Could your sweetener of choice be contaminating tap water?

From Sci Am:

People like sucralose—the artificial sweetener marketed as Splenda—because the human body can’t break it down and use it. That means the substance has almost no calories and makes it a popular ingredient in everything from cookies to diet sodas. Unfortunately, it turns out that modern wastewater treatment methods don’t break down Splenda either.

That, according to Smitha Ramakrishna, 17, one of 40 finalists in the 2009 Intel Science Talent Search who’ve gathered in Washington, DC, for the final judging rounds this week, means that the sweetener can accumulate in the water supply after people excrete it, potentially harming fish and other living things.

Opt for natural sweeteners like honey, maple syrup, agave nectar, stevia, or plain old sugar instead.  You can train your tastebuds to get used to a lower level of sweetness to cut down on calories and water contamination.