Artificial Sweeteners

[DebbiAnn]

I have been re-reading the book and came across the section on sugar. Something was mentioned about not liking artificial sweeteners.

Some may refuse to give up Coffee, I have the same problem with my diet coke. I have been drinking diet so long that it makes the real thing taste like syrup. And there is splenda or aspertame in almost everything.

I have been avoiding sugar since before the dead sea got sick. Should I be sweetening my tea with real sugar in stead of the pink stuff.

Also the book mentioned gum as something you can use between meals. Here again do you use sugar or sugar free?

I hope someone out there can help me.

I'm just starting day 2

[wosnes]

I feel the same way about artificial sweeteners that I feel about manufactured fats: sooner or later it will be determined that they're more harmful to our health than beneficial. Personally, I'd rather drink syrup than chemicals, though I'm not a fan of HFCS, either. I've read that Coke, I think, will have a version made with cane sugar available. Maybe all of them will do that.

I've never allowed products with artificial sweeteners in my home. Now I've banned margarine and other manufactured oils (corn oil, "vegetable" oil).

[marygrace]

I feel the same way about artificial sweeteners that I feel about manufactured fats: sooner or later it will be determined that they're more harmful to our health than beneficial. Personally, I'd rather drink syrup than chemicals, though I'm not a fan of HFCS, either. I've read that Coke, I think, will have a version made with cane sugar available. Maybe all of them will do that.

I've never allowed products with artificial sweeteners in my home. Now I've banned margarine and other manufactured oils (corn oil, "vegetable" oil).

Wosnes, I feel like our stances on real vs. fake foods are pretty similar. I'm curious--what sorts of fats do you use? I don't cook with butter since my husband doesn't eat dairy (otherwise, I'd have no qualms against using it); instead, olive oil is my default. Sometimes I'll use coconut oil if it's called for, and if a neutral flavor is needed I go with canola oil--though I don't know a ton about it and feel like it might fall into the manufactured oil category. What's your take?

[sophiasapientia]

I think the official word is that it is much better for you to use the real stuff and avoid artificial sweeteners like the plague.

Personally, while I know that artificial sweeteners are likely horrible for you, I haven't gotten there yet. I buy myself a 2 liter of Coke Zero most weeks (and usually finish about half of it) and I also often sweeten my daily cup of coffee with a packet of Splenda. I've been cutting down on the Coke Zero but I'm not ready to give it up altogether yet. It is my major vice. I don't smoke, I rarely drink, but I do enjoy a little diet soda now and then ... Eventually I'll probably try to break the habit but it just isn't my top priority right now.

[Elspeth]

I never liked the taste of aspartame. Splenda tasted more like sugar, I thought, but it gave me terrible headaches. The more I read about artificial sweeteners, the more convinced I became to avoid them.

I don't drink soda at all so I can't help you there. For tea and coffee I use sugar cubes. Each cube has only 10 calories, and generally use only one per cup. I know many people use stevia since it is a natural product.

I've read that Coke, I think, will have a version made with cane sugar available.

In our area, stores sell Coke made with sugar instead of HFCS during Passover because observant Jews avoid grain products during this time. Many of my non-Jewish friends prefer the taste and stock up while they can. Look for bottles of Coke with yellow instead of white caps.

[oliviamanda]

Rheinhard states:

Does fake sugar count as an "S"?
As I mentioned in a post to the No S Diet group, I would avoid fake sugar products for 3 reasons.

they tend to be pretty disgusting
you *know* that in 10 years scientists are going to discover that they're even worse for you than real sugar.
you might be fooling your taste buds, but you're also fooling the habit forming portion of your brain. It's bad psychology, and the whole premise of the No S Diet is that psychology is the most important part.
So does it officially count as an S? No. But I'd be surprised if you can eat a lot of it without reverting to genuine S. Naturally slim people do not cram themselves with diet products. Neither should you.

---

I avoid HFSC and aspartame like the plague. My husband most likely has aspartame poisoning from being in Iraq and all the diet soda and kool aid that heated up to toxic temperatures and cooled down and was ingested. You might want to check out this link as well:

http://www.sweetpoison.com/aspartame-side-effects.html

I'm not going to die or get ill from eating splenda now and again, but I do not enjoy the chemical taste of artificial sweeteners. I use real sugar, or stevia or honey. Stevia is from a plant and it is natural. Also agave nectar is becoming popular.

[Grammy G]

I am hearing that artificial sweeteners actually make you crave sweets! so I would say BE AWARE and see if this is true for you. I also cannot imagine that artificial sweeteners can be good for you in any way.
As for gum.... a few years ago I caught an episode of House where diet gum was the culprit causing the "victim" to have bout after bout of intestinal distress for no apparent reason.. until the hero discovered that the victim had recently given up smoking and turned to sugar-free gum as his "pacifier" of choice. It seems that the "sweetener" used in many sugar-free gums is the same thing hospitals use full strength as a laxative when nothing else works!(Sorry, I am blanking on the name right now but I DO know it is what was given to my hubby when he was hospitalized and having "problems" ....and it worked!!)
Keep an open mind...find what works for you...

[DebbiAnn]

I really need to give them up, but have not had any bad effects from them, No headaches etc. Someone said once that when you get to be my age (65) and older, you might as well enjoy it and forget it. (I think they were talking about smoking.) I also don't smoke. I just have one diet coke a day with lunch and a little sweet N low in my tea.

What do most of you drink in the after noon. After 8 - 10 glasses of water, I really want something with taste. I am not much of a coffee drinker and I don't like milk plain. I have some sf nesquik (there we go with artificial sugar again). OH well whats a body to do

[BrightAngel]

Something was mentioned (in the book) about not liking artificial sweeteners.

