Sucralose, which is marketed as Splenda, is consumed by more than 50 million Americans. It is marketed as “sugar free” and safe for diabetics.

It’s even marketed as a weight-loss agent, but studies have shown that replacing sugar with artificial sweeteners does not achieve significant weight loss.

A study in the Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part B, looked at the toxicological properties of sucralose, which is metabolized in the intestines. A rodent study found metabolites in fecal samples of rats. A study using a tool that looks for DNA damage found sucralose to be genotoxic — that is, it damages DNA.

The amount of sucralose in a single sucralose-sweetened drink exceeds the threshold for toxicological concern. The scientists also looked at human intestinal epithelia exposed to sucralose and reported that the artificial sweetener, “. . . significantly increased the expression of genes associated with inflammation, oxidative stress, and cancer.” Sucralose was also found to result in leaky gut via an impaired intestinal barrier.

The authors concluded: “Overall, the toxicological and pharmacokinetic findings for sucralose-6-acetate raise significant health concerns regarding the safety and regulatory status of sucralose itself.”

This study is a perfect example of how we have been deceived by corporate America. We were assured that artificial sweeteners are safe, and have been told that diabetics should use artificial sweeteners.

Artificial sweeteners are not safe. Many studies point out safety issues with sucralose. In fact, studies dating back nearly 20 years found sucralose ingestion disrupted microflora in the gut. Rodent studies found that ingestion of sucralose during pregnancy and lactation impacted the progeny’s microbiome.

Sucralose has been found in human breast milk. And as this study pointed out, sucralose is well-known to negatively impact the gastrointestinal tract.

For more than 30 years, I have been writing about the dangers of refined sugar. Artificial sweeteners are not a better choice. It’s best to get your sweets from fruit. If you need to add sugar to something, I suggest using pure organic cane sugar or honey.