Splenda Is Splendid

Dieters of the world, watch out! Your supply of Splenda, the brand name for the no-calorie sucralose concoction, is about to be crimped. Tate & Lyle, the world's only sucralose manufacturer, says demand so far outstrips supply that it simply cannot make enough. And it's going to get worse before it gets better. Sucralose was previously banned in the European Union but is set to be introduced to the 25 member countries in 2005.

As the only no-calorie substitute made from sugar, Splenda is sold to consumers by McNeil Nutritionals, a unit of Johnson & Johnson. Because of the popularity of such diets as Atkins and South Beach, demand for the sugar-sweet substitute has been rampant.

a href="http://slate.msn.com/?id=2070686">A sugar snob taste-tests Splenda: "So, I guess there's a point to be made about Splenda, and that point is that the stuff really doesn't taste so bad. And you don't even digest it! I'm a little more wary of Splenda ......

Even though my taste buds were obviously confused when it came to iced tea, I'm going to remain a sugar snob. Life is short, you know."