Is Splenda Vegan?

Many kitchens now use artificial sweeteners and Splenda is one of them. Artificial sweeteners are thought to be healthier than table sugar as they have fewer calories. As a vegan, I realize that we don’t have many options when it comes to artificial sweeteners. If you are wondering if Splenda is vegan, I will answer your question in this article.

Is Splenda vegan? No, it is not. Even though it is not derived from any animal ingredients, Splenda is tested on animals. It has led to the suffering of thousands of animals. In the past two decades, Splenda has been tested on over 12, 000 animals.

Splenda is a sweetener that you can find in almost every coffee shop, but is it vegan? The actual name of Splenda is Sucralose. It is a sweetener and not sugar. If you are a vegan, you may be trying to find artificial sweeteners that match your lifestyle. In this article, I am going to explain why it is not vegan.

Is Splenda Vegan?

Splenda is an artificial sweetener. It tastes just like sugar and is composed of dextrose, sucralose, and maltodextrin. It is a great sweetening option for weight watchers and diabetics. Splenda may be used in desserts or as a sweetener for beverages. It may be used in the form of tablets or granules.

Some may argue that Splenda is vegan because it does not contain any animal products. However, veganism is against the suffering of animals. Splenda has been tested on animals.

About 12,800 animals including mice, rats, and rabbits have been used to test Splenda. One of the tests involved locking 32 dogs in a metal cage for a whole year. They were given food mixed with Splenda. At the end of the experiment, their slits were slit and they bled to death.

In another test, rabbits were given high doses of Sucralose. They suffered intestinal disorders and died. Another test was performed on monkeys. They were all under 10 months. After being forced to consume Sucralose, some of them died due to brain damage. Others were euthanized as they had partial brain damage. Testing Splenda led to the murder of thousands of animals. It is not a product that vegans would support.

Aside from being non-vegan, Splenda is not safe for humans. The following tests were conducted to test the safety of the sweetener.

A few rats were fed Sucralose from birth to their last day. When examined, most of the rats were reported to have blood cancer.

Another group of rats was fed Sucralose. When examined, they were found to have a 50% reduction in helpful gut bacteria

When sucralose is heated, it releases harmful carcinogens. If you use Splenda in hot beverages you will be exposing yourself to the harmful carcinogens.
In the 90s, the FDA did not approve Splenda

Sucralose is not a natural product. The fact that it is made in the lab means there is very little, if anything, that is healthy about it. The only good thing about it is that it is not absorbed by the human body.

Sucralose may increase insulin levels. It may harm people who are trying to minimize their sugar consumption. Studies suggest that sucralose can increase blood glucose. It may not be appropriate for people with diabetes.

Baking with sucralose may be harmful. Studies have challenged the assumption that the artificial sweetener is heat-resistant. At high temperatures, sucralose may break down. It may interact with the other ingredients. When heated with glycerol, it may produce chloropropanols which increase the risk of getting cancer.

Ultimately, the choice of whether to use sucralose is a matter of personal preference. However, it seems to have more disadvantages than advantages. To answer the question, it is not vegan as it has contributed to the suffering of many animals.

What Sweeteners Do Vegans Use?

Are you looking for a vegan alternative to refined sugar? There are lots of questions about what can be considered vegan and what is ‘Natural.’ Finding the right artificial sweetener can be more difficult than it needs to be. Contrary to popular opinion, there are lots of vegan sweeteners. They include; maple syrup, brown rice syrup, agave nectar, and stevia.

Maple Syrup

The artificial sweetener is made by tapping maple trees. After extraction, the sap is heated and concentrated. It is a healthy sweetener as it is rich in calcium, iron, manganese, potassium, and zinc. It is great for baking and sweetening beverages.

Agave Nectar

This sweetener is made from the juice of agave plants. The juice is filtered and heated. I use it in my beverages and toppings.

Sucanat

The sweetener is made from sugar cane juice. Once the juice has been extracted, it is cooked and concentrated. It tastes just like sugar. It is one of my favourite options for baking.

Brown Rice Syrup

This syrup is made by culturing cooked rice with enzymes. It is ideal for baking, toppings, and sweetening beverages.

Fruit

Fruits are the healthiest, most natural sweeteners. I use bananas for baking and slices of fruits to sweeten my beverages. Dates and raisins are great for sweetening cookies.

Molasses

Molasses is what remains when sugar is refined. It is rich in B vitamins, magnesium, and iron. Even though it is processed, it is a lot healthier than sugar. It is great for baking.

When looking for artificial sweeteners, go for ones that are whole. They are unlikely to increase blood sugar and they taste just as good. Minimize your use of artificial sweeteners if you are trying to eat healthily. They can mess up your eating plan.

Why Do Vegans Avoid Animal Products?

For non-vegans, it may be difficult to understand why vegans do not consume animals or animal products. Most vegans practice the lifestyle for ethical reasons. They are against the use of animals and animal products as commodities.

To understand the lifestyle, let’s take eggs as an example. For the sake of the analogy, assume that humans and chicken are roughly equivalent. Imagine a farm where human beings are kept in cages and bred for the production of eggs. They are not treated with dignity and are only seen as sources of meat and eggs. Would that be acceptable? From the perspective of vegans, it is cruel and inhuman.

Vegans believe that all animals should be treated with the dignity they deserve. They should not be subjected to unnecessary suffering. Even though some may argue that meat is a natural food for humans, it is not necessary. Just because you can do something does not mean that you should.

Being vegan has a lot to do with social responsibility. A lot of vegetables and grains are used to overfeed farm animals while thousands of people go hungry. The resources could be directed to feed human beings.

Vegans are also concerned about protecting the world. Meat and dairy industries cause a lot of damage to the planet. A plant-based diet is more sustainable.

Another reason why vegans avoid meat products is to stay healthy. The body takes a short time to digest fruits and vegetables. Vegans enjoy healthy weight, clear skin, reduced stress levels, high energy levels, and mental clarity. Since vegans are constantly checking food labels, they are more aware of the ingredients in their food.

The food you consume has a significant impact on your general health and well-being. Unhealthy foods can lead to obesity, sluggishness, and high blood pressure.

Are Vegans Different From Vegetarians?

Even though the terms vegan and vegetarian are often used interchangeably, they are very different. The two groups have different diets. Vegans do not consume any animal products. It is not just about food. Strict vegans do not wear clothes made of wool or leather. They are against the use of animals and animal products as commodities. Vegans do not consume oyster sauce, milk, eggs, or honey.

Vegetarians do not consume meat products. They avoid beef, fish, poultry, pork, and other meats. However, they can consume animal products such as milk, eggs, and honey.

There are various types of vegetarians and they have different diets. Pescetarians, for example, can eat fish even though they don’t eat other types of meat.

Most chain restaurants now have vegan and vegetarian food options. It is possible to get all the nutrients you need even when you are a vegan or vegetarian. I always ensure that my plant-based meals are varied and nutritious. All vegans and vegetarians must be mindful of nutrition deficiencies. Dairy products, for example, are rich in calcium. Vegans and vegetarians should, therefore, look for alternative calcium sources.

It may be necessary to take vitamin D and Vitamin B12 supplements. Vitamin B12 is only present in animals and it great for preventing anaemia.

Fortunately, vegans and vegetarians do not lack a variety of tasty and nutritious food options. They may eat fruits, vegetables, legumes, and nuts. When prepared correctly, they are nutritious and full of flavour. Most common foods can be altered to suit vegan or vegetarian lifestyles. With all these options available, it is easy to figure out which one suits you best. So, with all these in mind, you should be able to figure out what to go for if you think you need Splenda.