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Is sucralose absorbed or metabolized?
Despite the manufacturer's claims to the contrary, sucralose is significantly absorbed and metabolized by the body. According to the FDA's "Final Rule" report, 11% to 27% of sucralose is absorbed in humans, and the rest is excreted unchanged in feces. According to the Japanese Food Sanitation Council, as much as 40% of ingested sucralose is absorbed. Plasma sucralose has been reported to have a half-life of anywhere from 2 to 5 hours in most studies, although the half-life in rabbits was found to be much longer at about 36 hours. About 20% to 30% of absorbed sucralose is metabolized. Both the metabolites and unchanged absorbed sucralose are excreted in urine. The absorbed sucralose has been found to concentrate in the liver, kidney, and gastrointestinal tract. According to The Sucralose Toxicity Information Center, sucralose is broken down "into small amounts of 1,6-dichlorofructose, a chemical which has not been adequately tested in humans."
Protecting their image
Tate & Lyle and Johnson & Johnson (owners of Splenda) have been going on a domain sucking spree to get a variety of domain names that imply a negative association with Splenda, the chemical sucralose artificial sweetener.
The Domain Tools Blog writes, "Splenda wants to shortcut any free speech or backlash to their product by registering all the negative domains," and explains how and why companies have been pro-active in buying domain names with negative association before any critics do. The list of domain names does indicate that Tate & Lyle and Johnson & Johnson have certain expectations of what that criticism is about given the names of the domains such as splendakills.com, victimsofsplenda.com, splendatoxicity.com, and many others. Tate & Lyle and Johnson & Johnson have bought as many as 200 and possibly as high as 300 negative domain names. Is there something these companies know about Splenda that makes them feel the need to buy all these domain names before someone else can?
How safe do you feel when the company who makes this particular sweetener makes this claim: "We know our product might be poison, so let's prevent people from talking about it."
How was Splenda discovered?
Sucralose was discovered in 1976 by scientists from Tate & Lyle, working with researchers at Queen Elizabeth College (now part of King's College London). It was discovered by Leslie Hough and a young Indian chemist Shashikant Phadnis. The duo were trying to make an insecticide. On a late-summer day, Phadnis was told to test the powder. Phadnis thought that Leslie asked him to taste it; so he did. He found the compound to be ridiculously sweet (the final formula was 600 times sweeter than sugar). They worked with Tate & Lyle for a year before settling down on the final formula.
Keep your distance
Avoid using these artificial sweeteners at all costs, as well as any products that contain them. They are not natural by any means, and they can all be hazardous to your health. (Read labels carefully!):