Splenda, or sucralose, is an artificial sweetener derived from sugar but 600 times sweeter than table sugar. Because Splenda is heat-resistant, it can be used in baked goods, so food manufacturers add it to a wide range of packaged food items. If you are trying to cut calories, you might use Splenda as a way to help you cut excess calories or stay on a diet plan. Although there is no conclusive evidence that Splenda is bad for babies, neither sugar nor Splenda will help your baby develop healthy eating habits.
Splenda
The Food and Drug Administration has recognized Splenda as safe for the general population, including children. There is no conclusive evidence that Splenda causes cancer or growth problems, but there has been controversy surrounding all artificial sweeteners since the 1970s. Although there is not enough research to cause the FDA to change its opinion about Splenda, there are questions about how much of the sweetener the body can digest, what percentage of the compounds used to make it, like chlorine, are absorbed into the body, and how long the sweetener stays in your system.
Sugar
There is a definite link between high levels of sugar consumption and being overweight, obesity and diabetes. Giving your child sugary sodas and snacks can fill him up so that he will eat less at regular meals, meaning he takes in empty calories rather than nutrients. Choosing Splenda over sugar might be an appealing way to cut back on empty calories to prevent some of these issues. If you usually use artificially sweetened products, you might not want to keep sugared and sugar-free versions of the same snacks in the house.
Tastes
Your baby's food preferences develop based on the foods you give him. If you routinely pour sugar or Splenda on his strawberries and provide him with sweetened drinks throughout the day, he will learn to expect sweet tastes. As an adults, you might turn to artificial sweeteners as a way to satisfy your sweet tooth without adding calories, but you developed those sweet preferences as a child. Giving your child unsweetened whole foods like grains, vegetables and natural fruit will help him appreciate those tastes as he grows.
Alternatives
There is no conclusive evidence that your baby can't eat Splenda instead of sugar, but that doesn't mean he has to eat either one. Although sugar and Splenda regularly are added to processed foods -- and no one can be entirely sure how much of these ingredients actually are in packaged foods -- you can pare down the sweeteners in both of your diets by shifting away from processed foods and keeping more healthy whole foods in the cupboard. Try bananas, mashed sweet potatoes and pureed carrots without any added sweetener.
References
- "The British Journal of Nutrition": Consumption of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages and its Association with Nutrient Intakes and Diet Quality in German Children and Adolescents: L. Libuda: May 2009.
- Parenting.com: Ask Dr. Sears: Artificial Sweeteners for Kids?
- FloridaHealthFinder.gov: Sweeteners
- MayoClinic.com: Artificial Sweeteners
- The National Cancer Institute: Artificial Sweeteners and Cancer
