Splenda

Johnson & Johnson claims that "Splenda is made from sugar, so it tastes like sugar".  Johnson & Johnson wants consumers to think that it is natural sugar without calories.  The truth is that Splenda is not natural and does not taste like sugar.  The sweetness of Splenda derives from a chlorocarbon chemical that contains three atoms of chlorine in every one of its molecules.  The manufacturer of this chlorinated compound named it sucralose.  The improper use of “ose” in the name creates the illusion that sucralose is natural like sucrose which is the precise name for table sugar.  Johnson & Johnson wants consumers to believe that the taste of Splenda is due solely to natural sugar, that is, due to sucrose. However, the manufacturer has patented several chemical processes for making the chlorinated chemical compound it calls sucralose.  The patent literature illustrates that sucralose can be chemically manufactured from starting materials that do not require natural sugar.  In one patent, for example, the manufacturer constructs sucralose from raffinose by substituting atoms of chlorine for hydroxyl groups in raffinose.  Raffinose is a molecule found naturally in beans, and onions and other plants, but unlike natural sucrose, it has very little taste.  In another patented process three atoms of chlorine are substituted for three hydroxyl groups in sucrose.  The end product of both of these manufacturing processes is an entirely new chlorocarbon chemical called sucralose.  Each molecule of sucralose contains three atoms of chlorine which makes it 600 times sweeter than a natural molecule of sugar which contains no chlorine.  Splenda has it’s own artificial taste which is due to this chlorinated compound.

For more information, visit: The Truth About Splenda

Nutrasweet and Equal

The final report of a seven-year study on aspartame (also known as Nutra-Sweet or Equal) has linked it to high rates of lymphomas, leukemias, and other cancers in rats. The rats were given the equivalent of four to five bottles of diet soda a day for a human.

The carcinogenic effect of aspartame was found at levels as low as 400 parts per million, or about 20 milligrams a day for humans. This is far less than current daily limits in America (50 milligrams) and the UK (40 milligrams).

When the initial findings were released almost a year ago, they were met with criticism from artificial sweetener trade groups, and support from groups critical of aspartame.

No government regulatory agency has yet acted on the findings; there have been calls for a ban in Britain, and the European Food Safety Authority has begun a review of the study's results. United States FDA officials have said that they also intend to conduct a review.

For More Information: NY TImes: The Lowdown on Sweet?

Sweetener Xylitol can be toxic to dogs

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals' Animal Poison Control Center is warning veterinarians, their staff, and pet owners that the xylitol—a sweetener found in some sugar-free chewing gums, candies, and other products can cause serious—possibly life-threatening problems for dogs.

Dogs ingesting large amounts of products sweetened with xylitol may have a sudden drop in blood sugar, resulting depression, loss of coordination, and seizures, according to Dr. Eric K. Dunayer, a consulting veterinarian in clinical toxicology for the poison control center. The center is most concerned about products in which xylitol is the primary ingredient.

"These signs can develop quite rapidly, at times less than 30 minutes after ingestion of the product," Dr. Dunayer said in a statement. "Therefore, it is important that pet owners seek veterinary treatment immediately."

Some data suggest a link between xylitol ingestion and liver failure in dogs, he said, though those data are insufficient to draw firm conclusions.

Dr. Dunayer published a case study on xylitol toxicosis in the April 2004 issue of the journal Veterinary and Human Toxicology.

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