Sucralose is Safe and Delicious

People are afraid of food additives, and rightfully so.

The last time humans tried to make things better than the real original, we were nearly screwed. But thankfully the Terminator was taken down in “The Rise of the Machines.”

Related - Science of Sucralose: Can it Cause Weight Gain?

Ever since diabetes became as common as the common cold, and Donald Trump using the term fake news, scientists have been trying to replicate the sweetness of sugar. The goal has been to produce a sweet alternative without the harmful side effects of blood sugar spikes, loads of calories, and dental cavities.

We had many honorable mentions along the way such as Aspartame and Acesulfame K, but some negative press and flawed studies (not the scope of this article, but I had to say it), knocked them dead in their tracks. Then came this wonderful breakthrough that “tastes like sugar because it came from sugar.”

Sucralose, or the brand name Splenda®, was born into the world… And bland oatmeal would never be the same again.

Sucralose is produced by the chlorination of sucrose yet is 320 to 1,000 times sweeter than its parent material. ^[1] It is stable under heat so it maintains its flavor in cooking. Basically, it is the most delicious and potent calorie-free sweetener we have.

Click here to order MTS Whey - THE high-quality protein blend.

So why all the fuss?

You’ll see people claim cancer effects and more, but let’s look at data. The FDA reviewed over 110 studies and found no evidence of carcinogenic, neurological or reproductive effects. ^[2]

What about gut health? One of the major claims is that sucralose “contributes to obesity, destroys ‘good’ intestinal bacteria and prevents prescription drugs from being absorbed.” But read beyond the BS. This study was done in rats, not humans, and was funded by The Sugar Association. ^[3]

This flawed and biased study was subsequently refuted by Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology and said it was deficient in many critical areas. Thus, the whackjob people trying to sell you holistic garbage online are either sharing crap studies or failing to follow up on continuing research.

Moreover, the claims that sucralose can lead to overeating can be true in that bland food will taste better, and you will eat more of it. But if you count your calories and have self-control, it will not lead to any weight gain.

It is simple… The main determinant of weight gain or loss is calories in versus calories out. Take in fewer calories than you burn, you will lose fat. Take in more calories than you burn, you will gain weight.

To determine your calorie needs, see our TDEE calculator here. For a great fat loss diet read the Drop Factor Book.

As for Splenda® itself or those “little yellow packets,” those DO contain calories. There are MILLIGRAMS of sucralose in the packet and one of these bad boys is a gram in weight - that means the rest is cut with the cheap, calorie-packed and insulin-promoting carbs called maltodextrin and dextrose.

Dextrose is very simple - it is the body’s ACTUAL fuel source – it is GLUCOSE!). Maltodextrin, while a complex carbohydrate, is devoid of any micronutrients. I don’t know about you, but I would rather get my carbs from yummy food! See my video on that here.

When you see “sucralose” on a supplement label, this is not Splenda, this is the actual sucralose with no added dextrose of maltodextrin. Thus, this is NOT sugar, is calorie-free and will lead to, in the case of MTS Nutrition Machine Whey, an amazing tasting shake! Please be aware of the difference!

There you have it! While the people SELLING natural remedies and using scare tactics to get you to buy their stuff, sucralose has been proven safe, has GRAS Status (Generally Recognized as Safe), and is delicious!

In my opinion, it can help you cut many extra sugar calories from your diet without sacrificing taste, can alleviate blood sugar spikes and crashes, and can be a part of your daily diet… Safely!

As for how much you can take per day, sucralose's ADI (acceptable daily intake) per the NHS (National Health Services) in the UK is 15 milligrams per kilogram of body weight per day. So a 165-pound person could (in theory) safely snack on 93 packets of Splenda per day.

This would equal, as an example, over 20 scoops of MTS Nutrition Machine Whey per day. And even then, we have no data on anything serious happening over this amount.

So pick up that shaker bottle of Machine Fuel and enjoy every sip, and savor the calorie-free sweetness of this deliciously safe sweetener!

References

1) Michael A. Friedman, Lead Deputy Commissioner for the FDA, Food Additives Permitted for Direct Addition to Food for Human Consumption; Sucralose Federal Register: 21 CFR Part 172, Docket No. 87F-0086, April 3, 1998

 2) "Sucralose - FDA Final Rule - Food Additives Permitted for Direct Addition to Food for Human Consumption" (PDF). United States: Food and Drug Administration.

 3) "Splenda Alters Gut Microflora and Increases Intestinal P-Glycoprotein and Cytochrome P-450 in Male Rats." Taylor & Francis, 18 Sept. 2008, www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15287390802328630.