Who Can Use SPLENDA®
Health Canada approval for sucralose permits its use by all segments of the population, including special patient populations
Sucralose, the sweetening ingredient in SPLENDA® Brand Products, has been extensively studied for more than 20 years and has an outstanding safety profile. Its safety has also been demonstrated through its use by the millions of people who have safely consumed SPLENDA® products since they were first approved for use in Canada in 1991. The Health Canada approval for sucralose permits its use by all segments of the population. This includes patient populations who have specific dietary health needs:
Patients with diabetes
Sucralose is not recognized by the body as a carbohydrate. It is not metabolized for energy and provides no calories. Sucralose has been shown in clinical studies among patients with diabetes and normal controls to have no effect on fasting (FPG) or postprandial (PPG) plasma glucose levels, long-term blood glucose control (HbA1c levels), or insulin levels. Therefore, SPLENDA® Brand Products may be used to reduce sugar intake and may be safely incorporated into a healthy diet for patients with diabetes.
- Up to 8 teaspoons of SPLENDA® Granulated or 4 SPLENDA® Packets is considered a 'free food' in a diet for people with diabetes.
Women who are pregnant or nursing
Sucralose is safe for use during pregnancy and by nursing mothers. In clinical studies, digestion and absorption of sucralose into the bloodstream were shown to be minimal. Studies in relevant animal models showed that sucralose was not actively transported across the placental barrier or across the mammary gland into breast milk. SPLENDA® Brand Products may be safely incorporated into pre- and post-natal diets for women who are pregnant or nursing.
- While mothers typically have higher nutritional needs during pregnancy and nursing, sucralose may help avoid excess calorie intake during these times. For some women, this may be a strategy to reduce the risk of unnecessary weight gain.
Children
Increasing concern about sugar intake and the prevalence of obesity in children make SPLENDA® Brand Products an excellent way to help children lower their sugar and calorie intake.
With SPLENDA® products, your patients have more options for reducing their calorie, carbohydrate and sugar intake. The stability of SPLENDA® Brand Sweetener enables manufacturers to incorporate it into more great-tasting, lower-calorie, lower-carbohydrate foods and beverages than ever — more than 4,000 to date worldwide. This stability also enables people who are concerned about their sugar, carbohydrate or calorie intake to use SPLENDA® products when cooking and baking.