Sucralose - Pros and Cons

 

The Wizard has recently started buying and drinking flavoured sparkling water that is sweetened with sucralose. Splenda is one brand of bulk packages of sucralose. Great for my diabetes, but had me wondering about the safety of sucralose. Here are the pros and cons I found researching it. 

Sucralose is a zero-calorie artificial sweetener that is commonly used in a variety of food and beverage products, including pop and soda. Here are some potential pros and cons of using sucralose as a sweetener in these drinks:

Pros:

1. Low calorie: Sucralose is a zero-calorie sweetener, which means it can help reduce the overall calorie content of soda and pop.

2. No effect on blood sugar: Sucralose does not affect blood sugar levels, making it a suitable sweetener for people with diabetes or those who are watching their blood sugar levels.

3. High sweetness intensity: Sucralose is several times sweeter than sugar, which means that less of it can be used to achieve the same level of sweetness, resulting in fewer calories per serving.

4. Heat stable: Sucralose is heat-stable, which means that it can be used in hot beverages and in baking without losing its sweetness.

5. Safe: Sucralose has been approved as safe for human consumption by numerous regulatory bodies around the world, including the FDA in the US, Health Canada, and the European Food Safety Authority.

Cons:

1. Artificial taste: Some people may find that sucralose has a slightly artificial taste compared to sugar or other natural sweeteners, which can affect the overall taste of soda and pop.

2. Limited availability: Some people may have difficulty finding soda and pop that are sweetened with sucralose, as it is not as widely used as other sweeteners like sugar and high-fructose corn syrup.

3. Possible digestive issues: Some people may experience digestive issues like bloating or gas after consuming products containing sucralose, although these side effects are generally mild and rare.

4. Environmental concerns: The production of sucralose can be environmentally intensive, and there are concerns about the long-term environmental impact of its production and disposal.

5. Questionable health effects: While sucralose has been approved as safe for human consumption, some studies have raised concerns about potential health effects, including changes in gut bacteria and increased risk of certain cancers. However, more research is needed to fully understand the long-term health effects of sucralose consumption.

Sucralose can be a useful sweetener for reducing the calorie content of soda and pop while still maintaining sweetness. However, as with any artificial sweetener, it is important to be aware of potential drawbacks and to consume it in moderation as part of a balanced diet.

Source: Some or all of the content was generated using an AI language model