After a weekend of grit, determination, and competition, the FITAID team made the most of their time in Madison. Starting with the chase for The Fittest in the World, FITAID Athletes Gui Malheiros (10th place), Jeff Adler (5th place), Emma Lawson (6th place), Gabi Migala (8th place), and Alexis Johnson’s Team CrossFit Independence (5th place)  all placed top 10 ten in their divisions. One athlete who really put the field on notice was Emma Lawson. She was 4th the youngest athlete to ever qualify for the competition and will continue to be a force to reckon with in the women’s division. 

Off the field, FITAID was present amongst all viewers and fans. From day one to the final day in Madison, FITAID handed out over 1,500 cans, had numerous apparel giveaways, and even had a DJ battle between co-founders, Aaron Hinde and Orion Melehan. If you were following FITAID’s instagram through the weekend, then it felt like you were there in Madison! If not, head over to FITAID’s instagram page and take a look at the weekend recap! We can’t thank our brand fans and supporters for stopping by the FITAID booth and rocking with us all weekend in Madison. We look forward to continuing helping you recover the healthy way and supporting you on your fitness journey. We Are LIFEAID! 

 

What Is Sucralose? 

Before you can understand why #SucraloseIsGross, you have to know exactly what sucralose is. This sugar substitute is a no-calorie sweetener that can be used to lower one’s intake of added sugars while still providing satisfaction from enjoying the taste of something sweet. While some types of sweeteners in this category are considered low-calorie (i.e. aspartame) and others are no-calorie (i.e. sucralose), collectively they are often referred to as sugar substitutes, high-intensity sweeteners, nonnutritive sweeteners or low-calorie sweeteners. Although sucralose is made from sugar, it is not a natural product. Sucralose is produced by a multi-step patented chemical process that replaces three hydrogen-oxygen groups with three chlorine atoms. The replacement with chlorine atoms intensifies the sweetness to 600 times more than table sugar and contains zero calories.

Why Is Sucralose Gross? 

Sucralose and Gut Health: When ingested, sucralose can kill up to 50% of your gut microbiome. Our gastrointestinal tract is home to more bacteria than we have cells in our body. Bacteria in our gastrointestinal tract play a huge role in our immune system and immune health. Sucralose can alter your gut microbiome and decrease beneficial bacteria by nearly half. 

Heating Sucralose: When heated or cooked, sucralose was found to release toxic compounds which may lead to cancer and infertility in men.  

Blood Glucose and Insulin Levels: Sucralose may negatively affect the very people who are using it to decrease sugar consumption and stabilize blood glucose levels. A study found that sucralose increased blood glucose levels and insulin levels while decreasing insulin sensitivity.5  This could negatively affect people, especially those with diabetes, who consume sucralose to try to manage their blood glucose levels.  

Our advice to you would be to avoid sucralose at all cost. Several energy drinks and recovery beverages currently on the market use sucralose and use a large amount of it. A lot of the companies say their beverages are “healthy” or “fat burners” when they are actually the complete opposite. If you want an energy or recovery beverage that is beneficial to your health, we suggest you head over to www.lifeaidbevco.com and find your favorite naturally flavored beverages!