Summary
Splenda's advertising claim that their product is made from sugar has come back to haunt them. While the product begins with sugar, significance molecular changes take place before it is ready to consume. Health officials warn that the long term effects of Splenda consumption are unknown, and consumers should take caution.
Original source:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,147845,00.html
Details
Courtroom battles between the makers of Splenda (search) and Equal (search) have many questioning the safety of artificial sweeteners.
Since early 2000, McNeil Nutritionals has been advertising that its product --- Splenda --- is "made from sugar so it tastes like sugar."
McNeil Nutritionals shot back with a countersuit implying the case against them was more about corporate sour grapes than truth in consumer advertising.
"Splenda is not sugar --- and to piggyback it on to the reputation of the centuries' old profile of sugar is more than misleading, it could come back to haunt us, perhaps sooner than we think," says Restuccia, a nutritionist at the Center for Obesity Surgery at New York Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center in New York City.
"Sugar may have it's health drawbacks, but at least we know we're not in for any major surprises --- and we just can't say that about Splenda yet --- so to imply that it's got the same profile as sugar is misleading and that is important today, as well as in the long run, " she says.
"It's not like you're going to be using a teaspoon in your coffee once in a while --- it's going to be everywhere, in everything, which makes it even more important for people to understand what they are and are not getting with this product," says Restuccia.
Also important to note: Experts say we have almost no data on the way in which artificial sweeteners interact with each other --- particularly at high amounts.
You may be surprised to see saccharin (search) on that list.
Another sweetener receiving much publicity of late is stevia (search), an herbal sweetening ingredient used in food and beverages by South American natives for many centuries and in Japan since the mid-1970s.
About the author: Mike Adams is an award-winning journalist and holistic nutritionist with a passion for sharing empowering information to help improve personal and planetary health He has authored and published thousands of articles, interviews, consumers guides, and books on topics like health and the environment, and he is well known as the creator of popular downloadable preparedness programs on financial collapse, emergency food storage, wilderness survival and home defense skills. Adams is an honest, independent journalist and accepts no money or commissions on the third-party products he writes about or the companies he promotes. In 2010, Adams launched TV.NaturalNews.com, a natural health video site featuring videos on holistic health and green living. He also launched an online retailer of environmentally-friendly products (BetterLifeGoods.com) and uses a portion of its profits to help fund non-profit endeavors. He's also the founder and CEO of a well known email mail merge software developer whose software, 'Email Marketing Director,' currently runs the NaturalNews email subscriptions. Adams is currently the executive director of the Consumer Wellness Center, a 501(c)3 non-profit, and pursues hobbies such as martial arts, Capoeira, nature macrophotography and organic gardening. He's also author a large number of health books offered by Truth Publishing and is the creator of numerous reference website including NaturalPedia.com and the free downloadable Honest Food Guide. His websites also include the free reference sites HerbReference.com and HealingFoodReference.com. Adams believes in free speech, free access to nutritional supplements and the innate healing ability of the human body.
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Sunday, February 27, 2005
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