Sweet Deception: Why Splenda, Nutrasweet, And the Fda May Be Hazardous to Your Health

by Joseph Mercola, Kendra Degen Pearsall

Most people believe that sucralose (Splenda) is a perfectly safe artificial sweetener. Big business and the FDA have fostered that dangerous misconception. The truth is Splenda is by no means safe; and the same is true for many of the other artificial sweeteners being marketed today. Dr. Joseph Mercola---supported by extensive studies and research---exposes the fact that Splenda actually contributes to a host of serious diseases. Sweet Deception will lay out how the FDA really works for big food companies and should not be trusted when it comes to your health.

Genres: Health, Nonfiction, Food, Reference, Nutrition

287 pages, Hardcover

First published February 29, 2000

About the author

Dr. Joseph Mercola is a natural health expert based in Illinois. He believes that people are capable of taking control of their health – they can harness their body’s ability to stay optimally healthy. He shares his recommendations through his website, Mercola.com. It is one of the leading natural health websites today, with over one million subscribers worldwide.

Dr. Mercola has authored three New York Times best sellers, "The Great Bird Flu Hoax", "The No Grain Diet", and his latest book, “Effortless Healing”, which he has written as an easy-to-read guide that can help you avoid the many pitfalls of the conventional approach to health through nine simple steps or healing principles.

Reviews

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are times when it is necessary to sweeten something so I gleaned a lot from this book. For quite a while I've told my kids I would rather they ate sugar instead of an artificial sweetener. This book reaffirmed that belief. Although natural sweeteners are better than artificial ones they too cause a whole host of health problems. Although we've never consumed much in the way of artificial sweeteners I'll be going out of my way to avoid them in the future and doing my best to limit all sweeteners in general.

If you are interested in learning more about artificial sweeteners then give this book a try. If you can't or won't live without your diet Coke then perhaps skip this book because you won't like what it has to say.

[Tina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was more interested in the science of how natural and artificial sweeteners affect the body, but this book is mainly about the failings of the FDA; how they approve prescription drugs and artificial sweeteners for consumption knowing full well they might be unsafe. some interesting stuff, but it was more FDA heavy than I was expecting.

[Ayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

I will never again use artificial sweeteners , aspartame, Sucralose, Saccharine: all chemicals with toxic effects on the body!

[Miss Clark · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very useful resource for people interested in learning more about artificial sweeteners, as well as the FDA and its practices in general. It is by no means exhaustive and independent research is always important, but this is a good starting place.

It has never been my habit to believe claims made about new products or even older ones whenever a new study or research shows such and such. They scientific and medical community changes its mind far too often and as our knowledge increases, assumptions made in the past, once believed to be incontrovertible, are shown to be false or misguided and so it will always be as we continue to learn and discover. That does not mean you give up trying to know and be informed, but caution and a willingness to accept new evidence is crucial.

Do I think Splenda and Aspertame and all these other chemical-based sweeteners are responsible for all the things claimed? Not really. Some of them? Likely. Am I going to ingest or imbibe something containing them again? Definitely. But the knowledge of what they really are certainly makes me more cautious in how much I'll be eating them and I appreciate what the author is trying to communicate.

I found the economics and politics particularly interesting, esp. the level of control the companies have over the federal agencies that are supposed to be regulating them, as well as in turn the power retail conglomerates have over suppliers and over and over again the true loser is the consumer.

[Wellington · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you eat, you should read this book. Dr. Mercola goes on about the history and industry of artificial sweetners and the FDA. You may or may not agree with his worries over artificial sweetners, but you should at least peek under the hood and see who the FDA actually protects and how it operates.

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

About the dangers of artificial sweeteners. A lot of interesting historical info about their creations and discoveries. Also laden with anti-FDA material, not saying it isn't true, but there are more in-depth books on this, like Nestle's Food Politics.

[travelmel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book. Everybody should read this book. It mainly covers the issue of artificial sweetners but it does a really good job of explaining the scary reality of politics, big business, and the horrible reality that is the FDA.

[Aimee Raisor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes he goes on a bit too long, but this book taught me a lot about artificial sweeteners and why we should avoid them.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

This bookis a must read about artifical sweetens that the general public use unknowing the truth about their orign and effects on the body.

[Becki · Rating 4 out of 5]

wow so scary! I was already anti artificial sweetner, but this read brought me to a whole new level. As a recovering sugar addict this was so interesting and motivating.

[Kathryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tiresome to get through, lots of hyperbole to wade through to get to the facts

[George Orwell · Rating 3 out of 5]

A real look into Artificial Sweeteners and the FDA- watch out for yourself, because they don't got your back!

[Tammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I kept having bad reactions whenever I drank diet soda or ate low-carb foods with aspartame or sucralose in them... so I looked up this book. Now I want all my friends and family to read it, too.

[David Warner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interest read. It has made me think about everything I eat...

[Joyce · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good explanation of how the fda works, and what the artificial sweeteners are and hoe they came to be approved.