Are there health concerns associated with consuming Sucralose (Splenda)?

Dear Readers, 

These are some sweet questions! Sugar substitutes, also known as artificial sweeteners, can be added to foods or drinks to sweeten them instead of sugar. Artificial sweeteners mimic the taste of sugar without the nutritional content: most have few or no calories. As of 2023, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized six different artificial sweeteners, one of which is sucralose, found in products like Splenda® Original Sweeteners. Lucky for you there aren’t any known immediate side effects, but some studies suggest sucralose can change your gut bacteria with long-term use. Factors like the product’s taste and consistency likely play a role in why sucralose isn’t regularly swapped out for table sugar, as well as the cost and availability of sucralose as an ingredient. Keep reading for some considerations when satisfying your sweet tooth! 

What is Sucralose? 

Sucralose is made by modifying sucrose, the natural sweetener known as standard table sugar. This process creates a product that’s 600 times sweeter than sucrose! However, the resulting product—sucralose—can’t be broken down and absorbed into the blood. For many, this is great news, since it means sweeteners with sucralose won’t contribute calories or increase blood sugar levels. Compared to other artificial sweeteners, sucralose is also more resistant to breaking down at high temperatures or variable acidity levels, so it’s often used as a sweetener in baking and cooking. Since Sucralose is rather sweet, most sweeteners only have around one percent of the product to avoid being too overpowering. The rest of a sucralose-based sweetener is typically made up of an ingredient like maltodextrin. While additives like maltodextrin do get broken down into smaller sugars, they contribute so little nutritional content that the entire sweetener can usually be considered zero-calorie. 

How much Sucralose is safe to consume?

While the FDA has considered sucralose safe to consume, recommended amounts are harder to nail down. The FDA recommends no more than 26 packets of sucralose-based sweetener per day for the average 150-pound person. However, recommendations may differ depending on where you live and should therefore be taken with a grain of salt (or sugar). For example, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), has approved consuming fewer than 78 packets of Sucralose-based sweeteners per day for the average 150-pound person, which differs from that of the US. 

Are there side effects to consuming Sucralose? 

In order to approve sucralose as safe to consume, the FDA determined that it doesn’t cause cancer, doesn’t damage DNA, and is generally not toxic. Still, some research suggests sucralose may be harmful at high levels. That said, even though moderate consumption of sucralose sweeteners isn’t necessarily harmful, it also isn’t necessarily beneficial to your health. More research is needed to understand sucralose’s overall health impact, but what studies have found suggests that increased sucralose consumption can alter the amount of certain healthy bacteria in your gut. For those using sucralose as a weight loss aid, there hasn’t actually been evidence to support a role in losing weight.  

How is Sucralose excreted? 

Most sucralose is cleared from the body as waste, while only a small proportion is excreted through urine. Studies of both byproducts have shown that sucralose leaves and enters the body in the same form, reducing the risk of unintended effects.  

Although there’s a small risk for humans, since sucralose ends up in wastewater, there is some concern for aquatic life. While sucralose is potentially toxic to aquatic organisms, the amount being excreted into wastewater seems low enough not to cause harm for now. However, as more people consume—and therefore excrete—artificial sweeteners, it might be necessary to reevaluate. 

Are there any alternatives for Sucralose? 

Fortunately, the most common alternative is just table sugar. For those concerned about the health effects of table sugar but searching for something sweet that also provides some nutritional benefits, you might consider fresh fruit. When it comes to reducing the sugar content while baking or cooking, rather than replacing table sugar with artificial sweeteners, consider using ingredients like honey, dates, or applesauce. 

Hope this helps and enjoy your sweet treats!