A couple of weeks ago, free samples of the low calorie sweetener Splenda landed on thousands of doormats urging us to say "yes, yes, yes, yes" to more sweetness in our lives.

Apart from hoping I'm sweet enough already, I know from experience that the human body doesn't react well to concentrated sources of sweetness, otherwise I'd be the first to jump into a honey pot.

Our consumption of sugar is at an all-time high and may be partly linked to our fear of fats.

As food manufacturers seek to lower the fat content in our food, additives, salt and sugars are increased in order to keep our taste buds interested - and disguise the underlying poor quality of processed foods.

Aware that eating excess sugar creates more body fat and carries huge health risks, millions turn to "diet" products in the belief artificial sweeteners present the lesser evil.

The sweet taste of an artificial sweetener on your tongue fools the body into expecting sugar and leaves you with intense cravings when the real sugar doesn't actually arrive.

Weight gain and addiction are common side-effects of "diet" and "low-sugar" items and as sweeteners don't retrain our tastebuds, we are much more likely to lust after junk food.

Concern is also increasing that the body's insulin response may become blunted with prolonged exposure to artificial sweeteners.

Worryingly, products containing these sugar alternatives are targeted at babies and children, as well as people with established health problems such as diabetes and obesity.

Splenda is made from sucralose which is 600 times sweeter than sugar. Originally discovered by Tate & Lyle, Splenda is the new sweetener on the block, claiming to have none of the nasty side-effects attributed to its "ugly sisters" aspartame and saccharin.

However, sucralose is produced by chlorinating sugar.

Although it's "made from sugar and tastes like sugar", it has been turned into a chlorocarbon in the lab, a toxic organic chemical which many scientists believe causes organ, genetic and reproductive damage.

The US Food and Drug Administration approved sucralose in 1998 and the manufacturers claim it is completely safe and doesn't break down when passing through the body.

Yet it is now known that up to 40 per cent of the ingested sucralose can be absorbed and stored in various bodily organs.

Research in animals show sucralose may cause a variety of health problems, including diarrhoea, enlarged liver and kidneys, reduced growth rates and decreased red blood cell counts.

Few human studies have been undertaken on the safety of sucralose and its long-term safety is unknown.

Chlorine is a respiratory irritant and its toxic byproducts (organochlorines and dioxins) persist in both the body and the environment, causing potentially devastating problems such as hormone disruption.

When you need sweetness, then use the real thing, in moderation of course.

Splenda may be low in calories but if you ask me to add it to my food or drink, all I'll say is: "No, no, no, NO!"

Martina is a qualified nutritional therapist and works at the Crescent Clinic of Complementary Medicine and the Dolphin House Clinic, both in Brighton. Call 01273 324790 or visit www.thehealthbank.co.uk
If you have a question for Martina, write to her at Features Department, The Argus, Argus House, Crowhurst Road, Brighton BN1 8AR or email features@theargus.co.uk