Everything You Need to Know About Sucralose - American ...

i n t e r n a t i o n a l f o o d i n f o r m a t i oSucralose’sGlobal SafetyRecognitionDoes sucralosecause weightgain?weight management plan, theseproducts should be used in place ofthe full-calorie versions in order toreduce total calorie intake.Sucralose is approved for usein over 80 countries. In theUnited States, the U.S. Foodand Drug Administration (FDA)must approve all food additivesbefore they can be used infoods and beverages. The FDAapproved sucralose for certainfood and beverage categoriesin 1998, and expanded theapproval to all food andbeverage categories in 1999.Examples of government andscientific groups that havereviewed sucralose’s safetyinclude:• European Union ScientificCommittee on Food (SCF)• U.S. Food and DrugAdministration (FDA)• Food Standards Australia/New Zealand (FSANZ)• Health Protection Branch ofHealth and Welfare Canada• (Food and AgricultureOrganization/World HealthOrganization) Joint ExpertCommittee on FoodAdditives (JECFA)• Japan’s Ministry of Healthand Welfare• Countries in Africa and Asia“decades of scientificresearch clearlyshow that lowcaloriesweeteners,including sucralose,can be an effectiveaid in weight loss/management“No. Several studies have shownthat low-calorie sweeteners canactually aid in weight loss and/orweight management. For example,researchers in one study foundthat when foods and beveragescontaining sucralose were usedas part of a program to reducecalorie intake and increase levelsof physical activity, overweightchildren were able to slow theirrate of weight gain. While a fewsmaller studies have suggestedthat low-calorie sweeteners maycause cravings and/or weight gain,such an association has not beenconfirmed in larger studies, and themajority of the research still findsthat low-calorie sweeteners suchas sucralose can be helpful weightloss/weight management aids.With rising obesity rates, peopleare often looking for one “magic”solution to help them lose weight.And, while low-calorie sweetenerscan help, it is also importantto practice portion control andparticipate in regular physicalactivity in order to reach weightloss goals. Also, when incorporatingfoods and beverages containinglow-calorie sweeteners into aCan people whohave diabetesconsume foodsand beveragescontainingsucralose?Yes. Sucralose has no effect onblood glucose or insulin levelsin people with diabetes, andtherefore it is safe for them toconsume. Foods and beveragessweetened with sucralose providesweet options that are lower incarbohydrates, which are helpfulfor people who have diabetes, whomust monitor their carbohydrateintake.As with any nutritional concern,people who have diabetes shouldtalk to a registered dietitian, healthcare provider and/or diabetescare professional for advice onincorporating foods and beveragescontaining sucralose into their diets.