One cannot imagine a celebration without sweetened foods and drinks and people with a sweet tooth cannot imagine their life without their favorite sweets and snacks. However, consuming them in excess, adds unwanted calories that result in unhealthy weight gain. Hence, more and more health conscious people are opting for sugar substitutes in their foods and beverages that are either zero calorie or low in calorie content. One such popular sugar substitute is sucralose or Splenda.
Discovery of sucralose
The events that lead to the discovery of sucralose in the year 1976 are quite interesting. A British Company known as Tate & Lyle which was a sugar company was conducting experiments on the ways to use sucrose or sugar as a chemical intermediate. Tate & Lyle collaborated with Queen Elizabeth College at the University of London for this purpose. A foreign student of Indian origin, Shashikant Phadnis who was a part of the testing was asked to test a chlorinated sugar but he misunderstood it as ‘taste’ the sugar. When he did taste the sugar it tasted sweeter than the normal sugar .This meant that chlorinated sugars are sweeter than normal sugar. Taking this idea, Tate & Lyle joined with the leading health care company Johnson & Johnson and ventured into developing a sugar substitute from chlorinated sugar. The McNeil specialty product was a subsidiary company formed by Johnson & Johnson for developing the sugar substitute.
Sucralose as sugar substitute
Sucralose is a chemically modified sugar which is made in the laboratory. It is made from the chlorination of sugar in which three chlorine molecules are added to a single sugar molecule. The sucralose that is thus formed, is not natural and the body does not know how to break it. It just passes out of the body without getting digested or adding any calories to the body. That is the reason why it is also known as a zero calorie sweetener. Sucralose or splenda became popular as a substitute for normal sugar between the years 2003 and 2004 and it’s use increased from 3% to nearly 20 % in the United States.
Uses
Sucralose is used in sauces, juices, soft drinks, desserts, candy, canned fruit, baked foods, table top sweetener, carbonated beverages, non carbonated beverages, chewing gum, dry mix products, fruit spreads, salad dressings, frozen desserts and milk products. It is also used in vitamins, nutritional supplements and minerals.
Safety
Consuming sucralose in moderation is safe. The use of Sucralose or splenda was approved in the United States in the year 1998 after conducting many safety tests. The joint FAO/WHO expert committee on food additives (JECFA); Scientific committee on food (SCF) of the European commission and the European food safety Authority have approved Sucralose. The JECFA and SCF have set the acceptable daily intake to be 0-15mg/kg body weight. There can be certain safety concerns if consumed in excess that include effects like swelling of the liver, calcification of kidneys, impairment of thymus gland, reproductive problems, genetic mutations, skin irritation, diarrhea, bloating, nausea, tremors, mood swings, depression, lightheadedness, and panic attacks.
Benefits
Consuming sucralose instead of normal sugar helps in cutting down calorie intake. One can enjoy their favorite sweetened recipes by using sucralose. Sucralose can be used in cooking and baking as it is heat stable. In recipes that involve baking, sucralose can be partially or fully substituted for sugar. One can make fruit pie fillings, sweet sauces, cheese cakes, beverages and glazes completely with sucralose. It is 600 times sweeter than normal sugar and it tastes good. There is no dental decay when one consumes food and drinks made with sucralose. It is a great sugar substitute for diabetics. The body does not recognize sucralose as a sugar or carbohydrate due to which there is no insulin production (hormone that controls blood glucose level) making it safe for diabetics. In people who want to undergo a weight reduction program, sucralose use in foods and drinks can help as it contains no calories. Sucralose in moderation can be used in pregnant women, nursing women and also children. It is however advised that pregnant women or breastfeeding women should consult their doctor before using sucralose.
Global recognition
Sucralose has now been approved for consumption in nearly 80 countries. The governments and organizations around the world that have approved it include U.S food and Drug administration (FDA), European Union Scientific committee on food (SCF), Food standards Australia/New Zealand, Health protection branch of Health and Welfare Canada, Japan’s ministry of Health and Welfare, Joint Expert committee on Food additives (Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization).
Sweet and safe
One need not give up their favorite sweets and snacks for the fear of unhealthy weight gain. Thanks to zero calorie sugar substitutes like sucralose or splenda that has brought sweetness back into the cooking of the health conscious. If used in moderation, sucralose is sweet and safe.
