The Skinny on Artificial Sweeteners!

There are many different kinds of artificial sweeteners on the market today. The latest one to hit the market is call Splenda or its chemical name of sucralose. It was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 1998. Unlike other sugar substitutes, Splenda doesn't have an aftertaste. Since it is made from sugar, it seems to be safe for the time being.

But the real question is are people losing weight from drinking beverages with artificial sweeteners? Absolutely not!!! Remember there is only 15 calories in a tablespoon of sugar, a relatively small amount.

Sweet n' Low, another sugar substitute which has been around for almost 100 years, has had a long history of negative press in regards to its safety. Its chemical name is known as Saccharin and is made from a petroleum derivative. There were studies done in the late 70's on rats showing increase incidence of cancer. However, these studies were not able to be duplicated on monkeys and in 2000, the FDA dropped any warning of health safety from the product. There is some anecdotal evidence of causing headaches. Equal is another sugar substitute made of two Amino Acids, Aspartame and Phenylalanine. There are some individual that are at risk using this product because they lack the enzyme to metabolize Phenylalanine and can be susceptible to a condition known as PKU or Phenylketonuria. (Read more) www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3840760/