in the real thing) so perhaps that’s a benefit worth considering.
But how can something manufactured me better than the real thing?
I once heard that the “sweetner” in a packet of Splenda is really only a few granules, and the rest of the packet is just a carring agent. Can something that potent be healthful? Hmm…
The problem with sugar is not the calories, but the rapid absorption, quickly raising the glucose levels and a corresponding rapid rise in insulin levels, repeatedly stressing the insulin producing cells in the pancreas (way oversimplified),
The refined grains in the challah you mentioned, primarily starches, take longer to be processed into sugar, so they are somewhat better than sugar itself, but not much.
What you heard about the splenda packets is true but I don’t think that in itself is an indicator for healthfulness. Most vitamins are even more potent.
In my opinion, the majority of ill health in the modern world is due primarily to the overabundance of sugar and refined grains in the diet.
i once heard from a nutritionest that women and girls should be careful with splenda cuz it can make have an effect on having children/the ability to have children. Now i have no clue if that’s true, The slight chance of such a thing is pretty scary and i suggest to go with the real sugar. At the end of the day all these supplements aren’t either healthy.
The nutritionist knows no more about it that the doctor.
It is quite a dilemma.
It has not and CAN not ever be proven that it is safe. On the other hand, although it has been extensively tested by the FDA, it has not ever been proven to be harmful, yet.
I use it. I do know the dangers of sugar. But I limit it as much as I am able.
so there is really no reason to use the artifical stuff.
Except for diabetics, of course. 🙂
The Wolf (who is not commenting on the safety of Splenda in general, since he knows almost nothing about it.)
hahaha, I have b”h a few healthy childeren, even if I use splenda!
The same argument is made all the time with coffee. Many say it is good for you. Many say it is bad for you…
The same with chocolate!
Splenda is safer than Sweet n’Low. Itis made FROM sugar, does not adversely affect insulin levels, and does not rot your teeth. If you are a diabetic, or you use a lot of sugar in coffee, tea, on your grapefruit, when making gefilte fish,etc., splenda is less problematic than sugar. Yes, it is 16 calories per teaspoon, but how many of us measure ONLY a teaspoon in our coffee? Stevia is a also a good substitute, from what I hear.
The key is moderation, as in all things. Even WATER drunk to excess can cause poisoning.
Xylitol appears safe as it’s a natural sugar from the birch tree. Does anyone know anything to the contrary?
As far as I know xylitol is natural, approx as sweet as sugar. It is a sugar however, and although it’s supposed to be absorbed more slowly than sucrose, I don’t really know if it’s any better
oomis mentioned stevia
It is natural
It is not a sugar
If I had to choose the one sweetener most like to be safe, this would be it.
oomis sugar has 16 cal per teaspoon, not splenda.
splenda is essentially calorieless
To add to the party, I too heard that stevia is much healthier than stevia.I think she means “splenda: (you might be able to find it at a Trader Joe’s)
Splenda might not be dangerous (and I’m not saying its not, I really dont know) but its not all that healthy. Its like butter and margarine. While butter is all fat, at least its some form of a natural fat. Margarine is all manufactured and has no nutritional value at all. To add to this, there are definitely people who dont feel well after having splenda (even a small amount, like in coffee) and that does happen for a reason.
mod 80, since you seem to know your stuff on this, any word on agave nectar?
stevia is much healthier than stevia
I would disagree with that!
agave nectar is just concentrated fructose (primarily). I don’t see why it should be any better than high fructose corn syrup. I’m not sure if you can even get it in america.
Funny you should mention Stevia, Oomis. I have a co-worker (an aino yehudi) who swears by it, and showed me a packet just yesterday. It did not have a hechsher on it, but it was marked “not for individual sale” so it must have come from a bulk pack. Do you know anything about its hechsher?
To add to the party, I too heard that stevia is much healthier than stevia. supposed to say stevia is much healthier than splenda. (sorry!)
FYI, agave nectar is sold in America (I’ve seen it many local stores). Thanks for the lowdown though. (and for the correction)
SweetLeaf Brand Stevia is certified by Natural Food Certifiers headed by Rabbi Reuven Flamer out of Scarsdale, NY. The symbol is a red apple with a K in it. I don’t know anything about that hechsher.
There are other brands of stevia as well
Amazon has some bulk stevia certified by KSA
As a heavy user (pun intended) of artificial sweeteners, I can confidently refute claims…um…that long-term…uh…use deadens brain…er…what was the question?
Thanks – I thought Stevia was a brand
Stevia is stable in heat, you can bake with it
Essentially zero calories
“splenda is less problematic than SUGAR. Yes, IT is 16 calories per teaspoon, but how many of us measure ONLY a teaspoon in our coffee? ” (my words)
“oomis sugar has 16 cal per teaspoon, not splenda.
splenda is essentially calorieless ” (Mod 80)
You misunderstood what I posted – when I said that “it” has 16 calories per teaspoon, I WAS referring to sugar. I can see though, how you could misinterpret what I wrote – I was unclear and can see that when I re-read my original sentence, though it made sense to me at the time.
