What is artificial sweetener made from?!
What is artificial sweetener made from?
Answers:
Sucralose (aka Splenda)
- derivative of sugar that can't be broken down by your body because of it's manipulated chemical structure, it eventually passes through your system. Sorta like the whole WoW chips with oleic acid, a fatty acid that can't be absorbed into your system, but that has problems of it's own.
Generally - Saccharin
Sucralose
"Introducing sucralose―the new low calorie sweetener that tastes like sugar because it's made from sugar!" proclaims the distributors of sucralose. This new artificial sweetener will be added to numerous packaged foods over the next two years and the media hype surrounding it may send customers to our stores looking for it. Here's the low-down on this new low calorie sweetener and an explanation of why you won't find products with sucralose in Whole Foods Market stores.
What is sucralose?
Sucralose, also known as Splenda, is an artificial sweetener produced through a patented process that adds chlorine atoms to sucrose (table sugar). Reported to be 600 times as sweet as sugar, sucralose has recently become a favorite of the food industry because it possesses desirable physical properties, such as tolerance to high temperatures, tolerance to high and low pH, a pleasant taste, very low caloric value (2 calories/teaspoon), and maximum sweetness using small amounts (thus, it is inexpensive).
Sucralose was discovered in London in 1976 through a joint research project between Tate & Lyle, an expert in sweeteners, and researchers at the University of London. Used outside the country since 1991, the FDA approved sucralose for use in the U.S. in April 1998. Johnson & Johnson's McNeil Specialty Products Company has a license agreement with Tate & Lyle to manufacture and market sucralose, which can be used in soft drinks, baked goods, ice cream, sweetener packets, and other products.
Sucralose belongs to a category of sweeteners called "non-nutritive," meaning that they do not provide a significant number of calories. Saccharin, aspartame and acesulfame-k are other examples of non-nutritive sweeteners. In contrast, sweeteners classified as "nutritive" do provide calories. Sucrose, dextrose, fructose, sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, and hydrogenated starch hydrolysate are all nutritive sweeteners.
How is Sucralose made?
Sucralose is created via multiple-step manufacturing process that substitutes 3 chlorine atoms for the hydroxyl (hydrogen and oxygen) groups on a sugar molecule. The tight molecular bond between the chlorine atoms and the rest of the sugar molecule results in a very stable molecule. This means that it is not metabolized in the body for calories and it can be processed and used in many different types of food applications.
What can it be used in?
soft drinks
ice cream
dairy products
baked goods
chewing gum
candies
frostings
gelatins
coffees and teas
sauces
syrups
salad dressings
processed fruits and fruit juices
jams
jellies
baking mixes
History of retail use of sucralose in other countries.
Sucralose has been approved for use in 27 plus countries in addition to the US. It has been used commercially since 1991 in more than 400 different food products.
Is sucralose safe?
FDA and the World Health Organization say that it is. FDA evaluated more than 100 in vitro, in vivo and human safety studies and 40 environmental studies conducted over a 20-year period prior to giving its approval for human consumption. Endorsements from other agencies, who independently reviewed the data, include The American Council on Science and Health, the Health Protection Branch of Health and Welfare Canada, and The National Food Authority of Australia.
Prior to its approval by FDA, McNeil Specialty Products submitted data and information from the following types of animal studies: short-term genotoxicity studies, subchronic feeding tests, chronic toxicity, reproductive toxicity, teratology studies, male fertility, neurotoxicity, metabolism, bioavailability and DNA synthesis. They also submitted data from human tests on metabolism, pharmacokinetics, and glucose homeostasis (among diabetics). Most showed the substance to be non-carcinogenic, non-toxic, and devoid of side effects at recommended doses. Despite the vast amounts of safety data, there have been questions raised on whether sucralose, an artificial sweetener, can be beneficial for one's health.
Arguments for the use of sucralose:
At recommended doses, the amount of sucralose ingested is quite small. For example, a dose sufficient to sweeten a serving of baked goods is 1/700th of the FDA daily recommended amount for safety.
Hundreds of toxicity studies have shown sucralose to be a safer option than other low calorie sweeteners, such as saccharin, cyclamate, acesulfame-K and aspartame.
Proponents of sucralose claim that the substance is better for health than refined sugar. In particular, studies have shown that sucralose does not promote tooth decay and has no effect on insulin or blood glucose levels.
Sucralose is heat stable, has a long shelf life, has no aftertaste and is compatible with other ingredients.
The proponents of sucralose say that the chlorine in sucralose is in the chemical form of chloride that is safe and occurs naturally in other foods (e.g., salt, which is sodium chloride).
Arguments against the use of sucralose:
Sucralose is an artificial substance that is not found in nature, like aspartame and hydrogenated fats. Although supporters of sucralose claim that it is unable to be metabolized, up to 35% is absorbed by the body with a half life up to 23 hours.
Pre-approval tests indicated potential toxicity for sucralose. One study (printed in the "New Scientist", 23 November 1991, volume 132, page 13) demonstrated that thymus weight decreased by up to 40% in rats fed diets rich in sucralose, indicating that sucralose has the potential to compromise the immune system. Note that the FDA also addressed this (and other) toxicity concerns in their Final Rule, claiming that these negative effects would not be seen in humans at recommended doses.
Sucralose is a chlorinated compound. Other classes of chlorinated molecules include pesticides.
There are no independent controlled human studies on sucralose. The bulk of the safety research has been conducted by the manufacturer.
There are no long-term (>13 months) human studies of sucralose's effects and no long history of use.
Is Sucralose compatible with Whole Foods Quality Goals?
No, for the following reasons: 1) safety, 2) concept of "minimally processed," and 3) ideological compatibility.
With regard to safety, very little information exists except for safety studies that were commissioned by organizations standing to gain from the acceptance of sucralose. However, sucralose has been widely used by consumers since 1991. The fact that it has generated very little negative press stands in its favor. However, a paucity of information may not mean that sucralose is safe or problem-free. Rather, it may mean that we do not yet have adequate, balanced information.
Although sucralose is "derived from sugar," it is also a highly processed additive created from the manipulation of molecules. .
Really bad stuff that your body mistakes for real sugar then freaks out. One bad chemical is aspartame and another is saccharin. They are both not very good, despite what the ads say about them. Artificial sweetner is not better for you than real sugar. Except for Splenda, a sweetner made from sugar, so it doesn't have the weird chemicals they put in other artificial sweetners.
weird chemicals in laboratories! sugar is bad for you but they're 10000 times worse!