" I believe in manicures. I believe in overdressing. I believe in primping at leisure and wearing lipstick. I believe in pink. I believe that LOVING is the best calorie burner. I believe kissing. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles." ~Audrey Hepburn

Friday, March 27, 2009

A gas to kill Soliders?

So besides the one time that I have cheated this year...Casey and I haven't had any sweets, candy, extra sugar intake, soda whatever for almost 4 months! Well the other night while Casey was at school I decided to treat myself to a divine bowl of plain cherrios that I LOVE to douse with Splenda for dinner. When Casey got home he saw the bag of Splenda sitting on the counter and for like the 50th time gave me the "your gonna get Cancer" talk for using Splenda! - Seriously! I have a freakin sweet tooth like nobodies business and Splenda is my fix! Anyway, with my families history and Cancer - my whole mindset is: "If I'm gonna get Caner, I'm gonna get Cancer and its not going to be from Splenda!" So...I came across an article entitled "Sugar: The Great "Food" Deceiver Part 3: Sugar Substitutes and Sweeteners".
I am still not convenced that my very irregular cravings for my plain cherrios and splenda will give me cancer, after reading this article, I WILL NEVER USE SPLENDA AGAIN! Especially to give me my fix! Here is a little snip of the VERY LONG article I read...
Splenda (sucralose) is a chlorinated artificial sweetener which chemically looks more like DDT than sugar. Chlorine is a toxic substance, whether used as a gas to kill soldiers (as what happened in WWI), placed in herbicides and pesticides, put in water or added to sweet chemicals and sold as artificial sweeteners. Of the 110 studies submitted to the FDA for approval in 1998, 2 were done on humans—and the longest one was for 4 days. A review of all literature on this product reveals the following findings regarding Splenda. Splenda:
1) reduces the good bacteria in the intestinal tract by 50%
2) increases the pH in the intestines (which viruses, bacteria and cancer cells like)
3) impairs appetite regulation which leads to weight gain
4) causes a myriad of symptoms that have been reported by sucralose users, affecting skin, lungs, nose, eyes, stomach, heart, joints, and neurological systems.
So what will I be doing to eradicate my sweet tooth craving you ask? I am going to invest in a food processor! Why? Fruit remains the best way to appease the sugar drive. Doesnt a cold crisp sliced apple sound divine with fresh protein filled homemade peanut butter? UMMM!
Last Point: If I absolutly can't resist not having my 'fake' sugar, I learned that Stevia and Xylitol are two sweeteners that do not cause the swings in blood sugar that refined sugar does, because they are not glucose sugar and Splenda is.
Just in case you wanted to know!

13 Love Notes:

me said...

Shelbs-
I always used to use Xylitol. It is fine for you. I just eat the real sugar now... not good...

When I am doing being being pregnant I will go back to xylitol.

I am anti-splenda... always have been. I refuse to use it- that and spray butter! It is either real butter or no butter.

Good luck!

Chelsie said...

Hey Rachelle!

Another great alternative sweetner is Agave. It is kind of like a honey.It works really well and you don't need much at all. I like to make whipped cream with it and put that over fruit. It is really yummy and takes the edge off. Love it!

Alisha said...

I can't believe that! I don't use Splenda and now I never will. Thanks for the info.

Amylee said...

Yikes! I'm just naughty and have always stuck to plain ol' sugar anyway.

Stacy said...

I ditched splenda about a year ago after hearing a report like that on the radio...ahhh no more crystal light or other artificial sweetners..I also heard suzanne sommers say that just one sip of a diet soda will change a baby's dna..scary..thanks for the health reminder. I am super proud of you an casey and your health kick four months is a LONG time.

Hollie said...

Love that Casey is giving you the same looks. Glad you realized that Splenda is not the good stuff, isn't it funny that we think sugar is so bad, but the substitute is even worse?

Jessica Peterson said...

that's crazy! i had no idea! wow.

Lauren said...

Well thats scary! Ya Sugar substitutes can be scary, Honey is also a good sweetener along with pure maple syrup, I use both of those in a lot of my baking, and I love honey on cheerios!:) Thats awesome that you have gone so long with out sugar! I tried and lasted about a month, but I am going to try and go with out again.

Mr. & Mrs Osburn said...

Hey love! I got your message and called the number you left and I got someone else so Call me again! That's crazy about splenda but so good to know! xoxo

Frazier Family said...

Shelby :) I came across your blog from Squirt! It's Boo. Great to catch up on you. My blog is private, but if you shoot my your email I will send you an invite. boofrazier@gmail.com

Lish or Coors said...

Yeah.....I just stick with the real stuff! I REALLY can't keep myself away from it, but I'm doing a great job at hiding it from Corey! Being afraid of cancer must run in the family too because Corey uses Tom's all natural deoderant in fear of getting breast cancer....AHAHA!

Lindsey Sharp said...

HEy! I went private can you email me your email? mlasharp@gmail.com

NatRat said...

I am a splenda girl, i need to stop. This has helped me. Who knows, I may change a new leaf. No more Splenda! It makes me super bloated and gassy too, so it is a good thing.