Is Sucralose (Splenda) Bad for You? The Answer is Not so Sweet
This is a guest blog post by Lucas Irwin, NASM-PES, MBA, author and CEO of Steelhouse Fitness and Rebel Mindfulness.
Sucralose is an artificial sweetener made from the combination of chlorine and sugar molecules and is commonly sold under the brand name Splenda. Although this sweet, calorie-free sugar substitute is tempting, it may be doing more harm to your health than good.
In this article, you will learn:
- What type of products contain sucralose
- How sucralose can negatively impact the health of your gut microbiome
- The safety considerations of other artificial sweeteners
- Natural sweetening alternatives
Sucralose is Everywhere
Whether it's in protein powders or "sugar-free" drinks, sucralose can easily sneak up on you.
According to the manufacturer of sucralose, Tate & Lyle, sucralose is an ingredient in over 4,000 products food and beverage products.
Although the FDA claims sucralose is safe, it is a novel compound that has never before been eaten by humans.
We know that other artificial sweeteners like aspartame have been reported to cause negative health effects, so what does the science say about sucralose?
Sucralose Negatively Impacts the Microbiome
According to a study published in the Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, sucralose negatively impacts the gut microbiome.
Amongst other things, the microbiome helps us to absorb antioxidants, vitamins/minerals, supports our immune system, helps keep us "regular", and may even influence whether or not we become obese.
Obviously, the microbiome is very important, so why is sucralose so bad for the gut?
The reason is that most of the sucralose you eat isn't broken down during digestion and the molecule arrives at the large intestine (the home base of your gut microbiome) fully intact.
Once gut bacteria come across it, they chow down and die off.
In experiments with animal models, sucralose was found to kill off as much as 50% of the "good" gut microbiome.
What About Other Artificial Sweeteners?
Similar findings were discovered with another artificial sweetener called saccharin, and it is suspected that a similar mode of action is at work as well.
Researchers have found that although our bodies can't metabolize artificial sweeteners, our gut bacteria can, and that's why they can still cause us problems.
With this new information, it's important to consider not only how a sweetener tastes, but how it digests and impacts our inner ecology as well.
Natural Sweetener Alternatives
Stevia rebaudiana is a relative of the sunflower, and is known colloquially as "candy leaf", "sweetleaf", and "sugarleaf". Stevia contains natural compounds that 250-300 times sweeter than sugar, but it contains no calories and may even have positive health effects.
Monk fruit or Luo Han Guo is another natural sweetener with many years of safe, traditional use.
Not all natural sweeteners are sweet, however. The naturally occurring sugar alcohol erythritol is common in many supplements and protein powders but it can cause gas, bloating, and digestive upset.
Choose Your Sweeteners Wisely
When picking a calorie-free sweetener, it pays to do your homework. There are natural alternatives that will still save you calories while causing far less harm to your vital gut microbiome.
At Natural Force, we're proud to say our products are completely free of microbiome-harming artificial sweeteners. Instead, we use natural sweeteners in like stevia and monk fruit in our Organic Grass Fed Whey Protein and Organic Whey Isolate! Experience the difference today!
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Editor's Note: This article was originally posted June 2014 and has been completely revamped and updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.