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Originally Posted by Tom
I thought Splenda is natural - it is basically real sugar?
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WHAT IS SPLENDA?
Splenda is the trade name for sucralose, a synthetic compound stumbled upon in 1976 by scientists in Britain seeking a new pesticide formulation. The Splenda molecule is comprised of sucrose (sugar) and three chlorine atoms – hence, it is essentially chlorinated table sugar. Its molecular structure is more characteristic of a chlorocarbon (DDT)— and most pesticides are chlorocarbons.
Chlorine does not normally occur in the environment except as a yellow gas on rare occasions. It’s a manufactured substance produced through an industrial process. When consumed, chlorocarbons accumulate in the fatty tissues and become hormone disrupters because they mimic estrogen. The EPA has observed and documented hormonal imbalance, suppressed immune systems, reproductive infertility and alterations in fetal development.
Our bodies are very good at metabolizing many things. Through special enzymes, our bodies are able to rid themselves of many environmental toxins that we come into contact with daily. However, chlorocarbons aren’t included. Even if we are exposed to very low levels, chlorocarbons remain in the body and accumulate.
The cumulative effects of chlorocarbons in humans have been linked to:
• birth defects
• cancer
• reproductive disorders
• immune system breakdown
SPLENDA – LINKED TO IRRITABLE BOWEL DISEASE
Different artificial sweeteners have been found to wreak havoc in a number of different ways. Aspartame, for example, has a long list of studies indicating its harmful effects, ranging from brain damage to pre-term delivery.
Splenda (sucralose) has been found to be particularly damaging to your intestines and has been linked to Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). Inflammatory bowel disease is a group of inflammatory autoimmune conditions of the colon and small intestine. The major types of IBD are Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
A recent study published in the Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, discovered that Splenda:
• Increases the pH level in your intestines,
• Reduces the amount of good bacteria in your intestines by 50 percent,
• Inactivates digestive protease (necessary for the digestion of protein) ,
• Alters gut barrier function,
• Interferes with the absorption of nutrients and drugs in the guts, and
• Is absorbed by fat, contrary to previous claims.
Making matters worse, most people are already deficient in healthy bacteria due to excessive consumption of highly processed foods, which is why a high quality probiotic supplement is a good idea for most people. If you add sucralose to an already unbalanced intestinal tract, health problems are a given…..
If you consider that 80% of you body’s brain chemistry (neuro-transmitters) are actually produced in the intestines, it is no wonder that compromised gut health will lead to the following neurological symptoms:
• depression
• anxiety
• foggy thinking
• lack of concentration
• ‘bad mood’
• mind-racing
Thanks, and back to the races!
