Wake up FDA, Splenda is Not Safe for Consumption

The makers of Splenda, McNeil Nutritionals, would like us to believe that it is the perfect sugar substitute; as sweet as sugar, but contains no calories, does not create a surge in insulin and offers no long-term side effects or long-term health damage. If only this were true. Splenda, (sucralose), has more in common with DDT than with food. The bonds holding the carbon and chlorine atoms together are more characteristic of a chlorocarbon than a salt — and most pesticides are chlorocarbons. Splenda is the trade name for sucralose; a synthetic compound stumbled upon in 1976 by scientists in Britain seeking a new pesticide formulation. Sounds delicious, right? It is true that the Splenda molecule is comprised of sucrose (sugar) — except that three of the hydroxyl groups in the molecule have been replaced by three chlorine atoms. Supporters of Splenda claim that just because something contains chlorine doesn’t mean that it’s toxic. But chlorine is toxic. Chlorine is linked to cancer of the esophagus, rectum, breast and larynx, of Hodgkin’s disease and to atherosclerosis and resulting heart attacks.

Why would the FDA allow a product with proven carcinogens to flood our food supply? Our current regulatory system doesn’t do a good enough job ensuring our long-term safety. The FDA claims Splenda is safe because “it is made from sugar.” Sucralose starts off with a sugar molecule, but that's where the similarity ends. Splenda is not a natural sugar; it is a chemically derived, chlorinated artificial sweetener.

A study published in 2008 found that Splenda reduces the amount of good bacteria in your intestines by 50 percent, and increases the pH level in your intestines. It's very disturbing that Splenda can destroy healthy intestinal bacteria as these bacteria are absolutely vital for supporting your general health. 80% of your immune system is located inside your digestive tract, which means that your digestive tract is the most important factor in your health. It has been estimated that 90% of all chronic symptoms and chronic conditions are caused in part by poor or declining gut health. What’s even more disturbing is that these studies were done in 2008 and yet Splenda is still considered safe.

However, it gets worse. Splenda also affects a glycoprotein in your body that can have crucial health effects, particularly if you are taking certain medications like chemotherapy or are in treatment for AIDS. Moreover, studies done using animals have found the following issues:

• Decreased red blood cells—sign of anemia
• Increased male infertility by interfering with sperm production and vitality
• Brain lesions at high doses
• Enlarged and calcified kidneys
• Spontaneous abortions in nearly half the rabbit population given sucralose, compared to zero aborted pregnancies in the control group
• A 23 percent death rate in rabbits, compared to a 6 percent death rate in the control group

FDA, are you sleeping? It’s been almost 30 years since aspartame hit the market. The FDA needs to ban Splenda and other artificial sweeteners. They have the power to prevent damage to human health sooner than with NutraSweet, which has damaged the health and the lives of millions of innocent consumers since it was placed in the public food supply in 1982, but when will they catch on? In the meantime, knowledge is power. As an educated consumer, you have the awareness to choose what you and your family will ingest. Artificial sweeteners may affect your health, so why take the chance? Organic agave syrup or Stevia are much better alternatives.

Elyn Jacobs
elyn@elynjacobs.com

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Elyn Jacobs is President of Elyn Jacobs Consulting, Inc. and a breast cancer survivor. She helps women diagnosed with cancer to navigate the process of treatment and care, and she educates about how to prevent recurrence and new cancers. She is passionate about helping others get past their cancer and into a cancer-free life.

Read more:
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/04/26/major-media-finally-exposes-splendas-lies.aspx
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/04/26/major-media-finally-exposes-splendas-lies.aspx
http://www.splendaexposed.com/
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?orig_db=PubMed&db=pubmed&cmd=Search&TransSchema=title&term=Journal%20of%20toxicology%20and%20environmental%20health.%20Part%20A%5BJour%5D%20AND%202008%5Bpdat%5D%20AND%20splenda
www.truthaboutsplenda.com
http://www.wynman.com/chlorine.html
http://www.womentowomen.com/digestionandgihealth/leakygutsyndrome-intestinalpermeability.aspx?id=1&campaignno=yeast&adgroup=ag2leakygut&keywords=leaky+gut+syndrome&gclid=CIHuire9x6gCFQMRNAod2SsNpQ

Is Aspartame Safe for Diabetics?

