SPLENDA ®
Q: What is SPLENDA ®?
A:
SPLENDA ® , the trade name for sucralose, is the only no calorie sweetener made from sugar. It tastes like sugar, with no unpleasant aftertaste. It can be used virtually anywhere sugar is used, including cooking and baking. Splenda brand products include SPLENDA No Calorie Sweetener, Granular, found in packets, boxes, or baking bags and two Splenda-Sugar blends (blends of Splenda and real sugar).
Q: Is it safe?
A:
Yes, in fact over 100 studies have been done in the last 20 years to confirm this. SPLENDA is approved by the FDA for use for everyone, including pregnant women and children, and carries no warning labels. It has also has been recognized as a safer alternative to other non-nutritive sweeteners by many health authorities including Holistic Health Specialist Dr. Andrew Weil. In fact, The Center for Science in the Public Interest, a well-know consumer advocate and watch-dog organization, and long time critic of other artificial sweeteners performed it’s own review of the toxicological studies and drew this conclusion, “We find it (Splenda) to be the safest alternative to sugar out there.”
Q: What about side effects?
A:
There are no documented side effects. This includes headaches, allergies,
or gastrointestinal disturbances (such as diarrhea) reported, as with
other food substitutes.
Q. How is sucralose different from the other no-cal sweeteners like aspartame and saccharin?
A:
First,
sucralose has a great safety profile. Second, because it is made from
sugar, it actually tastes like sugar without any aftertaste. And last,
because it does not break down under heat, sucralose is able to be used
to create wonderful traditional baked goods!
Q: How is SPLENDA® handled by the body?
A:
SPLENDA® (sucralose) is made from sugar, however, the body does not recognize it
as sugar or a carbohydrate. This means it is not metabolized (broken down
or digested) by the body.
Q: How are the Splenda Sugar Blends different from the No Calorie Sweetener?
A: SPLENDA No Calorie Sweetener, Granular, contains no real sugar. SPLENDA Sugar Blend and SPLENDA Brown Sugar Blend are 50/50 blends of real sugar and sucralose. By enhancing sugar’s sweetness with sucralose only ½ of the amount usually required to sweeten is necessary. (Why this can be beneficial to some recipes and how this affects persons with diabetes can be found in the Diabetic Diets and Recipes sections of the FAQ’’s)
Q: How many calories are in Splenda compared to regular sugar?
A: Splenda in the granular form has 96 calories per cup. (The calories come from maltodextrin, a natural carbohydrate used to bulk sucralose so that it measures one for one in sweetness to sugar), a ½ cup (which sweetens like a full cup) of either of the Splenda-sugar blends contains 384 calories and a cup of granulated sugar has 768 calories! (And many sweet treats contain cups of sugar).
Q. Will sucralose effect my blood sugar ?
A: Unlike other "-oses", sucrose, glucose and even fructose, sucralose does not create and insulin response, raise blood sugar or effect triglycerides. This makes sucralose the perfect choice for people with hypoglycemia, diabetes or heart disease as well as anyone simply wanting to regulate their blood sugar for other health or weight concerns.
Q. Where can I buy Splenda?
A:
Splenda products are widely available and can be found in most markets and grocery stores right next to sugar. You may also order it off the web directly from the company at www.splenda.com.
For more information, visit our SPLENDA® section.
Splenda ® • Diabetic Diets • Recipes • Healthy Eating
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Last Updated: February 9, 2006
Splenda®
a registered trademark of McNeil Nutritionals,
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