Splenda

[Northportman]

Hello all,

Do any of you cook with splenda or take splenda in beverages. I used to and found I got headaches and when I stopped it they stopped. My wife had similar feelings. I then read some concerning articles on splenda that, for me, sort of shattered the better than aspartame articles I had been reading last year.

I would love to hear your thoughts.

Best,
Dave

[Pallius]

Dave, I used Splenda quite a bit for a long time. I definitley discovered that it was something I could only handle in small doses. For me it added dramatically to muscle tension, something I have a chronic problem with. If I use aspartame, it is worse by a factor of 10. I limit my splenda consumption to about 2.5 packets a day, just to sweeten some morning tea (OK, I like a large tea). I always feel achy and ready to cramp the next day if I've had too much of either. BTW, I drank diet beverages for over 30 years before giving them the boot, so I've polluted myself badly with these sweeteners for a long time. Try to find a way to live without 'em. The older you get, the more sensitive you will likely become. I am 50 and can no longer handle caffeine (except for morning tea, but that is it), aspartame, or more than a dash of splenda. I find that aspartame, if consumed in the evening, destroys my ability to get to sleep. Same with caffeine - I cut off caffeine by 11am. I think artificial sweeteners are responsible for the relentless muscle tension, even when I don't use them. If I do use them, it just gets worse. It never goes away though.

[Pallius]

In other words, Dave, listen to your body. If the headaches stop when you avoid the Splenda, avoid the Splenda. I used to think naysayers were kooks, and that these sweeteners had very low risk. I now believe otherwise. And no thanks to the kooks. I am just going on my own experience. Were you overdosing? I drink seltzer much of the time. I like its quenching and mouth-cleansing quality.

[Kathy]

I reacted badly (intestinally) to artificial sweeteners. Now, I use Stevia to sweeten things when I need to. I allow myself the tiniest bit of real sugar here and there in the form of Lindt 85%. Otherwise, I try to eat clean.

Like Pallius, I have come to regard artificial sweeteners as unhealthy, just from observation of my own physical reactions and my family's.

[Relief]

I use splenda all the time. in a lot of things, and have done for over 8 years. I only use sweetzfree--a carb free liquid form. just water and sucralose--1/4 tsp equivalent to a cup of sugar. I have no side effects of any kind. However, anybody can be sensitive to anything--strawberry and peanut allergies abound but nobody is suggesting they should be banned for everyone!

The Eades have written pretty extensively about their belief in the safety of splenda.
Here are two links to Mary Dan Eades' thoughts on her blog. here:
http://www.proteinpower.com/drmd_blog/?p=142

and here:
http://www.proteinpower.com/drmd_blog/?p=12

[Ammy]

I'm fine with splenda...I put it in my coffee shake every morning.
I have baked with the "splenda for baking", but I'm not a big "sweets" eater, so I don't use it very often.
I will buy LC foods if it says it was made with Splenda...

[maxlharris]

I don't have problems with Splenda (other than aftertaste, which is only when there's too much). Or with aspartame (it tastes like fake sugar to me). Or with saccharine (it's 1 pink packet to 2 yellow, blue or whites... gotta remember that). Other than diet coke, I don't do a lot of sweet.

It's probably better, if you have problems, to try and kick your sweetness addiction entirely. It might take a couple months.

[truthteller]

Whey Low is the best all natural sugar substitute. :) That's my two cents for what it's worth...