If you’ve ever wondered, “Is Splenda gluten free?” you’ve come to the right place. In this article I’m going to go over why Splenda is considered by most people to be gluten free. I’ll also go over healthier gluten free alternatives to Splenda. We’ll also take a quick look at how Splenda effects gut health, IBS and inflammation.
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When you have celiac disease or eat a gluten free diet, every time you reach for a snack you must vigilantly check to see if what you’re about to eat is gluten-free. Your health depends on it. This is a frustrating and time consuming process for most people who’ve been newly diagnosed with celiac disease or a gluten sensitivity.
Quick Summary: Yes Splenda is gluten-free. But it isn’t recommended for people with celiac disease because it negatively effects the gut microbiome and leads inflammation and abdominal pain. Safer zero calorie gluten-free sweeteners include raw stevia and monk fruit crystals.
Is Splenda Gluten Free?
According to the Splenda website, Splenda is made from all gluten free ingredients but they forewarn consumers that they don’t test their products.
Can Celiacs Have Splenda?
The long and the short of it is that yes people with celiac can have splenda because it’s gluten free. However, Splenda is irritating to the gut and can cause discomfort so it isn’t recommended for people with celiacs since they already have issues with their gut health.
People with celiac should opt to eat real sugar if they need a gluten-free sweetener. If you have celiac but cannot have sugar then a healthier zero calorie sweetener that won’t raise your glycemic index includes monk fruit crystals and stevia.
Stevia powder has a slight after taste but monk fruit crystals do not. Liquid stevia is more palatable.
Here are my favorite brands of gluten-free healthy zero calorie sweeteners for those with celiac disease:
What is Splenda Made From?
Splenda is made from Sucralose. Sucralose is a zero calorie sweetener made from sugar by chemically processing the sugar to replace “three hydrogen-oxygen groups with chlorine atoms.”
Sucralose is the main ingredient in Splenda but it isn’t the only one. Splenda also contains dextrose and maltodextrin. Maltodextrin makes the Splenda sweeter than it would be with only sucralose.
Don’t let that fool you, sucralose is still over 400 times sweeter than regular sugar. So you don’t need much of it.
Does Stevia Have Gluten in it?
No stevia does not have gluten in it. Stevia is naturally gluten-free because it’s derived from a leafy green plant. The stevia plant is considered to be an herb similar to cilantro or parsley.
Does Splenda Trigger IBS?
Yes, splenda does trigger IBS. IBS stands for irritable bowel disease. Flair ups for those with irritable bowel disease are associated with inflammation. Since eating Splenda causes inflammation and weakens the body’s gut microbiome it will inadvertently trigger IBS symptoms like diarrhea, gas and abdominal pain.
What are the Best Sweeteners for Celiacs?
The best sweeteners for celiacs are natural ones. Generally speaking all common sweeteners are gluten-free since they come from plants. For example:
- Sugar comes from sugarcane
- Maple syrup comes from maple trees
- Agave comes from a cactus
- Honey comes from nectar
- Stevia comes from a stevia plant
- Monk fruit sugar comes from a small fruit
Therefore my favorite types of regular sweeteners for celiacs include the following gluten-free options:
- Sugar in the Raw
- Maple Syrup
- Agave
- Honey
The best gluten-free sweeteners for celiacs who cannot eat sugar due to diabetes, a keto diet or weightloss efforts include:
What Does Splenda Do to Your Gut?
We don’t have any hard evidence on what Splenda does to your gut but all of the studies done on mice and rats seem applicable to humans. We also have the hard evidence of IBS symptoms often associated with eating too much artificial sweetener.
Studies show that eating Splenda inhibits bacteria growth and reproduction in the gut. This decrease in healthy bacteria lowers the body’s immune system and leads to inflammation of the gut lining and other related tissue in the body.
Does Splenda Increase Inflammation?
Yes Splenda increases inflammation in the body. Sucralose has been shown to inhibit bacteria growth in studies. This effect alters the gut microbiome by killing off both good and bad bacteria in the intestine and preventing further reproduction of such bacteria. This good bacteria plays a vital role in our immune system.
If the gut microbiome is compromised by sucralose consumption (Splenda’s main ingredient) then dysbiosis in the gut microbiome will occur. Deficits in healthy bacteria in the gut are commonly associated with increased tissue inflammation.
So yes consuming Splenda will increase inflammation in your body.
Related Articles
Here are more health articles on zero calorie sweeteners and products.
Is Sugar Free Jello Keto Friendly?
A cup of jello could be just the thing to help cure a sugar craving. Sugar free jello can be part of a dirty keto diet, but is not suitable for a clean keto diet. Healthier sugar free jello made from Agar Agar and Stevia can be eaten on a regular basis for a clean keto diet.
Read the blog post, “Is Sugar Free Jello Keto Friendly?” to learn more about healthy keto friendly jello brands.
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