Ryan J.com

Around nine months ago, I stopped using Splenda as a sugar substitute after reading several articles related to how the product can potentially have negative side effects from stomach cramping to migraine headaches.  I was experiencing similar issues and wanted to rule out any possibilities to narrow down what was actually causing the problems.  Shortly after I stopped using Splenda, the headaches and stomach cramping I was experiencing went away so I figured it may have been the culprit.  I didn't want to pass judgement directly on Splenda though, since supposedly there have been all kinds of testing done on it to make sure it is safe (bullshit).

Approximately six months later I got back into lifting and began using supplements (protein, flax seed oil, creatine, etc) and the above issues began to occur again.  As before I began to narrow down the foods I was consuming one by one to determine what was going on.  Eventually, and to my surprise, Optimum started using Sucralose (Splenda) as an ingredient in the whey product I had previously used.  I purchased a 5 pound tub of Optimum Gold Standard Whey protein, since I had always enjoyed the bang for the buck that I got when I used to lift a couple years ago... I didn't bother to read the ingredients since I figured they were still the same.  Lucky for me, Optimum was intelligent enough to market a "natural" protein supplement dubbed "Natural 100% Whey Gold Standard" that doesn't use artificial sweeteners so I have remained a loyal customer.

The story continues with my waking up to a killer migraine two weeks ago.  I took a day off of work and slept the majority of the day.  Here we are, two weeks later... and I just had an epiphany.  I was sitting at my desk and could feel my head beginning to ache.  I looked down at what was in my hands, a package of Orbit chewing gum that I had purchased the night before.  A new flavor, Fabulous Fruitini, that I had started chewinng two weeks ago when I saw it on the shelf in the super market.  DING.  I looked at the ingredients and read the words "sucralose" and began to get this overwhelming feeling of annoyance.  If you read this post I made around a year ago you will see why I chew this gum... and why it is such a bummer to read that they are now using sucralose as an ingredient.  I guess the only positive to mention is that it is only specific flavors that seem to contain sucralos.

Wrigley's Orbit product page contains nutritional values for each flavor...

Contains Sucralose (Splenda):

1. Bubblemint
2. Cinnamint
3. Citrusmint
4. Sweetmint
5. Maui Melon Mint
6. Fabulous Fruitini
7. Strawberry Mint

Does not contain Sucralose (Splenda):

1. Peppermint
2. Spearmint
3. Wintermint
4. Crystal Mint
5. Mint Mojito
6. Rasberry Mint
7. Sangria Fresca
8. Positively Pomegranate

While some flavors don't contain Sucralose, they do contain aspartame, which has had negative light as well.  However, I have never noticed any side effects of using a product containinng aspartame so I will be chewing those flavors from now on.