Contributing Writer for Wake Up World
When it comes to serious health conditions such as diabetes, it can be very concerning to hear conflicting information about low sugar products. So let’s make this simple… Knowing what we know about Splenda and other artificial sweeteners, I’d personally say you’re better off sticking with modest amounts of good ‘ol old fashion raw sugarcane.
Splenda Not So Splendid
Splenda states that their product is safe for diabetics, per their website:
“Even though SPLENDA ® Brand Sweetener starts with sugar, it goes through a process that changes it into a no-calorie, non-carbohydrate sweetener…
“… The body does not recognize SPLENDA ® Brand Sweetener as a sugar. In fact, clinical studies have shown that SPLENDA ® Brand Sweetener (sucralose) does not affect blood glucose levels, insulin, or HbA1c. In a meal plan for people with diabetes, up to 4 packets of SPLENDA ® No Calorie Sweetener or up to 8 teaspoons of SPLENDA ® No Calorie Sweetener, Granulated, are considered a ‘free food’.”
Yet studies have found that this artificial sugar does affect the Hba1C marker:
“One small study of diabetic patients using the sweetener showed a statistically significant increase in glycosylated hemoglobin (Hba1C), which is a marker of long-term blood glucose levels and is used to assess glycemic control in diabetic patients. According to the FDA, “increases in glycosolation in hemoglobin imply lessening of control of diabetes”.
Which leads us to investigate the Glycemic Index (GI), since glycemic control is the real issue here. And there is nowhere better to go than to Sydney University, “home of the glycemic index – the official website for the glycemic index and international GI database, which is based in the Human Nutrition Unit, School of Molecular Bioscience, University of Sydney”. Their explanation of the GI is one of the best I have found:
“The glycemic index (GI) is a ranking of carbohydrates on a scale from 0 to 100 according to the extent to which they raise blood sugar levels after eating. Foods with a high GI are those which are rapidly digested and absorbed and result in marked fluctuations in blood sugar levels. Low-GI foods, by virtue of their slow digestion and absorption, produce gradual rises in blood sugar and insulin levels, and have proven benefits for health. Low GI diets have been shown to improve both glucose and lipid levels in people with diabetes (type 1 and type 2). They have benefits for weight control because they help control appetite and delay hunger. Low GI diets also reduce insulin levels and insulin resistance.”
So, what is the GI of Splenda (sucralose)? Depending on the source, it can vary so let’s take the average, which is 80. Based on the explanation above, a GI of 80 is on the high end. And what makes this even more interesting, is the GI of actual table sugar. Did you know that the average GI of regular ‘ol sugar is 65?
Furthermore…BOTH studies quoted above are only speaking about sucralose (Splenda), but what of dextrose and maltodextrin, which are now found in nearly all food? Both are high glycemic carbohydrates, and both of their GI is over 100! The findings of The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition are aligned with “Home of the Glycemic Index”: the higher the GI, the higher the glycemic load, the higher the risk of type 2 diabetes!
But what of those people who already have diabetes:
“Among patients with diabetes, the weight of evidence suggests that replacing high-glycemic-index with low-glycemic-index forms of carbohydrate will improve glycemic control and reduce hypoglycemic episodes among those treated with insulin.”
In 2013, there was study published in Journal Diabetes Care which found something interesting. They concluded that:
“These data demonstrate that sucralose affects the glycemic and insulin responses to an oral glucose load in obese people who do not normally consume NNS (nonnutritive sweeteners)”
One might think that if you simply consume more NNS then it shouldn’t be a problem anymore, right? Wrong! In fact it only gets worse for this sugar substitute.
Many people are not aware that as of June 12, 2013, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) downgraded Splenda’s safety rating from “Safe” to “Caution“. Their reasoning? It seems an Italian Study found that this artificial sweetener in linked with leukemia in mice.
And another study published in Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health found something even more deadly:
“Cooking with sucralose at high temperatures was reported to generate chloropropanols, a potentially toxic class of compounds…”
What they are talking about here are chlorinated compounds, as well as, deadly dioxins or better known as: the Most Toxic Chemicals Known to Science
Yikes!
The more we seem to learn about Splenda (and other artificial sweeteners), the worse it gets. Like I said, you’re better off sticking with modest amounts of good ‘ol old fashion raw sugarcane!
For more information, check out the article Splenda (Sucralose) Found To Have Diabetes-Promoting Effects by contributing writer Sayer Ji.
Absurd Ways Splenda is Deceiving You
Previous articles by Dr. Michelle:
- The Truth About Insomnia, Depression and Anxiety
- Are There Natural Cures for ALS?
- The Arrogance of Modern Medicine
- Natural Cure for Depression Silenced?
- The Link Between Stress and Intestinal Parasites – and What to Do About Them
- Arthritis Cure Found in Nature
- The Sun & Skin Cancer: Examining the Truths, Pseudo-Truths & Lies of Mainstream Science
- “Blame It On Your Genes”: the Money-Making Myth of Modern Medicine
- A Natural Cure for Migraines
- Natural Cure for Chronic Pain Syndromes Silenced by the Medical Establishment
About the author:
Dr. Michelle Kmiec is a board certified chiropractic physician who also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Biology, and a minor in Medical Research. She is a life-long athlete who after curing herself 100% naturally from MS and anxiety, became an avid nutrition health researcher/promoter. She has been featured in many Health magazines, and has been a guest on radio talk shows in the USA, Canada, United Kingdom, and Australia. She is the author of Health Freedom Revolution: Exposing the Lies, Deceit and Greed of the Medical Profession’, Founder of Online Holistic Health, and a contributing writer for other popular informative health website/blogs. She is also founder of The Triad of Life™ Holistic Lifestyle Program – the most comprehensive holistic program on the internet today.
For more information, visit Online Holistic Health or connect with Dr. Michelle Kmiec on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
Please note: this article is not intended to provide medical diagnosis, advice or treatment.
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