Dirty dozen food chemicals: Sucralose

Source: EWG

EWG’s recommendation

Avoid or limit foods containing sucralose. 

Artificial sweeteners such as sucralose may increase risk of Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and mortality in adults, as well as preterm birth. Evidence also suggests that artificial, or non-sugar, sweeteners do not lead to long-term weight loss.

What is sucralose?

Sucralose is an artificial sweetener that is about 600 times sweeter than sugar. It tastes similar to sugar but contains zero calories.

Sucralose is often used as a sugar substitute in foods and drinks marketed as “diet,” “low calorie” or “zero sugar.” It is most commonly found in soda, flavored water, sports drinks, and other beverages, as well as yogurt, energy and granola bars, ice cream, candy, chewing gum and mints.

As a table sugar substitute, sucralose is better known by one of its brand names, Splenda.

Look for sucralose in the product ingredient list, usually below or next to the nutrition facts panel on the back of the package. It may also be listed as Splenda.

How is sucralose regulated?

The Food and Drug Administration is responsible for overseeing food additives and other ingredients. The FDA last reviewed and approved sucralose for use in 1998.

Sucralose is also approved in the European Union. But it can not be used in food or supplements for infants and young children, with exceptions for special medical purposes. 

The European Food Safety Authority determined earlier this year it could not confirm the safety of sucralose in foods that involve heating – for instance, baked goods – because it can form dangerous compounds in some circumstances. 

In California, food and beverages containing artificial sweeteners will be considered ultraprocessed and restricted in school meals, starting in 2029.

What does the science say about sucralose?

In 2023, the World Health Organization completed a systematic review of more than 280 studies on sucralose and other non-sugar sweeteners. 

The WHO found non-sugar sweeteners provided no long-term weight loss benefit and were linked to a wide range of potential health harms, including Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and mortality in adults, as well as preterm birth. As a result, the WHO recommends that artificial sweeteners should not be used to lose weight or reduce chronic disease risk.

Since sucralose is in many common foods, it’s likely one of the most widely consumed non-sugar sweeteners.

Children ingest more sucralose relative to their body weight than adults do. And it can also pass through breast milk, increasing exposure for infants and young children.