No Adverse Reaction

by Gene
(Kerby, Oregon USA)

I have been using Splenda for a number of years and have had no occurrences or noticable adverse reactions. The stuff called Sweet and Low, in my opinion, is pure and unadulterated CRAP. I have no weight problem but use Splenda to help keep it that way.

Have been using for over 10 years, so far no complaints, better than sugar in my case because I am type 2 diabetic

In my case, Type 2 diabetes, Splenda is much better than sugar. I have had no side effects for over 10 years. The best thing is to not use both, if you can.

Some people can live without, like drinking water, tea (with green tea, most Asians do not use any sweetener). I love coffee and cannot drink without sweetener and use Splenda...I love it, it's great.

Quit trying to blame sweeteners for why we're a fat nation

The only reason people become MORE hungry while using Splenda is because they aren't eating all those empty calories that are in sugar. Learn to control your eating and this wouldn't be an issue. SO many people in their hoverounds because no has any discipline.

No side effects from Splenda

by Cassie
(MS)

I have used Splenda products for years. I have had no unfavorable side effects. Many of my friends and family also use Splenda with none of the side effects mentioned!

Elena's comment: That's great, Cassie! Everyone is different. Do what works for you. Wishing you all the best!

No problems at all with Splenda

Both my wife and I have been Splenda users since it came out. Neither of us, even as heavy users, have experienced any side effects whatsoever.
I do notice that if I stand in the direct Florida summer sun at high noon for an extended time, I do sunburn. I also noticed that at night, if I close my eyes, it gets real real dark and I cannot see. Coupled with the fact that when I shower, I get quite wet. The moisture seems to stay unless I towel off. Could all these symptoms be related to my heavy Splenda use?

Elena's comment: Thanks for the tongue-in-cheek commentary, and making sure we don't take ourselves too seriously. Glad to hear you haven't experienced any negative effects...perhaps none other than being a smart a--?

No problem with Splenda yet

I have not have any problems with Splenda and I use it constantly.

NO side effects

by Bill Loveless
(North Bend, WA USA)

I have used Splenda with no discernable side effects for nearly 10 years starting in 2001. I really wonder if all the negative information might be presented by the sugar industry.

No problems at all

I have been using Splenda ever since it was introduced and it causes absolutely no health problems whatsoever.

Nothing has happened

by Brittney
(Madison, ME)

I've eaten Splenda for I don't know how long... I've never experienced any of these symptoms that could have been caused by the product. I've had headaches and stuffy nose. But they were not symptoms from Splenda, because I've had these symptoms long before I started eating Splenda. I do not understand why the article only says that this happened to animals after you've tested them. After all, humans are not animals, and the animals that the Splenda has been tested on, may have been a reaction just to those animals.

Elena's comment: Yeah, that's the catch with testing products on animals (that is, will humans experience the same reaction). But most products are only tested on animals initially.

Splenda is just fine for most people!!

All the side effects!!?? How many have you experienced? I have had a few of them over the years but they come and go and I've been drinking iced tea with Splenda for over 5 years. Some people are allergic to things and other people are not. Just because some people have severe reactions to peanuts, does not make peanuts "bad for you". Remember saccharine, the artificial sweetener that caused cancer in rats and scared everyone in the 1970s and 80s? My parents used it to sweeten their coffee and tea and drank both for breakfast and lunch and dinner. My father died at age 87 and my mother is going strong at 81. Laboratory animals shouldn't take artificial sweeteners!!

I personally think that if you have diabetes you have no choice?

by trish scott
(australia)

I have not had a bad experience but the opposite although I have not relied upon independent paid-for theories or views but have gone to the Australian government watchdogs the CSIRO who do government testings on all products and they give it the all clear so this is great news!!

Elena's comments: Thanks for taking the time to write, Trish. There actually ARE other alternatives--if you have diabetes, you DO have a choice. If you do not have an allergy to anything in the ragweed family, I recommend stevia, particularly the KAL brand of "pure stevia extract". Erythritol is another great choice. Both can be found in most health food stores and online supplement stores.

No ill effects

(Florida)

I have no ill effects from Splenda and many other substances that others have negative effects from. I do have hives and breathing problems when I eat things like legumes or anchovies because I am allergic to them. Rashes are allergy symptoms as well as many of the other complaints that the doctor you mentioned claims are from Splenda. So some people cannot tolerate it. Many people can. Please do not make hundreds of people afraid to try something new like Splenda and other ingredients you list because they may be frightened that these other items might cause ill effects too. Fear factor is something to consider before putting anything on a website designed to help people who want or need to have a healthier diet.

People who are sick are often counseled to use these products and these products are tested to be proven safe to use along with the medications that these individuals must use.

I do not mean to sound self-righteous but there is one more point to make regarding your statements about Sugar Free Pecan Pie. I have found 2 recipes in my search that are completely sugar free and low carb too.

http://www.lowcarbluxury.com/recipes/recipe-specialty15.html

http://www.low-carb-ketogenic-diets.com/recipes/unbelievable-pecan-pie.html

I do thank you from the bottom of my heart for making your website and making your collection of recipes available to the public. It is a very noble thing to help a stranger. If you choose not to post my remarks I will not take offense I really just wanted to bring things to your attention that you may not have considered.

