Splenda - Bad Experiences?
 

I was considering using Splenda (a low-carb sugar substitute) in cooking and baking, but after recently trying some packaged snack food which contains Splenda, I had some pretty uncomfortable side effects. Has anyone else experienced this, and if so, know of a better alternative?

No, nothing here. I love the stuff as it's identical to sugar. I'm on another board for dieting where splenda is recommended often. Have never heard of problems there either.

I've not experienced and side effects, and I've not been able to locate any on the Splenda.com and other web sites. Can you be more specific as to what you ate and what effects they had?

The only adverse effect I've had with splenda is trying to figure out how much to use. The same with Stevia (which is WAY sweeter).

Otherwise, I think they're both great.

After eating a small "1 carb" chocolate bar, or a small bag of low-carb gummy bears which contained sucralose, I experienced diarrhea. :o I am assuming that this is a side-effect of splenda, but no one else that I know who uses it have had similar effects or know of a way to counter it.

There's other things in those products that could have caused your symptoms. I think it's too soon to blame the sucralose. Sucralose is real sugar with a couple of extra atoms attached (can't remember specifics) that make it indegestible. Still sugar though, which is why it tastes real. Supposedly this stuff is kinda neutral as far as your bodies chemistry goes?

Anyway the chocolate bars have fat replacements that could do it, and lots of sugar-alcohols (although your might not with the sucralose). Haven't heard of sugar-alcohol causing that problem, but it's still something "un-natural" that could be blamed. I'm sure the gummy bears have similar things that you don't normally ingest. 'Sides a whole bag??? :) Sounds like me.

Have you tried just trying something else with it? Diet Rite cola uses Splenda. Might be a good way to try it without introducing other wierd stuff.

I had a *horrible* experience with it once. I got it in my MOUTH. It was hideous, just wouldn't leave (same effect I get with aspertame, saccharine).
Wierd thing was, there was no mention of "low cal" on the package (of Orville Redenbacher's microwave Kettle Corn)... I started gagging and wheezing and bitching... Nobody else could tell. Looked through the ingredients and found "sucralose" which none of us recognized at the time...

STICK WITH SUGAR. Use it sparingly if you must.

Hmmm. Never had that problem with Splenda. I use it every morning to sweeten my oatmeal. I do recall having an incredibly horrible experience with a bag of ruffles cooked with Olestra. (shit through the eye of needle at twenty paces describes it perfectly) but I'm sure you don't want to hear about that. :D

Have you EVER read the small print on those sugar free or low card bars? It reads " MAY ACT AS A LAXATIVE"

I use splenda in most baking. Especially with cheesecakes.
Works fine never had and abdominal discomforts. Never had any complaints from friends either. It's easy sub for sugar 1:1
Available at two of our local chain stores.

Saratogis,
Check the label on the low carb chocolate...they usually load those puppies up with cocoa butter, which makes them colon cleaners. It's not the Splenda.

i think its good; doesn't leave bad taste in mouth...

Splenda is made from real sugar - I don't know what they've done to it but it has 0 calories. I have never had anything but good experience with it. Like the others have said - it is the most highly recommended of the sweetners. The Atkins Diet even recommends using it and he is against anything artificial.

Well, I picked up a 2lb-equiv box of granular Splenda and survived a couple of (really horrid) peanut butter cookies made with it + a diet rite. It must have been other ingredients in the sugar-free candy stuffs. Thanks for the advice guys! :)

When I find some decent low-carb cookie / cake / pastry recipes, I'll be sure to post them here.

I've been using it for about a week now, on the first day I got a really bad headache and so did my fiance, so we thought that it might have been the Splenda... but since then, we've had zero problems with it. We're pretty damned impressed with the fact that its got great flavor, and none of the aftertaste that plagues the other sweetners. Haven't tried cooking with it yet, but I can't wait to try...