Is Sucralose Safe for You ？

You know that too much sugar is the enemy of a healthy diet. So low-calorie sugar substitutes might seem like the perfect solution.

 

But is sucralose — aka Splenda, aka the sweetener in the yellow packet — a healthy swap for the real thing? Once you’ve reached the article end, hopefully any queries you may have had about this artificial sweetener will have been answered.

What is sucralose?  

There are a variety of artificial sweeteners available, all of which mimic the sweet taste of sugar (sucrose) without the calories. Sucralose is unique among artificial sweeteners because it’s made from real sugar. A chemical process tweaks its chemical structure, making it 600 times sweeter than sugar — and essentially calorie-free.

 

Fans like sucralose because it doesn’t have a bitter aftertaste, as some fake sugars do. That may be why it’s so hard to avoid. Sucralose is in everything from sugar-free gum and soda to ice cream and yogurt. And because it remains stable in heat, you can swap it for sugar in baked goods.

 

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration reviewed more than 110 safety studies before approving it as a sweetener in 1998. But since then, research has raised questions about the safety of sucralose.

 

Is sucralose safe?

Sucralose, which is also referred to as Splenda, is a chemical that’s made in a laboratory. It’s been created to provide a zero-calorie alternative to sugar, that reportedly tastes very similar to, but isn’t actually sugar.

 

You could say that it’s clever in the fact it’s been created by tweaking some of the bonds within sugar molecules to create something that isn’t digested or absorbed by the body as sugar.

 

So to clarify, sucralose does technically stem from sugar molecules, but it isn’t sucrose (table sugar). As for whether it’s safe for us to use instead of or alongside sugar, sucralose is believed to be a safer and healthier alternative to other artificial sweeteners, particularly aspartame.

 

However, as great as sucralose and artificial sweeteners are for helping you cut back on your sugar intake or completely remove sugar from your diet, they should only really be used on a short-term basis to help you initially kick your sugar habit, as they can affect our health in certain ways.