Is sucralose bad for you?

Sucralose, although approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, has been shown in animal studies to reduce healthy gut bacteria, make medications less effective, release toxins into the body and alter the body's response to sugar. Studies performed in 2013 linked sugar substitutes to obesity and heart disease.

Consumption of small doses of sucralose can decrease gut bacteria by over 50 percent. When sucralose is cooked, as in baked recipes, it breaks down into potentially toxic compounds called chloroproanols. As of 2014, some researchers argue that sucralose can change the body's insulin response and blood sugar levels and can possibly even alter a person's genes.