I recently saw a Tweet stating that aspartame was safe for Diabetics; talk about misleading information.  Aspartame is not safe for anyone and should never have been approved as safe for human consumption.  Aspartame is one of the most common artificial sweeteners used today, and yet it has the potential to damage your nervous system—your brain and nerves—leading to a variety of symptoms from migraine headaches to unexplained seizures, dizziness, depression, and vision problems. Aspartame has been found to create MS like symptoms in patients which can result in false diagnosis. It is linked to cancer, obesity, and diabetes. 

Aspartame was found to cause various types of primary brain tumors in rats when studies were done in the 1970’s.  Even though these studies showed a very clear connection between aspartame and brain cancer, the FDA approved its use as a table-top sweetener in July 1981.  Two years later, in July 1983, aspartame was approved for widespread use in diet beverages.  One year after that, the number of human brain tumors in the US suddenly increased by 10%! Aspartame is comprised of 10% methanol, 40% aspartic acid, and 50% phenylalanine.  Methanol has been proven to cause damage to the optic nerve which can cause blindness, and aspartic acid has been proven to create holes in the brains of mice.  Phenylalanine breaks down into DKP, a tumor-causing agent.  The creation of DKP in the body is one way aspartame can trigger cancer.  Another way is partly related to what happens to aspartame when it exceeds 86 degrees Fahrenheit, as it often does when, for instance, diet drinks are being shipped in hot trucks or stored in hot warehouses.  At higher than 86 degrees, the methanol in aspartame converts to formaldehyde and then to formic acid, both of which are potent carcinogens. And according to Dr. Joseph Mercola, aspartame is, by far, the most dangerous substance on the market that is added to foods.

Brain cancer is not the only type of cancer aspartame has been linked to. Leukemia, lymphoma, breast, testicular and endometrial cancer have also been associated with aspartame.  Parents may want to be extra diligent about checking the ingredients list of anything sweet (including non-food items) they give their children as aspartame is commonly used to sweeten medicines, antibiotics, vitamins and toothpaste.  Given the high rate of brain cancers and leukemias in children these days, it would seem to me that aspartame should be avoided (or banned).  I cringe when I read about the ignorant school officials who started the war on sugary sodas in schools only to replace them with diet sodas.  Please, have they no common sense? Soda of any type does not belong in school, and as bad as sugar is, artificial sweeteners are worse. However, before someone suggests they go back to sugar soda, keep in mind that one teaspoon of sugar can devastate the immune system for up to six hours, leaving you vulnerable to attack from viruses, bacteria, cancer cells and parasites.

As to aspartame being safe for diabetics?  Some would have you believe that anything without calories is safe for diabetics.  However, according to Dr. David Brownstein, “Aspartame is particularly toxic for diabetics because it disrupts the body’s normal response to glucose, which is to cause the pancreas to release insulin. The main symptom of diabetes is high blood sugar due to the body's inadequate production or utilization of insulin. Therefore, aspartame is doing exactly the opposite of what diabetics need.” Dr. Brownstein goes on to say, “Unfortunately, even the American Diabetic Association has fallen for this propaganda, and has accepted the idea that aspartame is a suitable sugar substitute for diabetics.”

Aspartame is not safe for diabetics or anyone else. All sources of aspartame sweetener need to be avoided; try pure stevia as a replacement. 

Elyn Jacobs

elyn@elynjacobs.com

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Elyn Jacobs is President of Elyn Jacobs Consulting, Inc. and a breast cancer survivor.  She helps women diagnosed with cancer to navigate the process of treatment and care, and she educates about how to prevent recurrence and new cancers.  She is passionate about helping others get past their cancer and into a cancer-free life.

Read more:

http://aspartame.mercola.com/

http://www.newsmaxhealth.com/dr_brownstein/

http://organichealthadviser.com/archives/aspartame-dangers