Myth: Sucralose causes various side effects including headaches, allergies and gastrointestinal issues.
Health Groups Say No to Side Effects
Fact: Scientists have conducted many studies on sucralose to determine whether it had any effect on a number of different health conditions including growth and development, risk of cancer, any side effects when consumed, developmental abnormalities such as birth defects and effects on the nervous system. Researchers have concluded that there are no known side effects of sucralose. No toxic effects have been seen in test animals, even in amounts equivalent in sweetness to more than 40 pounds of sugar per day for life – far in excess of the amount of sucralose that may typically be consumed in a day in real life. For example, research does not support that sucralose would cause migraines and headaches, gastrointestinal issues or food allergies. It's important to note that sucralose is often used in foods which contain other ingredients that some people may be sensitive to, such as ice cream or chocolate.
Myth: Sucralose affects blood sugar control in people with diabetes.
Fact: Numerous studies show that sucralose is not recognized by the body as a sugar or a carbohydrate. Instead, it passes rapidly through the body virtually unchanged and has no effect on carbohydrate metabolism, short- or long-term blood glucose control or insulin secretion. These studies included high-dose prolonged-use studies involving people with diabetes and those without the condition. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) concluded that the overall data on sucralose supports its safety for the general population, including people with diabetes. Foods and beverages sweetened with sucralose offer people with diabetes a much wider variety of products from which to choose and greater flexibility in budgeting total carbohydrate intake. Thus, sucralose-sweetened products can help them follow nutrition recommendations and still enjoy good-tasting foods.
Myth: Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should not consume sucralose. More>>
