Consumer Critique: Splenda

I received a box of Splenda and a Splenda Tastebook to try out Splenda in some recipes and write a review.

Splenda is an artificial sweetener made by starting with sugar and changing the structure. It is designed to be a more natural-tasting sweetener that is safe for diabetics and others watching their sugar intake. It's also meant to be able to be used in baking.

A good little experiment to test the claim is to make several batches of the same thing: one with all sugar, one with all Splenda, and one with a half-and-half mixture. When my family bakes with all Splenda, the products come out tasting fine, but not quite the same. When mixed half-and-half with sugar, it can cut out many of the calories, and still taste identical to the original recipe. For some recipes, or some people, baking with 100% Splenda may work out just fine, but for me, I can taste the difference just a little bit.

Splenda has been criticized because it is artificial, not natural, but it has also been identified as safe by the FDA. Like any artificial ingredient, it's important to do your own research and make your own judgments. I feel that for people who need to cut down on sugar, Splenda is a great alternative and the benefits outweigh the risks.

The Tastebook concept is also fun - you can create a personalized cookbook with the recipes you like (using a starter cookbook from the site), and even include pictures. Even if you don't want a hard-copy cookbook, you can organize and share recipes online with the website.

“I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Splenda and received products necessary to facilitate my candid review. In addition, a donation was made in my name to the Meals on Wheel organization to thank me for taking the time to participate.”