You can google it and find all kinds of good/bad things/opinions on it, Linda. Woody and I have been using it for about 3 years and we love it, no bad side effects or anything that we noticed, but I'm sure some would swear it's horrible stuff. I can't remember the last time I used sugar for anything besides hummingbird nectar. lol

We really like it. Some don't. Have YOU had any problems that you can attribute to it?

I've read that they're all bad but the absolute worse is Aspartame. I feel like SO much better since I quit drinking all diet drinks - about 18 months ago now.

I'd suggest Stevia, which is what they use in Asian countries. It's also ZERO calories and is a natural herb of some kind and it's been used for 2,000 years now.

These artificial sweetners (aspartame, saccharin, sucrolose) have so many negatives and long-term effects. Technically, they're called "neuro-toxins." They can't be good for our human bodies.

The following is from: www.splendaexposed.com

SPLENDA® Is It Safe or Not?
After twenty years of NutraSweet® (aspartame) dominating the sweetener market, people are realizing for themselves that aspartame really is a foul food chemical tragically harmful to their health. Now, people think Johnson & JohnsonÂs Splenda, made from sucralose, has come to the rescue as the newest chemical sugar replacement "made from real sugar." People donÂt want to hear that it may be just as dangerous as aspartame, and this white knight of sweeteners is no better improvement.

New chemical sweeteners (like Splenda) and the sweetener blends (aspartame, sucralose and acesulfame K blended together in one product) may be causing users to show signs of weight gain, disruption of sleep patterns, sexual dysfunction, increases in cancer, MS, Lupus, diabetes, and a list of epidemic degenerative diseases. The corporations continue to stand tough in their denial of any connection to chemical sweetener additives.

Here is a link that might be useful: More on Splenda (Sucralose)

PS, if you google it or check Snopes, a lot of the myths are debunked for artificial sweeteners. For every article that says how horrible it is, you can find another one that says it isn't. I guess it boils down to- what do you believe?

Lab tests that use rats that are prone to cancer don't really impress me, especially when they feed them huge amounts of the product.

Here is a link that might be useful: Snopes and aspartame......

I trust snopes for telling me if some guy really tried to use his lawn chair and 382 helium balloons to "fly" to outer space, but I do NOT trust snopes to tell me whether or not the federal government has pulled a fast one in legalizing the ANT POISON developed by Monsanto and telling all of us it's just fine as an artifical sweetener. Nor do I trust snopes to tell me what aspartame will do to my body.

Having gone from drinking four diet sodas a day to NONE, I can see lots of difference in my health and well-being, a direct result of no longer ingesting aspartame.

Right now - more than 75% of the complaints that come into the FDA center around asparatame. That's a scary number.

It causes a litany of problems and the only reason it is LEGAL is a long, sad story of politics and money.

ROse

long, sad story of politics and money
And what about RICE
ditto on politics and money!
Sad!

my only negative point about splenda isn't about splenda...it is that more restaurants should provide it for their customers! I usually carry a tin in my purse for those unexpected, "Oh, I'm sorry, we don't have any SPLENDA" places and then add my opinions to their customer comment cards "please add Splenda to your condiments"

If you Google Splenda thymus you'll find lots of sites talking about Splenda shrinking the thymus gland.

From Wikipedia:

Concerns have been raised about the effect of sucralose on the thymus, an organ that is important to the immune system. A report from NICNAS cites two studies on rats, both of which found "a significant decrease in mean thymus weight" at a certain dose.

It goes on to cite the dose, explaining that it was larger than most people would consume. It then says: However, because some ingested sucralose is broken down and absorbed by the body there is concern that chronic consumption may lead to thymus shrinkage or other side-effects.

That's just one of many concerns I have about it.

My thoughts on it, which I use it too, but you find neg. info in any thing we eat, canned goods fresh vegtables, ect..

you might search around about the skirting of the FDA review and approval policy on splenda...as glenda said money & politics. we do not consume anything w/ splenda or artificial sweeteners (or fake fat subs either) for that matter in my house ~ liz

Liz, that's what I was trying to remember last night! My DGD was reading a book that went into detail on Splenda (all negative) and the rather scandalous FDA connection.

I don't remember the name of her book, but linked below is one I ran across on Amazon that seems to cover this issue.

Here is a link that might be useful: Sweet Deception: Why Splenda, . . . . .

Using aspartame daily has been weighing on my mind for some time now, and I have been debating trying Splenda, so this discussion was really timely.
Now that I've looked into it further, I am going to go to the health food store and try Stevia.
I don't care for the taste of brown sugar or honey in coffee, and that is my biggest source for artificial sweetener - I get stomach seizing cramps if I use regular sugar.
If anyone is interested, here's a link to some Stevia information.

Here is a link that might be useful: All Natural Stevia Plant

I think the biggest problem of all the "artificial" sweeteners is that they are so highly processed. I kept getting sicker and sicker with one thing after another and finally we all quit eating processed foods anymore, like pre-packaged anything! I have been working with a naturopath and taking supplements and feel SO MUCH BETTER! Basic, whole foods are just plain better for you. Also diet drinks and artificial sweetners have been positively linked to obesity in several research studies including one that just came out in the last couple of weeks. On top of all that, carbinated beverages are known to contribute to circulation problems! (Sheesh!!) (My sons, who run in track and cross country actually told me about this from their coach and they quit before I did!)

Stevia is considered a healthy sweetener but I don't care for the taste. I have begun using Agave Nectar from the health food store. Also, I have found an absolutely fabulous brand of sugar free chocolate bar that contains no artificial sweeteners. I get it from my health food store but here's an online link. They use new natural sweeteners called Oligofructose and erythritol which they claim comes from plant fibers with a glycemic index of zero and is a prebiotic. You can buy just the Oligofructorse from their website. I keep meaning to order some and try it but haven't gotten around to it yet. This is not an ad, just something I have tried and like.

