You were right to avoid artificial sweeteners.
As reported by UPI, a new study links sucralose, sold as Splenda, to significantly increased risk for leukemia, as well as overall risk for cancer.
The study published in the International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health showed that mice who were given large amounts of sucralose throughout their lives, developed leukemia and cancerous tumors.
As a result of these findings, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CPI) is now recommending that you avoid the sweetener.
What makes the study so important is that it was funded without special interests in mind. “For most food additives, the safety studies are conducted by the manufacturers who have financial incentives,” says Lisa Lefferts, MSPH, senior scientist at the CSPI. (1)
How Much Splenda Is Too Much?
The doses of sucralose used in the study were roughly equal to 10 cans of diet soda per day. While nobody really drinks that much, splenda is found in over 4,500 foods and beverages. It’s not hard to see how eating a lot of processed foods could increase your risks.
And don’t go thinking that eating just a little bit of it every day is fine.
“[E]ven if you consume less, that doesn’t mean there’s no problem,” Lefferts says. “When something causes cancer at high doses, it generally causes cancer at lower doses, the risk is just smaller.”
It’s Better To Quit Artificial Sweeteners
Even if you disregard this new study, there are still plenty of other reasons to quit using sucralose or aspartame.
- Artificial sweeteners may actually cause weight gain, not weight loss. (2)
- Diet soda linked to increased belly fat. (3)
- Every can of diet soda you consume increases your obesity risk. (4)
- Sucralose disrupts your blood sugar and insulin levels. (5)
Foods To Use As Sweetener Instead
- raw honey
- fruits (dates, bananas, apples, etc.)
- sweet vegetables (carrots, beets, caramelized onions, etc.)
- maple syrup