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Is Splenda Bad for You?
I know sugar is real bad for you and can make you fat and sluggish. I am trying to lose weight and been using SPLENDA sweetener. I like the sweetner personally. My Mom told me today she won't buy me any more Splenda though because it is artificial or something and it is toxic. I don't know what she's talking about. THE STORE SELLS IT. If it was bad it wouldn't be on shelves right? Is it bad or not? I want to show my mom it isn't harmful so she will buy it for me for my diet.
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the research on splenda is inconclusive, whereas there is proven research on some other articifial sweeteners that they can cause cancer. switch to truvia, which comes from the stevia plant and is not artificial. you could also just use less sugar, but that's the harder option, so i won't force it upon you.
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Your mother is lumping all artificial sweeteners together. The "big bad" she is likely thinking of is aspartame, the sweetener used in diet drinks and many other artifical sweeteners. "Research" has "proved" on both sides of the argument on whether aspartame has any bad side health effects or not. It's hard to say, but many err on the side of caution and avoid it. Hell, some say it even gives you cancer. Diet drinks taste like shit so I personally just drink the normal stuff less often. Now my mom tells me high-fructose corn syrup is killing me. Can't a man enjoy a soda? Maybe I'll start drinking straight liquor only; at least I know what effects it'll have on me!
In short, Splenda doesn't contain the stuff and should be fine.
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Splenda usually contains 95% dextrose and maltodextrin which the body readily metabolizes, combined with a small amount of mostly indigestible sucralose. A repeated dose study of sucralose concluded that "there is no indication that adverse effects on human health would occur from frequent or long-term exposure to sucralose at the maximum anticipated levels of intake".
To put in lamens terms. There's nothing wrong with splenda.
The thing is though, if you're on a diet, cutting down on sugar but swapping to splenda wont help much. It's the calories that do it. The packet says "0 calories" but it does contain a small amount. Not much less than regular sugar.
LONG STORY SHORT: There are no specific health risks for splenda over sugar, but the benefits aren't as good as you might think. You're better off just cutting down on sugar, having it as a treat or something.
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