I have always been wary of Splenda and have never knowingly ingested it. However, a few months ago something prompted me to look closely at the ingredients of my multivitamin: Viactiv. It is misleading because one of the first two ingredients are corn syrup and sugar.  One would assume that there is no need for artificial sweeteners when these two ingredients are present.  But the twenty-third ingredient in the list is SUCRALOSE!

I called the people at Viactiv and asked them about this.  I voiced my ire at being duped for almost two years into ingesting sucralose. I asked why the front of the package doesn't mention the fact that Splenda is in the product. They claim that they don't have to put it on the front of the label since they don't want to pay the marketing fee for using the tradename. But Viactiv is a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson! Viactiv's people said they make Splenda (admitting to being a subsidiary) and that it is completely safe, etc.

I then asked them why there is a need for sucralose in the product when there is already corn syrup and sugar. They claim it is to lower the amount of calories in the product. So why use sugar at all? For taste, they responded. They weren't even aware of the circular logic that was drilled into their heads and probably the manual they were reading that came from Corporate Headquarters. They were completely indifferent to the fact that I felt duped and conned by them into ingesting sucralose all this time when I am an avid avoider of artificial sweeteners.

I think you or others who also already have well-known space on the internet voicing concern over sucralose should start a list of products that contain this product but try to be deceptive about it by not showing the Splenda logo.

I am still outraged and frustrated about how difficult it is to find chewable vitamins (I have a hard time swallowing pills) that do not contain one of these ghastly artificial sweeteners. They even put this junk into kids chewable vitamins and the country wonders why there are so many children these days with attention-deficit disorders and the other plethora of problems popping up in the younger generation.

I also saw on your blog different symptoms I had not even been aware of and now knowing that I was ingesting sucralose unwittingly for two years, I understand. I have had mysterious excruciating leg pains that sent me to the emergency room with no diagnosis made. I have been sent to a neurologist. I should send my medical bills to Johnson & Johnson and Viactiv.

One last thought, it seems interesting that these days we are beseiged with commercials for new prescription drugs for syndromes we've never heard of before (i.e. restless legs) and these are from the same companies that make the artificial sweeteners through their different subsidiaries.  The artificial sweeteners create the problems and they fix it with their newest wonder drugs.

It is also frustrating how pervasive and insidious Splenda is. A well-known New York bakery which has been around since 1894 now puts Splenda into their once-was-wonderful creations. Many companies even use Splenda now in canned fruit!

I could go on and on. I apologize for having already done so.

Thank you for a very informative website and blog which I will be sharing with my family and friends."

Thank you M.F.P. for sharing your story with our visitors.

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