Sheer Balance

by Brett Blumenthal

You may have seen the television ads for the ‘new and improved’ Splenda:  Splenda with Fiber.  Call me cynical, but this idea just seems silly. From the makers of Splenda, this seems like a great idea.  They argue that the average adult needs 25 grams of fiber every day true, but only gets 13.  This very well may be true, but does this mean that individuals should turn to this product to rack up the fiber?  I don’t think so…and here’s why:

1. Big Bad Sucralose: Splenda is made with sucralose which is not so great for you.  Sure, the FDA has approved it as a safe artificial sweetener (yes folks, it is manufactured in a laboratory), but believe me, the FDA has its own motives.  This past September, Duke University published a study that concludes Splenda DOES, indeed, have side effects.  It “contributes to obesity, destroys “good” intestinal bacteria and prevents prescription drugs from being absorbed.”  So, regardless of the fiber, why ingest this product?
2. Putting Lipstick on the Pig: Now that we have established that Splenda really isn’t so great for you, masking it as being healthy because of the additional fiber seems like a really cheap way to make a buck.  Not to mention it borders on misleading the consumer.
3. Miniscule Benefits: Splenda may give you a fiber boost, but it is only one gram per packet.  Unless you are planning on ingesting 13 packets, you aren’t really making a big dent in your fiber intake.   Meanwhile, if you eat one small apple, you’ll get 4 grams of fiber.
4. Feeding the Processed Food Frenzy: Maybe I’m too simple minded, but fiber should come from the foods you eat that naturally have fiber.  A lot of fiber-filled foods are tasty and health and aren’t artificial: fruits, vegetables, whole grain breads, grains and cereals.  If people ate healthy diets, as opposed to diets filled with processed foods, they would get the 25 grams they need.  Splenda just contributes more to the processed food frenzy.

So, have you tried Splenda with Fiber?  Do you buy into the idea that Splenda is better with fiber or do you think that it is a sham?

Related Topics:

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• Facts on Fiber
• Natural Sweeteners that Subsitute Sugar
• Your Solution Guide to HFCS (High Fructose Corn Syrup)
• Why Special K Isn’t So Special
• 5 Ingredients to Avoid