HFCS, Splenda And Artificial Sweeteners

From TV commercials sponsored by The Corn Refiners Association promoting High Fructose Corn Syrup to the latest news, Splenda in our children’s medicine I will continue to be shocked and angry in what society is giving to our children.

In a recent study it was shown that Splenda can cause you to gain weight and lose the benefits of medications designed to improve and protect your health. So if it is making you lose the benefits of the medications then why are they adding it to Pedialyte? Why do medicines need to be sweetened up?

Here is a brief excerpt from a recent email I received on this topic:

James Turner, chairman of the national consumer education group Citizens for Health expressed shock and outrage after reading a new report from scientists at Duke University. “The report makes it clear that the artificial sweetener Splenda and its key component sucralose pose a threat to the people who consume the product. Hundreds of consumers have complained to us about side effects from using Splenda and this study, published this past week in the Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health Part A, confirms that the chemicals in the little yellow package should carry a big red warning label,” said Turner. MINNEAPOLIS, Sept. 22, 2008 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE)

Stevia Plant

Stevia Plant

The good news is there is a natural alternative to using HFCS, Splenda and other artificial sweeteners- Stevia! Stevia is a plant with amazingly sweet leaves and it is only available in the United States as a supplement. You can typically find it in the Natural Foods section of most grocery stores or check out your local food buying club, health store, or online.

What’s so great about this little plant?

With its extracts having up to 300 times the sweetness of sugar, stevia has garnered attention with the rise in demand for low-carbohydrate, low-sugar food alternatives. Stevia also has shown promise in medical research for treating such conditions as obesity and high blood pressure. Stevia has a negligible effect on blood glucose, even enhancing glucose tolerance; therefore, it is attractive as a natural sweetener to diabetics and others on carbohydrate-controlled diets. …read in full at Wikipedia.org

What are your thoughts?
Should our foods continue to use chemically altered sweetening methods or should we go back to the days of sugar cane and using plants to sweeten our foods?

For more information on Stevia check out Wikipedia for a thorough definition. You can also read the full article on Globe Newswire.

3 comments to HFCS, Splenda And Artificial Sweeteners

  • Ruth N.

    OK, I have to speak up on this one. I, too, am shocked and angry at what is put in “children’s” products. There is sucralose in all kinds of things, like powdered shakes, cereals, ice cream products, etc., targeted for children. And there is often no mark on the label to indicate there is anything suspicious. No “less sugar”, or “artificial sweetener” or “splenda” marking, but if you read the label, it’s there. It’s difficult to even buy toothpaste that doesn’t have artificial sweeteners in it.
    We have known about and used stevia (the fine, white powder, not the green stuff) for over 5 years now, although we don’t use it exclusively. I believe in good old-fashioned honey, and use it most of the time, along with the occasional sugar, maple syrup, molasses, etc.
    Now if we could cut out artificial sweeteners *and* food dyes, too, this world would be a better place.

  • I never use fake sugars, who know what they could doing to our bodies (plus they taste awful). Use the real stuff but in moderation

  • i always thought fake sugars were suspect. i stopped eating anything artificial when i was pregnant. i still try to steer clear of them as i feel that with breastfeeding, i need to be careful what i ingest.

    i love stevia. i’ve used it many times to bake for my stepdad.

    i’m so surprised that pedialyte would use artificial sweeteners.

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