Truth About Splenda. Guess Who's Joined in the Splenda Fight?

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http://www.mercola.com/2006/jan/5/guess_whos_joined_in_the_splenda_fight.htm Guess Who's Joined in the Splenda Fight? American sugar cane and beet farmers have developed a new Web sitedevoted to spreading the "Truth About Splenda." The site will post comments from Americans who feel misled by Splendaadvertisements and will provide a forum for people to share theirexperiences with the chlorinated artificial sweetener. The Web site, http://www.truthaboutsplenda.com , was launched in2005 in response to Splenda's marketing campaign that incorrectlytouted Splenda as natural. Thousands Have Already Posted Comments Since its launch, thousands of people have submitted comments to thesite. Some have spoken of Splenda's marketing campaign as beingmisleading and immoral, while others commented on health consequencesof eating the artificial sweetener, how it reacts in baked goods andhow it tastes. The Web site's goal is to help better educate Americans about Splenda,so that the public becomes aware that it is, in fact, a chlorinatedartificial sweetener. The site welcomes all comments and hopes tobecome a useful educational resource for all. U.S. Newswire December 15, 2005 Dr. Mercola's Comment: Though I am not a fan of sugar (whether from beets, sugar cane orotherwise), if I had to choose between sugar or Splenda (or any otherartificial sweetener, for that matter), sugar would win, hands down. That's why I must applaud the American sugar cane and beet farmers whohave aligned their views with my own -- at least when it comes togetting the word out about the potential dangers and misleadingadvertising of Splenda. Of course, the sugar farmers surely have their own agenda forspreading this message, but I have none -- other than protecting youand your family from this artificial sweetener that bears morechemical similarity to DDT than it does to sugar. Splenda's manufacturers have gone to great lengths to suggest thatSplenda is natural and safe by using the slogan, "made from sugar soit tastes like sugar." But after the sugar has been treated withchemicals like trityl chloride, acetic anhydride, and thionyl chloridein the presence of dimethylformamide, 4-methylmorpholine, and methylisobutyl ketone, it is anything but a sugar molecule. By the end of the chemical processing Splenda goes through, itresembles nothing found in nature. This product is not natural, nor isit a real sugar. It isn't even close. And, if you haven't yet heard, the long-term safety of Splenda hasnever been established. In fact: * There have only been six human trials to date * The longest trial lasted three months * At LEAST 15 percent of Splenda is not excreted from your body ina timely manner In the meantime, since there is a complete absence of any usefullong-term human studies, I've been researching effects of Splendabased upon information collected from various individual case studies.The following symptoms have been noticed within a 24-hour periodfollowing consumption of Splenda products: * Skin -- Redness, itching, swelling, blistering, weeping,crusting, rash, eruptions, or hives (itchy bumps or welts). This isthe most common allergic symptom that people have. * Lungs -- Wheezing, tightness, cough, or shortness of breath. * Head -- Swelling of the face, eyelids, lips, tongue, or throat;headaches and migraines (severe headaches). * Nose -- Stuffy nose, runny nose (clear, thin discharge), sneezing. * Eyes -- Red (bloodshot), itchy, swollen, or watery. * Stomach -- Bloating, gas, pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, orbloody diarrhea. * Heart -- Palpitations or fluttering. * Joints -- Joint pains or aches. * Neurological -- Anxiety, dizziness, spaced-out sensation,depression. In a nutshell, Splenda is simply not as perfectly safe as themanufacturers would have you believe. If you are still using Splenda, I urge you to take a look through theWeb site above, and then check out the pages of testimonials from ourown readers who feel they have been harmed by Splenda -- then decideif using this largely experimental product is really worth the risk. Related Articles: The Secret Dangers of Splenda (Sucralose), an Artificial Sweetener Splenda Marketing Accused of False Advertising, Misleading Public Beware of More Deceptive Splenda Propaganda