Some people are only used to sweetening their foods and drinks with real sugar. Yet with obesity and diabetes rates at high levels in the United States, many people look for sweeteners that are calorie-free. There are numerous types of artificial sweeteners, some of which have been proven to be unsafe. Splenda and stevia are the newest calorie-free sweeteners on the market.
Composition
Splenda and stevia are entirely different in composition. Splenda, which is actually the brand name for the artificial sweetener sucralose, is made from sugar but chemically altered so that it is indigestible by the human body. Naturalist physician Dr. Andrew Weil states that stevia is a natural sweetener, which comes from an herb in the family of chrysanthemum plants. Splenda is available in powder or granule form, and stevia comes as an herb, in liquid form or in powder form.
Sweetness
Both Splenda and stevia are sweeter than real sugar, yet the exact sweetness comparison between the two is still unknown. The Mayo Clinic states that stevia is several hundred times sweeter than sugar. Yet the website Diabetes Self Management states that Splenda is more than 600 times sweeter than regular sugar.
Health Impact
Because neither Splenda nor stevia contribute calories, they can be beneficial for people trying to lose weight. Using Splenda or stevia to sweeten drinks such as iced tea or foods like plain yogurt can save a lot of calories when used instead of sugar. Additionally, Weil states that stevia is a safe sweetener for diabetics because it does not spike blood glucose levels like sugar does. Diabetes Self Management states that Splenda also has no impact on blood sugar levels because it is indigestible.
Risks
The main health risk is the possibility that they will cause cravings for sweet foods. Diabetes Self Management states that calorie-free sweeteners do not satisfy the body, so they tend to lead to cravings for sweet foods later on. In that way, these calorie-free sweeteners can still lead to weight gain. Registered Dietitian Katherine Zeratsky of the Mayo Clinic states that stevia might interact with blood pressure and diabetes medications and is probably not safe for pregnant or breastfeeding women.
Availability
According to Diabetes Self Management, Splenda, under the generic name sucralose, is one of the five artificial sweeteners that have been approved for use in America by the Food and Drug Administration. For this reason, Splenda is available at most grocery stores nationwide. Many restaurants and cafes also offer Splenda for use along with sugar. In 2008, the Food and Drug Administration added stevia to its list of GRAS (generally regarded as safe) sweeteners. It is now being used in some beverages and foods in the United States, but it is not nearly as readily available as Splenda.
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