Sucralose is an alternative to sugar

There are many sugar substitutes. These include sucralose. In the list of ingredients on products, this substance is indicated as E955. According to nutritionists, sucralose does not harm human health, but, on the contrary, is even useful. Let's find out if this is actually the case.

What is sucralose

This substance is obtained synthetically and does not occur under normal natural conditions. Its taste is 600 times sweeter than sugar, and energy value at the same time, it is practically zero. Moreover, this sweetener is not absorbed by our body in any way. Most of it, approximately 85%, immediately leaves the human body through the intestines, and the remainder is released during the day along with urine in its original form.

For the first time, sucralose was synthesized in the 70s of the last century quite by accident. After repeated chemical reactions with sugar, one of the scientists accidentally tasted the resulting substance and was surprised by its unusually sweet taste. After that, the substance was subjected to long tests and after about 15 years it was recognized as completely safe. Since that time, sucralose has been produced and used in America, Canada and other countries.

Until now, the debate in scientific circles about the beneficial and harmful qualities of this sugar substitute has not subsided. The fact is that too little time has passed to obtain an accurate assessment and formulate unambiguous conclusions.

Benefits of sucralose

For people sitting on low-calorie diets, it is important to exclude natural sugar and all sweets from your diet. In order to somehow brighten up dietary restrictions for such people and at the same time not violate the rejection of harmful sweets, artificial sugar substitutes were created. The benefits of sucralose have been debated for a long time. Almost all scientists agree that this substance has a very low calorie content and does not induce the body to accumulate fatty deposits, as almost all natural carbohydrates with a sweet taste do.

Sucralose can be added to food while it is being prepared, and not just sweetened with it in ready-made meals. It has been suggested that heating promotes the release of harmful components from sucralose. However, recent research has refuted this theory. Much less sucralose than sugar is needed to give a dish a sweet taste. In addition, it can be consumed by people with insulin dependence, since it does not contain carbohydrates and does not increase the concentration of glucose in the blood.

This sugar substitute is not attacked by bacteria and does not harm the tooth enamel, protecting teeth from decay. The components of sucralose are harmless even for pregnant women. They are unable to cross the placenta and do not enter the human brain.

Sucralose harm

Still, one should not gloss over the possible harmful effects of using sucralose. Especially if you need to choose some kind of sweetener. Possible harm to the body can manifest itself in the case of:

• Exposure to very high temperatures. For example, when heated above +125 degrees, this sweetener begins to melt and releases toxic substances that provoke cancer and disorders of the endocrine system.
• Long-term use. This can lead to disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, a detrimental effect on the microflora and a decrease in immune defense.
• Long-term deprivation of the body of glucose leads to deterioration of brain activity, loss of visual acuity, smell and hearing, memory impairment.
• If sucralose is given to children.

When using sucralose, it is very important to determine the correct dosage so as not to harm yourself. It is best to buy sucralose in tablet form. This is the most accurate way to determine the daily rate. You will know exactly the weight of one tablet and will be able to calculate the dose of sweetener that is safe for yourself. According to doctors, for every kilogram of human weight, no more than 5 mg of sucralose should be accounted for. Since this substance in its taste exceeds the usual sugar by several hundred times, such a small dose will be sufficient even for sweet lovers.

There is a lot to be said about the potential harm of sucralose. It is important that if all the conditions are met, this food supplement will not harm the body. And the absence of harmful effects in itself can be considered a benefit.