I stumbled on Splenda in the baking aisle at Safeway. I had been
looking
for sucralose, which I take to be a polymer sugar, for some time. The
theory is that it's not assimilable by the body, so it's OK.

However, it's sweet. How can it not be reacting?  As billed, it tastes
like
refined white sugar, even down to the very slight bitter-metallic
aftertaste. A simple experiment of cooking a bit with butter and maple
flavoring and vanilla and ground pecans yielded a couple of
tablespoons of
a wonderfully rich, nutty treat. But whatever else it does, it caused
a
moderate insulin release after I ate it, either from the sympathetic
reaction mentioned by the Drs. Eades, or from innate Frankensugarness.

Whatever the theory, the empirical evidence is that it's a nonstarter.
A
pity, 'cause it tastes much better than anything else I've tried. Of
course, the net already has a let's-pillory Splenda page
(http://www.holisticmed.com/splenda/) , to go with the aspartame,
saccharine, and acesulfame-k pages.

If I sound bitter, it's because while I believe the good motivations
of
those trying to warn others sincerely, the net also enables those who
like
to bang things together to disconcert or frighten others, or those who
take
a perverse delight in telling people that what they like is actually
evil.

Well, there's stevia. I read on the net that there is considerable
variation in the taste of commercial preparations. That's good news,
because the stuff I got at Whole Foods is pretty bad. Not only is it
bitter, but I detest the alcohol reek.  Can you recommend another
brand?

Mike