One of the keys to living a healthy life is knowing what you’re putting into your body.  I rarely buy anything without having first carefully reviewed the ingredients list and nutritional content.  However, one thing I’ve pretty much chosen to ignore is Splenda and other artificial sweeteners.  While I tend not to eat much processed food anyway, I do have a big ol’ cup of Joe every single morning…with three Splenda packets.  When in school, I can have up to FOUR MUGS (yes, mugs) of coffee a day…each with three Splenda packets.  We’ll save the caffeine debate for another day because today I’m seeking out your knowledge and insight on the use of Splenda and other artificial sweeteners.  Here’s what I could gather myself:

Splenda (Sucralose-based)

• Pros: No calories, tastes good to me, more concentrated than sugar so can use less. Good sub for sugar if you are diabetic.
• Cons: See Duke University Study here: Basically, those who interpreted the results reported that Splenda may decrease good bacteria in the gut, increase fecal PH (um, I looked it up and am still confused what that is), and limit “bioavailability of orally administered drugs” — I think that means it interferes with the absorption.  Other articles have reported Splenda is linked to weight gain (see Time article “Can Sugar Substitutes Make You Fat,” 2/2008, here).
• Other:  There is an entire site called “Truth About Splenda” here, which is run by the Sugar Association (go figure).
• Bella says: Gag me with a spoon, I give.

Stevia

• This seems to be the sweetheart sweetener of health food bloggers.
• Pros: From Wiki: “Medical research has also shown possible benefits of stevia in treating obesity and high blood pressure. Because stevia has a negligible effect on blood glucose, it is attractive as a natural sweetener to people on carbohydrate-controlled diets.“
• Cons: More research still needed.  See here from Center For Science in the Public Interest, toxicologists voice concerns over male reproductive issues, cancer and energy metabolism (may interfere with carb absorption — which, correct if I’m wrong, I think some are touting as a benefit?)

Oh me oh my!  What are we to do?  My fave excerpt from the Live Science article titled, Bitter Battle over Truth in Sweeteners,” 3/15/07 (wow, I guess all this debate is old news, eh?), here:

“Splenda’s makers packaged their product to sound more natural, knowing consumers worry about alleged health consequences of other synthesized sweeteners, such as Equal (aspartame) or Sweet & Low (saccharine). And the plan worked. Within two years after its introduction, Splenda overtook Equal and now commands about two-thirds of the artificial sweetener market.

Just because a synthesized molecule is similar to a natural sugar molecule doesn’t make it safe. Just a one- or two-atom change makes a big difference when ingesting water versus hydrogen peroxide, beer versus wood alcohol, or carbon dioxide versus carbon monoxide.

The true test of safety lies in long-term health studies, not wordplay. Splenda does have dozens of studies to demonstrate that it is generally safe for human consumption, so many countries have approved its use in beverages and baked goods.

Yet all sweeteners, artificial or natural, have pluses and minuses. Sugar is associated with obesity, tooth decay and hyperactivity. One must wonder whether such a “chemical,” atom for atom, would be approved by the FDA if it were made in a lab. Recent case studies have revealed that Splenda, like Equal, can cause migraine headaches, but the incidence is rare.

Sugar can make bitter foods more palatable, which is why the World Health Organization allows some added sugar as part of a healthy diet. Splenda, Equal and saccharine have been a godsend to diabetics and dieters. Some folks will accept a remote chance of developing cancer, although none of these products have been shown conclusively to cause human cancer.”

I also enjoyed the article here from Examiner.com (wow, I’m using some really impressive and legit resources, eh?

So what’s the take-home message if there is one?  MODERATION!  No matter what you choose to use, just use it moderately.  I, for one, am going to wean myself off the Splenda.  One packet here and there, fine.  But up to 12 packets a day is NO BUENO!

Ok enough of the sweet stuff – real quick want to share the following:

• Made a Mediterranean Roasted Broccoli & Tomatoes dish from the Eating Well recipe here.

Per serving (1 cup): 76 calories, 5 g fat, 3 g fiber, 3 g protein. I added a mini yellow bell pepper, not included in the nutritional info. given.  I’d definitely recommend it if you want an easy way to use up and eat your veggies!

• If you are a vegan or vegetarian, check out this article from Calorie Lab called “The Good and the Bad of Vegetarianism” here. From the article, “Vegans had about 6 percent less dense bones than those who ate meat, but people with mostly vegetarian diets who also ate dairy and eggs showed almost no difference in bone density compared to people who ate meat.”

So tell me where you stand on the sugar debate?  Do you use an artificial sweetener? How much a day?

If you are vegan or veg, do you take calcium supplements?

Have a great day!