Empty Pleasures : The Story of Artificial Sweeteners From Saccharin to Splenda

Sugar substitutes have been a part of American life since saccharin was introduced at the 1893 World's Fair. In __Empty Pleasures__, the first history of artificial sweeteners in America, Carolyn de la Pena blends popular culture with business and women's history, examining the invention, production, marketing, regulation, and consumption of sugar substitutes such as saccharin, Sucaryl, NutraSweet, and Splenda. She describes how saccharin, an accidental laboratory by-product, was transformed from a perceived adulterant into a healthy ingredient. As food producers and pharmaceutical companies worked together to create diet products, savvy women's magazine writers and editors promoted artificially sweetened foods as ideal, modern weight-loss aids, and early diet-plan entrepreneurs built menus and fortunes around pleasurable dieting made possible by artificial sweeteners. NutraSweet, Splenda, and their predecessors have enjoyed enormous success by promising that Americans, especially women, can "have their cake and eat it too," but __Empty Pleasures__ argues that these "sweet cheats" have fostered troubling and unsustainable eating habits and that the promises of artificial sweeteners are ultimately too good to be true. From The Publisher: Sugar Substitutes Have Been A Part Of American Life Since Saccharin Was Introduced At The 1893 World's Fair. In Empty Pleasures, The First History Of Artificial Sweeteners In America, Carolyn De La Pena Blends Popular Culture With Business And Women's History, Examining The Invention, Production, Marketing, Regulation, And Consumption Of Sugar Substitutes Such As Saccharin, Sucaryl, Nutrasweet, And Splenda. She Describes How Saccharin, An Accidental Laboratory By-product, Was Transformed From A Perceived Adulterant Into A Healthy Ingredient. As Food Producers And Pharmaceutical Companies Worked Together To Create Diet Products, Savvy Women's Magazine Writers And Editors Promoted Artificially Sweetened Foods As Ideal, Modern Weight-loss Aids, And Early Diet-plan Entrepreneurs Built Menus And Fortunes Around Pleasurable Dieting Made Possible By Artificial Sweeteners. Nutrasweet, Splenda, And Their Predecessors Have Enjoyed Enormous Success By Promising That Americans, Especially Women, Can Have Their Cake And Eat It Too, But Empty Pleasures Argues That These Sweet Cheats Have Fostered Troubling And Unsustainable Eating Habits And That The Promises Of Artificial Sweeteners Are Ultimately Too Good To Be True. False Scarlet : Healthful Sugar Vs. Adulterous Saccharin In The Early Twentieth Century -- Alchemic Ally : Women's Creativity And Control In Saccharin And Cyclamates -- Diet Men : The Food-pharma Origins Of Artificially Sweetened Products -- Prosperity Stomachs And Prosperous Women : Diet Entrepreneurs -- Saccharin Rebels : The Right To Risky Pleasure In 1977 -- Nutrasweet Nation : Profit, Peril, And The Promise Of A Free Lunch -- Conclusion : Splenda, Sugar, And What Mother Nature Intended. Carolyn De La Peña. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Sugar substitutes have been a part of American life since saccharin was introduced at the 1893 World's Fair. In Empty Pleasures , the first history of artificial sweeteners in the United States, Carolyn de la Pena blends popular culture with business and women's history, examining the invention, production, marketing, regulation, and consumption of sugar substitutes such as saccharin, Sucaryl, NutraSweet, and Splenda. She describes how saccharin, an accidental laboratory by-product, was transformed from a perceived adulterant into a healthy ingredient. As food producers and pharmaceutical companies worked together to create diet products, savvy women's magazine writers and editors promoted artificially sweetened foods as ideal, modern weight-loss aids, and early diet-plan entrepreneurs built menus and fortunes around pleasurable dieting made possible by artificial sweeteners. NutraSweet, Splenda, and their predecessors have enjoyed enormous success by promising that Americans, especially women, can "have their cake and eat it too," but Empty Pleasures argues that these "sweet cheats" have fostered troubling and unsustainable eating habits and that the promises of artificial sweeteners are ultimately too good to be true. Contents......Page 8 Introduction......Page 14 CHAPTER ONE: False Scarlet: Healthful Sugar vs. Adulterous Saccharin in the Early Twentieth Century......Page 26 CHAPTER TWO: Alchemic Ally: Women’s Creativity and Control in Saccharin and Cyclamates......Page 52 CHAPTER THREE: Diet Men: The Food-Pharma Origins of Artificially Sweetened Products......Page 78 CHAPTER FOUR: Prosperity Stomachs and Prosperous Women: Diet Entrepreneurs......Page 118 CHAPTER FIVE: Saccharin Rebels: The Right to Risky Pleasure in 1977......Page 154 CHAPTER SIX: NutraSweet Nation: Profit, Peril, and the Promise of a Free Lunch......Page 190 CONCLUSION: Splenda, Sugar, and What Mother Nature Intended......Page 232 Notes......Page 242 Bibliography......Page 270 Acknowledgments......Page 282 A......Page 286 C......Page 287 E......Page 288 L......Page 289 O......Page 290 S......Page 291 Y......Page 292 As food producers and pharmaceutical companies worked together to create diet products, savvy women's magazine writers and editors promoted artificially sweetened foods as ideal, modern weight-loss aids, and early diet-plan entrepreneurs built menus and fortunes around pleasurable dieting made possible by artificial sweeteners. NutraSweet, Splenda, and their predecessors have enjoyed enormous success by promising that Americans, especially women, can "have their cake and eat it too," but Empty Pleasures argues that these "sweet cheats" have fostered troubling and unsustainable eating habits and that the promises of artificial sweeteners are ultimately too good to be true. --from publisher description