Splenda
I apologize for the lapse in posting, but I’m trying to figure out the logistics for a taste test for sweeteners. In the interim, I will be blogging about specific sweeteners.
Splenda, those little yellow sweeteners popping up next to the blue and pink packets in restaurants, is a low-calorie (according to the FDA, a “no calorie”) sweetener, is the second-newest fad in diabetic sweetening. Splenda kicked Equal’s reign as the top artificial sweetener.
Splenda comes in a number of sizes, from single-serving size found in restaurants, to large bags for baking purposes. It is a sucralose brand (and therefore does contain dextrin and/or maltodextrin). It is said to be 600 times sweeter than regular sugar.
While Splenda’s label is essentially zero (with carbs having, “less than 1g”), the FDA has said any food having less than 5 calories can be labeled “calorie free” (technically, the maltodextrin and dextrose have about 3 grams of calories per serving).
Splenda & Daily Life
(In light of full disclosure, I haven;t baked with Splenda, yet.)
Splenda is a great substitute, granted the user knows what they’re getting into. As Splenda is 600 times sweeter than sugar, less is more. Having too much Splenda can lead to a very “artificial” or “chemical” aftertaste. Coming from someone who would put near 6 or 7 sugar packets in a medium latte, I go with about .5 to 1 packet of Splenda.
Splenda, as with most artificial sweeteners, doesn’t mix well with cold products. I haven;t found anything that does, so it isn’t a bad thing for me.
The cons…
As I’m not a medical expert, please take the following with a grain of salt.
After eating too much Splenda (my limit ranges from one packet, to three and up), I have fallen ill to “Splenda Sickness“. Splenda sickness is essentially gas/bloating/diarrhea (go go pepto bismol.. if only the pink stuff could help!) amplified to an extreme (no, the link isn’t graphic, but very funny). I’m assuming that this is a reaction to the concentrated dextrose or maltodextrin, which suggest a corn/corn syrup allergy. Nonetheless, caution should be heeded whenever taking more than one packet of Splenda–besides, it’s 600 times sweeter than sugar, what do you need all that for?
Overall
Unless you want to carry your own sweetener-of-choice with you wherever you go, this is a safe alternative. If by chance you go to an IHOP, or someplace that serves coffee-by-the-cup, milk one packet as long as you can.
Out of five stars, Splenda gets four.
