Is sucralose safe? Does sucralose cause weight gain? Are there any other side effects of sucralose? If you are troubled with such other questions then read the following article, for the possible answers…
Artificial sweeteners and low calorie sugar substitutes, are used by people who wish to lose weight or control blood sugar levels. Amongst all these sweeteners, sucralose is one of the most popular type of artificial sweetener. It was discovered in the year 1976 and is popular by various brand names like Splenda, Cukren, Sukrana, SucraPlus, Nevella, etc. Sucralose, which do not provide any calories, is not entirely broken down by the body. Hence, sucralose is called a zero calorie sugar substitute. Another reason, why sucralose is one of the popular types of artificial sweeteners is because it is around 600 times sweeter than the regular table sugar and 2 to 3 times sweeter than aspartame and saccharin.
Sucralose also has low acidic levels and hence, it also has a longer shelf life. Along with its other uses, sucralose is predominantly used for preparing foods that are preserved for longer period of time. There are a few people who claim that sucralose and other such sweeteners increase your appetite and as a result they cause gain in weight. According to these people, you may experience weight gain after you stop food products that contain sucralose. Is that true? Does sucralose cause weight gain? To be frank, no. Sucralose does not cause weight gain. To find out how, keep reading the following section of the article.
Sucralose as a Substitute
Before moving ahead with the answers to your questions, let’s find out more about this product. People who are interested in weight loss with help of low calorie diet as well as low carbohydrate diet, are on the constant lookout for foods that can be used as equally powerful substitutes. Sugar or sucrose is one of the irreplaceable ingredients in our diet, which is required to be omitted by those who are suffering with various health issues like obesity and diabetes. For such people, sucralose and other such artificial sweeteners have brought a huge relief. There are two types of sucralose, solid and liquid, both of which have similar properties. Both of these types of sucralose are used in various foods products, bakery products, salad dressings, ice creams, diet drinks like diet sodas and diet colas, chewing gums, toothpaste and other sweets like candies and protein bars. Interestingly it was found that, more than 70% of regular sucralose users suffer because of sucralose allergy, which puts them at risk of various sucralose dangers.
Sucralose and Weight Gain
According to a few experts, they performed a detailed study of sucralose consumption on rats. In this study, they fed the rats with foods prepared using artificial sweeteners. At the end of the study, they found that the rats started overeating. Also, they showed significant amount of weight gain. The experts claimed that rats showed about 9 to 15 lbs of weight gain while they were fed with sucralose rich foods. In fact, they also claimed that rats gained more weight when they were stopped being fed with sucralose. This so-called study is probably the main reason behind claims that sucralose causes weight gain.
According to many scientists and experts, including the British Journal of Nutrition, sucralose does not cause weight gain. It is also important to understand that the FDA has approved sucralose and advocated that Sucralose is safe for human consumption and does not pose carcinogenic, reproductive, or neurological risks to humans based on over 100 research safety studies. They claim that sucralose is safe to be consumed by pregnant women too. If you look at the product reviews or consumer reviews of sucralose manufacturers as well as the consumers, then you will come to know that sucralose in fact helps in weight loss.
Since it doesn’t contain any calories and has an added shelf life, sucralose is safe to be consumed by those who are not allergic to it. However, it should also be kept in mind that overeating sweets that contain sucralose, just because it doesn’t cause weight gain is also not right. Because, the sweets made using sucralose that you consume, are made using flour and other sources of carbohydrates, that equally contribute in the gradual process of weight loss. Similarly, those of you who want to lose weight and have been using sucralose, have to understand that although there is no connection between sucralose and weight gain, one might experience weight gain, with overeating foods that contain sucralose or other such artificial sweeteners. In such scenarios, one cannot blame only sucralose. It is present in more than 4,000 food products and according to the FDA, moderate consumption of sucralose is not harmful.
Side Effects of Sucralose
People who are allergic to sucralose may suffer with several health problems like nausea, diarrhea, hives, skin swelling, itching, runny nose, itchy eyes, heart palpitations, wheezing, mood swings, headache, migraine, vision problem and other psychological and physiological side effects of sucralose. There are also a few other reported side effects of sucralose including, enlargement of organs like liver and kidney, fetal decrease in body weight, extended pregnancy period, slow growth rate, decreased count of RBCs, miscarriage, stillbirth, etc. All these are the possible side effects and rate of their occurrence is also extremely rare. Amongst all these side effects, one may fail to find any connection between sucralose and weight gain. If you are wondering about the same, then let me tell you that there are claims of weight gain with sucralose which are not well proven yet. The entire theory of weight gain with sucralose began with a lab study that was performed by researchers, a few years back.
Well then, as we can see, sucralose causing weight gain is not scientifically confirmed. If you suspect that you are allergic to it, always check the ingredients of the food products prior to the purchase. As a parting note, I would like to advise you to consult your healthcare provider before consuming foods that contain sucralose.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only, and should not be used without prior professional medical advice.
