The emergence of sucralose came from the fight against obesity, but did we trade one problem for another?

This video was originally published on NutritionFacts.org and republished with permission. NutritionFacts.org

In the United States, sucralose (the sweet tasting chemical in Splenda brand artificial sweeteners) was approved for use by the FDA in 1998. It was deemed safe, but we no have over a decade’s worth of research to prove that sucralose affects health in a very negative and very unique way. The only effect they thought it would have on health was that it could potentially trigger migraines in a small percentage of people. This, they decided, was a small enough issue that the FDA allowed the substance into the marketplace, citing obesity as a more pressing issue. They could not have been more wrong.

One of the major complications that can come from obesity is diabetes, where the body no longer responds to insulin properly. Originally meant to combat issues like obesity-caused diabetes, lab tests show that insulin resistance increases by as much as 20% after ingesting the sugar substitute. The cause can be traced back to gut bacteria and how sucralose and other artificial sweeteners can alter their environments. For example; Aspartame is another type of artificial sweetener which studies have shown is metabolized in the body as formaldehyde, a known carcinogen.

Furthermore, alterations in gut bacteria are also very likely the culprit behind the rise in inflammatory bowel diseases like Crohn’s disease. In every part of the world where sucralose has been approved, inflammatory bowel disease has increased. Clearly, there is a causal link between this substance and the health of our gut. Though the alternative to sugar was created in an effort to combat obesity, with all of the complications and damage it can cause, it’s clear that how sucralose affects health – negatively. This just further proves that we can all do ourselves a service by sticking to natural foods whose benefits don’t have to be decided on by a committee.