Elena's comment: Thanks for taking the time to provide helpful comments, and for the recipe links. Unfortunately, the recipes include ingredients that I would choose not to use. I personally aim for all-natural ingredients, but others may find the recipes useful. Wishing you all the best!

Splenda Sponsor...

I love how the very first paid advertisement on your site is for Splenda....

Elena's comment: Those ads are inserted automatically by Google, based on the page keywords. Because the page's keywords include "Splenda," Google inserts related ads.

Splenda is Great

I am a Type 1 diabetic, and I have been using Splenda for 14 years. I was using it before it was finally approved by the FDA after years of opposition by the lobbyists who represented the makers of Equal, buying the product in Canada, where it had been in use for years. I have suffered no ill effects. I've passed every test from nuclear MRIs to blood, cholesterol, eyes and urine year after year. I am at my target weight (180) for my age, which is in the mid-50s. I use Splenda every day for everything from coffee to baking. Due to numerous moves, I have had several doctors, including one the country's top endocrine specialists at UCSF Hospital. Not one of these doctors has one negative thing to say about Splenda. Their only comment has been, "I'm glad you're not using Equal." Splenda has made my life as close to normal as possible. I wish the makers of Diet Seven-Up had not dropped it. They are the only food producers I know of who have. Stop with the aspartame already.

Made my coffee sweet

Made my coffee sweet and it tasted good. Much better than sugar...no calories!

I think it's a shame that there are so many "worry wart" articles ... tsk tsk tsk.

Nothing that I can point a finger at...

by Becky
(Nevada, USA)

Reading the 'symptoms' I see there are many that I might say I have suffered due to Splenda...but I could also say that the cough/runny nose/sneezing/headache/red, itchy eyes that I occasionally suffered probably have more to do with my dust allergies than my use of Splenda. Stomach problems seem a little suspect too and so many things that people eat in this day and age can affect you in those ways. Depression - well so many of us suffer from this any way, but I wonder if this symptom is in reaction to cutting sugar out of a diet? Cutting sugar from your diet will cause the same symptoms.

Is this an infomercial?

by Julia
(Texas)

I've been using Splenda for a long time. I don't blame it for being obese. If I'm obese, it's because I don't exercise enough and eat enough veggies, not because I was eating Splenda. Also, this article seems extremely biased. In your article about stevia, you wrote that it has no drawbacks and proceeded to make it sound like it had no faults. Everything has something wrong with it. And a tantalizing $5 off a purchase of stevia with a special access code? This article sounds a lot like a commercial, not hard evidence.

Elena's response: Thanks for offering your opinions, Julia. That's what makes the Internet such a great place--it's an open forum for open discussion. That said, in my article about Splenda, I do acknowledge the following: "Yet many of my readers who are long-term users of Splenda® report no ill effects (see their comments below...be sure to include your own experiences, too)." And many readers have submitted stories of no problems with Splenda, and I certainly don't censor their input. I also acknowledge that the jury is out on Splenda's safety, and that some sources indicate that the amount of chlorine (one of the dangerous substances that some sources claim is present in Splenda) in Splenda is harmless.

As for stevia, I don't claim that it's the be-all to end-all. I alert readers that many people are allergic to it (it's in the ragweed family), and I include an entire page on my site devoted to stevia allergy information. (And MANY readers have submitted their stories of allergic reactions to stevia, which I also do not censor.) I also caution people to use stevia sparingly, and to attempt to diminish your taste for anything sweet when you are trying to lose weight.

So, to answer your question as to whether this is an infomercial, it is certainly not. However, as with any business, the site needs to generate income. Offering discounts to products at a great site for low-cost supplements is one way I make an (albeit small) income from the site. It's entirely your choice whether to use the coupon.

Thanks again for taking the time to offer your opinions, Julia.

This article is first-class rubbish

by William Delaney
(Raleigh, NC, USA)

You see this guy? You could be as svelte as he is if you would just learn how to cook, and try getting some exercise while the weather is cool.

Anyway, I did some research on the claims here, and they are a great big vat of bull spunk.

http://www.nicnas.gov.au/publications/car/new/NA/NAFULLR/NA0900FR/NA944FR.pdf

The studies done on this sweetener suggest that the quantities of sucralose one would have to ingest in order for there to be any detrimental effect at all would greatly exceed the quantity of any kind of sweetener that a rational human being should be inclined to consume.

However, I would stick to aspartame or saccharine. They are much cheaper, and they are easier to cook with. As with sucralose, you would have to consume ridiculously high quantities of either for there to be any ill effect on your health. Seriously, if you are ingesting that much sweetener, you don't need a "healthy alternative." Just admit yourself to the funny farm, and stay there. If you need something "natural," try eating foods that are naturally sweet, such as beets, carrots, or sorghum.

There is still no excuse at all for not getting your exercise, though. None. When you come down with health problems due to inattention to your own health, you become one more burden on the healthcare system. You are running up insurance premiums. You are putting a strain on social security. Your personal health is not just about you. It affects everybody.

Stop making excuses, and stop looking for shortcuts. That's the answer. Oh, and don't be taken in by pseudo-science: it makes you look stupid.