Sorry this is so danged long but it is a topic that is very personal to me right now. Hope this info helps!

Sue

Here is a link that might be useful: ChocoPerfection

I use Stevia and have for several years. A google search on it brings up some negatives to it as well (see link)...but I will continue to use it for now.

Here is a link that might be useful: Dangers of Stevia

I love the Agave Nectar. It apparently has a low GI number and is ok for diabetics. I love it in hot tea.

Linda

According to wait staff I've asked, Splenda is not carried in certain restaurants because they cannot keep customers from taking extras for home. In fact, my stepdaughter told me her grandmother embarrasses her all the time by taking the packs. I've offered to buy her a warehouse box of 1000 packettes!

I use a bit of whatever is around for my coffee or tea (about 1/4 of a packette a day)...all things in moderation.

If you try Stevia--just a warning--a little bit goes a long, long way.

Agave is wonderful! I love it. It's way sweeter than honey too, and yes it's low GI.

In my home we've gone from eating alot less processed foods to more whole foods. I've always stayed away from over processed items, like artificial sweeteners and margarines..anything that is chemically changed to be "healthy"..LOL I use very little stuff from cans and boxes too.

Give me sugar, butter and minimally processed dairy..It's all good.

When I was eating low carb, I liked to use Splenda. It had a better flavour than other artificial sweeteners and didn't bother my stomach etc.

But then after using it for a bit, it started bothering me. My face would flush like I had been drinking wine and I would get a headache. I would get dizzy and feel "off". So I stopped using it.

But then afterwards I realized that at that point I was using a LOT of low carb products and almost all of them contained splenda. I think if I would have stuck to using it in my coffee (once a day) and yogurt (once a day) I would have been fine.

Artificial sweeteners, like all additives, IMHO opinion, are okay in certain cases for certain reasons and in reasonable amounts. If it means a person can enjoy an occasional treat without damaging their health etc. then that is fine.

However, how anybody can think they can drink several cans of soda a day, sugarless or not, and feel that is fine, well...that is beyond me! Of all the other chemicals in that can, how do you know it was the art. sweetener that was causing you problems? Not to pick on anybody, but when did sweetened drinks and sodas become such a regular staple in peoples diet anyhow?

A LITTLE BIT of sugar is better than a WHOLE LOT of artificial sweetener. The key here is portion control and common sense.

Add my name to Flamey's post. You can find something negative about almost every product we ingest today if you look for it.

Unfortunately our society no longer uses reason in making decisions. Too many folks today base their beliefs on opinion. Science,logic and reason haven't got a chance against the talk show host,diet doc of the day, or your friend who said she heard......

That's why we have people stuffing themselves with vitamin and "herbal supplements" and avoiding entire food groups in the name of "health".

I have a weight problem because I like to eat too much. Period. Other than that I am in excellent health and I've never taken vitamins (except when I was pregnant),eliminated food groups from my diet or worried about artificial sweeteners other than how they tasted.

I started using Stevia a couple of weeks ago, and I love it - yes, a little bit goes a LONG way!

This is an article about a dangerous pollutant that we should all be worried about and could be anywhere. You may have never even heard of this, but after you read the article, Google it. You'll be shocked at what you find. Linda

Here is a link that might be useful: Help Ban this Dangerous Pollutant

Stevia may even end up being more unsafe than the others.

Here is a link that might be useful: FDA Warns

I for one have little confidence in the FDA. They protect themselves more than they protect us.

Wildhild, I have to comment on your comments:

Unfortunately our society no longer uses reason in making decisions. Too many folks today base their beliefs on opinion. Science,logic and reason haven't got a chance against the talk show host,diet doc of the day, or your friend who said she heard......

That's why we have people stuffing themselves with vitamin and "herbal supplements" and avoiding entire food groups in the name of "health".

Some bodies can tolerate a lot more than others. If you eat whatever you want, avoid vitamins, and feel great, that's fine. You're lucky. But not everyone is like you.

I'm one of those people who have had to eliminate a number of foods from my diet. I also take various supplements. I didn't do any of this because I read or heard something in the media. In fact, I only recently got TV reception for the first time in many years. I did it through trial and error, and a lot of research.

As for science, logic and reason, when I was having health problems the person I discussed them with most often was a Ph.D. scientistÂmy husband.

By majorly tweaking my diet I lost weight and vastly improved my blood test results. I also feel much better, and am told I look pretty damn good for 65.

My entire adult life, I have believed that when we interfere with nature we risk ending up in trouble. This includes what we put into our bodies, which were not designed to thrive on processed foods and/or artificial anything.

Susan

I'm with you, Susan. All of the supplements I'm taking and the diet recomendations I'm using have studies to back them up. Plus, also like you Susan, I have a good friend who is a PhD chemist with a lab in this basement who suffered from some of the same issues as me. He has been a big help with me and doesn't do anything without proven results.

If I could have just continued to eat my crappy diet with the only consequence being some extra pounds then I suppose I would still be doing that, but I have been getting more and more sick every year (just ask DH, Ron). Thank goodness I have friends who knew alternatives because regular western medicine only made things worse. I'm only 51 years old and my helath has slowly gone downhill over the years until last fall I was taking five medictions daily and more as needed and ended up with a walker for about three weeks. After making these changes last December I feel good enough and have enough energy to clean out my kitchen, top to bottom, every nook and cranny this week--by myself. That is so amazing! I haven't felt this good in years.

That's wonderful, BB! I'm so glad to hear about your success, and I'm sure your family is thrilled, too. It's so important!