Not so sweet? Sucralose is polluting North Carolina waterways

Sunday, March 17, 2013 by: Mariel Chance
Tags: sucralose, pollution, waterways

(NaturalNews) Something sweet is polluting North Carolina waterways. The University of North Carolina at Wilmington conducted a study of the coastal waterways to find all of their samples polluted with sucralose-the main ingredient in one of the country's most popular artificial sweeteners.

Sucralose, like other artificial sweeteners have shown a surge in popularity due to the "calorie-free" marketing ploy. The reason sucralose can be considered calorie free is because only 10 percent of it is metabolized in the body; the rest comes out in urine and ends up in area waterways.
The research team conducting the North Carolina study has been quick to claim that there is no evidence showing harm to fish or wildlife due to the sucralose pollution. Furthermore, the sweetener has been used in American diets for over 20 years; that means it's safe, right? Perhaps this needs to be scrutinized further.

Substitute three chlorine atoms for the hydroxyl groups in sugar and sucralose is created. This discovery was accidental of course but paved the way for the "made from sugar" marketing scheme. The illusion that the sweetener is both natural and calorie-free and can't possibly be harmful to health is just that-an illusion.

Like other artificial sweeteners, sucralose has its own list of side effects. Many people who begin using sucralose eventually develop a sucralose allergy. Possible "mild" side effects include: diarrhea, bloating, or nausea. Other, more serious side effects include: runny nose, coughing, skin irritation, itchy eyes or other signs of allergic reaction like hives; additionally, mood swings, depression, vision changes, and migraines have also been noted as side effects of the chemical. There have been studies which show rats that consume sucralose have higher incidences of obesity than when given a placebo. Additionally, sucralose, when given to rats, has been shown to kill good intestinal bacteria. When given to mice, shrinking of the thymus gland and enlargement of the liver and kidneys occurred. The side effects from this so called naturally derived substance are far more reminiscent of toxic pharmaceuticals than a food substance.

Given the extensive list of unpleasant (at the very least) side effects, is it so safe to assume that the waterways are unharmed by this substance? What happens to the good bacterium that naturally occurs in water? What about the chlorine compounds of sucralose? Clearly, sucralose shouldn't be in the body or the water. Although the study was conducted in North Carolina, based on the amount of sucralose Americans consume, the issue could expand much further.

Sources for this article include:

http://www.wwaytv3.com
http://www.sbwire.com
http://ic.steadyhealth.com/sucralose_side_effects_and_warnings.html