Since this article was originally published, some longer terms research
and market experience has shown that Nutrasweet is not a safe alternative to sugar for
everyone. Some people have reported severe side effects from Nutrasweet (aspartame)
as well as from saccharin.
Now, there is a new sweetner on the market called
"Splenda" which is composed of a chemical called sucralose. Essentially,
sugar is fed to a processing plant and the sugar molecules are chlorinated and
rearranged. Sucralose is not recognized as sugar in the body, thus is does not raise
glucose level which is a key concern for people suffering from diabetes. Currently,
no long term, reliable research data is available for Splenda.
As you continue to browse the internet and seek further information on artificial
sweetners, you'll see opinions from everyone. Some will make it a point to emphasize
that Splenda contains chlorine. Keep in mind that just because a chemical compound
contains chlorine, does not necessarily make it evil. Is Splenda safe? The
truth is that no one really knows. If you browse the internet on this topic long
enough, you'll be scared to eat anything! As is always the case, consumption in
moderation is the best course of action. If you have to use an artificial sweetner
at this time, you have several choice. Some have long term research and some do not.
You'll have to make an informed decision.
You're probably familiar with NutrasweetTM
and Sweet & LowTM and perhaps a few other artificial sweeteners. Ever
wonder if they're safe? Well, the major ingredient in Sweet & LowTM (which
comes in the characteristic pink pack) is a chemical called Saccharin. The People's
Republic of China is officially given credit for Saccharin's development, but they may
want to pass that "credit" to someone else. Bad publicity has plagued
Saccharin since the 1980's when it was widely critized as a cancer causing agent. So
why is Saccharin still used? Because its probably the least expensive artificial sweetener
on the planet and as more cancer research is performed, it seems that nearly anything
"may cause cancer". On the other hand, NutrasweetTM is
primarily composed of Apartame (developed by Monsanto of St. Louis, MO). Aspartame
has yet to be proven significantly harmful. You may want to keep this in mind the
next time you're at the grocery store, but also remember that moderation could be you're
safest bet.
In the September 1998 edition of Chemical
Engineering magazine, Agnes Shanley and Mildred Santos report that the U.S. consumes
50% of the global production of artificial sweeteners. Perhaps even more amazing are
the projections expected through the year 2005 for these two sweeteners. The charts
below were compiled from data provided by the Fredonia Group. The data shows what
negative press can do to a chemical in the U.S. Don't forget though, sugar still
works!
