Artificial Sugar


Author Tosca Reno says sugar is as addicting as cocaine and that you need to completely rid it from your diet to eat clean. A lot people switched to splenda to keep their sweet tooth but do you know what is in splenda (sucralose)? Because your body doesn't know how to process it and you end of with all kinds of dangerous side affects. Ever wonder why it's so hard to break the soda habit?
sugar content in each drink



I urge you to throw away your splenda and switch to stevia. Stevia is a plant that looks like a cactus and has been used around the world for centuries as a sweetener, the USA was last to catch on. They make a powder or liquid from the plant which can be used to sweeten food. 

Nutrition Action has long considered sucralose (Splenda) to be safe. However, Italian researchers have reported preliminary results from a study in which male mice fed high doses of sucralose had an increased risk of leukemia. Until we can evaluate the final study, we are moving sucralose from a "safe" rating to a "caution". Two other widely used artificial sweeteners-aspartame and acesulfame potassium-have "avoid" ratings. We'll keep you posted" Nutrition Action Healthletter, June 2013

Here's a passage from the book Skinny Bitch by Rory Freedman. It has the best short description I've found on splenda and stevia
Splenda is made by chlorinated sugar, changing its molecular structure. The finished product is called sucralose. The makers of this poison tout its lack of calories and claim it's safe for diabetics. The FDA calls sucralose 98 percent pure. The other 2 percent contains small amounts of heavy metals, methanol, and arsenic. Well gee, at least it doesn't have any calories. So what if it has a little arsenic? Sucralose has been found to cause diarrhea; organ, genetic, immune system, and reproductive damage; swelling of the liver and kidneys: and a decrease in fetal body weight. What a splendid product!

Stevia, another winner, is derived from a plant found in Paraguay. The Japanese have been using this wonder sweetener for decades, South Americans for centuries. In fact, it is used by hundreds of millions of people around the world to balance blood-sugar levels, reduce cravings for sweets, and aid in digestion. Additionally, it is known for its antimicrobial properties (it inhibits the growth of bacteria).  This natural, herbal sweetener contains no calories, has no glycemic index (meaning it won't alter blood sugar), and is even safe for diabetics.
Stevia is bitter to the taste so it's can't be used in everything. For baking I prefer to use Zsweet which is made of Erythritol or Ideal made of Xylitol. I use one or the other when I make Jamie Eason's protein bar recipe. You just have to be careful with artificial sugars because 1 teaspoon can be  4 calories but they can list it as 0 calories, and that really matters when you're using a large amount to bake with. Also check the carb count.





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