I have been told that any of the artificial susbtitutes that end in “tol” may cause tummy issues if used too often.
Stevia has no calories and can be used for baking (as can Splenda, but personally I don’t love the taste of Splenda and you need to use a lot of it to get the same level of sweetness as with the same amount of sugar).
BP Totty, I seem to recall seeing a hechsher on a package that I saw once, but did not end up buying. I could not tell you for certain. My personal info comes from what I have read or heard about it, not from use. I definitely WOULD use it if I found it in my kosher supermarket or elsewhere, with a reliable hechsher. It is made from a plant.
I have heard that it is A money invested Lie of the SUGAR company that SPLENDA is not safe which makes very much sense.
True! For some people it haves an aftertaste, or causing headache or so.
For anyone concerned about carbohydrates (diabetics..) according to Dr. Richard Bernstien in his book The Diabetes Diet only Stevia has zero carbs, Splenda and other sweeteners in powdered form contain additives (sugar) to increase their bulk and should be factored in when counting carbs. The labels may claim its zero carbs because according to the FDA the amount is insignificant. If you use a lot of it the carbs will start adding up!
Real sugar will kill you faster than replacing it with splenda will, regardless of splenda’s unknown side effects.
i heard once that splenda sends a mixed up message to the brain that you are eating something sweet yet not taking in any calories so it confuses your brain into craving something sweet. i totally see this in my life, like if i’ll have a lot of diet soda, and then suddenly crave a candy bar or something. i beileve moderation to everything, and instead of loading up on packets and packets of fake sugar chemicals, i use less sugar!
nj girl, I heard this on the radio recently…that eating something sweetened with artificial sweetners causes the body to crave sweet things, like cake and cookies etc, afterwards.
“agave nectar is just concentrated fructose (primarily). I don’t see why it should be any better than high fructose corn syrup.”
Agave is absorbed by the body slower than sugar is absorbed, so people who are into the glycemic index like the agave. Agave does have calories and is very expensive. I don’t think it’s worth it.
I don’t know the difference but this is an interesting topic.
mischiefmaker oomis and all the Splenda nay sayers are spot on. Stevia is the definitely the healthier choice for a sweetner. Sugar is part of the Acidic Spectrum. Sugar is a poison bad for the nervous system, digestive system and more. Stevia is permitted according to the Alkaline Diet. The whole quality of ones health can change switching gradually from Acidic to Alkaline. Google Alkaline/Acidic Food Chart (I did so can you) to see the difference between Acidic and Alkaline. Let Food Be Your Medicine. The Opposite is also true Let Medicine Be Your Food.
kapusta said: “Margarine is all manufactured and has no nutritional value at all.”
Not true. It has plenty of fat, which technically speaking is nutritional value. However, margarine is essentially plastic. It is the most frightening thing that can pass as a food item. I don’t want to go into detail, but look on Google for how margarine is manufactured.
I’ve heard that stevia affects fertility, not splenda.
HidingUnderCover
(“Real sugar will kill you faster than replacing it with splenda will, regardless of splenda’s unknown side effects.”)
You know what “Unknown” when FDA are saying it, means!
I’m a steady user of Zero sugar – Stevia, (Splenda). Well, I stopped with splenda because that it is making me nauseous as I said, but b”h everything is fine with that..
“agave nectar is just concentrated fructose (primarily). I don’t see why it should be any better than high fructose corn syrup.”
High Fructose is an Artificial sugar. It got already un-natural throughout its extremely strong processes that it went through.
I like Xylitol.
I used to have dizzy spells all the time. A cousin told me that she read somewhere that Splenda creates a defficiency of Vitamin D in the body and can also give a person dizzy spells. At that time I was a religious Splenda user. I stopped cold turkey, & I haven’t had a dizzy spell since. (And coffee without sweetener is not that bad either.)
BPT: I bought a few boxes in Pathmark and /or Shoprite supermarket of PURE VIA, which is pure stevia with an OU hechsher. There are 40 sachets in a box. It is ditributed by Whole Earth Sweetner Co. LLC, Chicago, IL 60602 Tel: 1 800 824 2334 Hope this helps.
Stevia is much more healthier than Splenda/Equal. There are no side effects, and stevia is sweeter than Splenda /Equal / Xylitol.
The cakes baked with Xylitol, are not the same as baked with stevia. The cakes/cookies come out much nicer with stevia than with Xylitol.
I was suffering with terrible pain/aches in my hips/bones with splenda/equal but not with stevia.
Behatlacha!
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