Although Reinhard doesn't personally use artifical sweeteners,
they are still okay on No S.

It is simply another one of those "Healthy" arguments.
(such messages commonly come from opposing Marketers)
... similiar to
"natural" instead of "processed";
"organic" instead of use of certain chemicals;
"raw" instead of "cooked";
"low carb" instead of whatever;
"low fat" instead of whatever;
"high protein" instead of whatever;
"high fat" instead of whatever;
"vegan" instead of meat, fish, chicken.

In fact, if I took all the diet books I've ever read at face value,
and tried to avoid eating foods the authors Personally disputed,
there would be simply no food at all to eat...
and...I couldn't even drink tap water, or bottled water..

In No S, no foods are forbidden.
Sweets (not sugar) are reserved for S days.
All specific food choices in the No S Diet are simply that: i.e.
A matter of personal choice.

I would feel extremely deprived without my Splenda,
diet cokes, artificially sweetened iced tea, etc.
As I have stated before, I feel very strongly about this issue,
I, personally, don't find them harmful, and I will continue to use them.
To paraphrase the pro-gun people:
"They will have to pry Splenda out of my cold, dead, hands".

[NoelFigart]

As for gum.... a few years ago I caught an episode of House where diet gum was the culprit causing the "victim" to have bout after bout of intestinal distress for no apparent reason.. until the hero discovered that the victim had recently given up smoking and turned to sugar-free gum as his "pacifier" of choice. It seems that the "sweetener" used in many sugar-free gums is the same thing hospitals use full strength as a laxative when nothing else works!(Sorry, I am blanking on the name right now but I DO know it is what was given to my hubby when he was hospitalized and having "problems" ....and it worked!!)
Keep an open mind...find what works for you...

I don't know what the specific name is, but I do know Sorbitol (which is in a lot of sugar free gums) gives me just AWFUL gas (sorry about the TMI).

I do use Splenda. I am sure it is not an ideal choice, but for now, I use it. I might reconsider when I get my other habits a bit more solidified, but as of now, I have other things I'm concentrating on.

[marygrace]

I really need to give them up, but have not had any bad effects from them, No headaches etc. Someone said once that when you get to be my age (65) and older, you might as well enjoy it and forget it. (I think they were talking about smoking.) I also don't smoke. I just have one diet coke a day with lunch and a little sweet N low in my tea.

What do most of you drink in the after noon. After 8 - 10 glasses of water, I really want something with taste. I am not much of a coffee drinker and I don't like milk plain. I have some sf nesquik (there we go with artificial sugar again). OH well whats a body to do

Sometimes I like making fizzies--seltzer mixed with a bit of fruit juice. My favorite is cranberry or pomegranate juice with a squeeze of lime. When it was colder, sometimes I'd enjoy a warm mug of almond milk with a spoonful of cocoa powder stirred in. Alternatively, you could just add some flavor to plain water with lemon, lime, or orange slices, or even cucumber or herbs.

[RJLupin]

I drink lots of diet soda, and have never had a problem with the aspartame sweetened ones. Aspartame has been studied for so many years, I doubt we'll find out anything horrible about it (thought it would probably be best to avoid it "just in case.") I can't use Splenda, though.....I feel that it gives me headaches. I don't usually buy into the artificial sweetener panic, because it seems like those pushing it are fringe-types who have lots of other weird theories. That being said, I don't sweeten anything else is with; I just really like Diet Coke. I take medicine that gives me dry mouth, and I feel like soda helps deal with this better than water does.

In some people, artificially sweetened stuff DOES seem to cause additional sweet cravings, and I would avoid it in this case.

[wosnes]

I feel the same way about artificial sweeteners that I feel about manufactured fats: sooner or later it will be determined that they're more harmful to our health than beneficial. Personally, I'd rather drink syrup than chemicals, though I'm not a fan of HFCS, either. I've read that Coke, I think, will have a version made with cane sugar available. Maybe all of them will do that.

I've never allowed products with artificial sweeteners in my home. Now I've banned margarine and other manufactured oils (corn oil, "vegetable" oil).

Wosnes, I feel like our stances on real vs. fake foods are pretty similar. I'm curious--what sorts of fats do you use? I don't cook with butter since my husband doesn't eat dairy (otherwise, I'd have no qualms against using it); instead, olive oil is my default. Sometimes I'll use coconut oil if it's called for, and if a neutral flavor is needed I go with canola oil--though I don't know a ton about it and feel like it might fall into the manufactured oil category. What's your take?

I use butter and olive oil primarily. I'm on the fence about canola oil, but I do use it.

[scgal]

I haven't ingested any diet drinks or artificial sweetener since 2004. For a few years I had been plagued with an itchy eczema on my neck that disappeared when I quit the diet coke. I knew it was something I was consuming rather than being allergic to an outside product like detergent, etc.

Another great benefit is that I had lumpy breast tissue that was a pain when getting mammograms. Once I quit the artificial sweeteners, all the lumpiness disappeared! Amazing!!

I don't purchase anything with AS and I even stay away from Stevia, etc, since I'm not convinced that it's totally safe. Sugar's the way to go. I definitely won't let my girls consume anything with AS.

[Nichole]

I'm with Wosnes...... I love cooking and only cook with EVOO and butter. With I put a pat of butter in the skillet to cook something my husband always makes a comment like "isn't that unhealthy?" Uh, yeah, butter's unhealthy if I eat a crap load of it, but this little pat between two people (though my portions are smaller than him), isn't going to harm me. I do own veggie oil, which I use in chocolate cake from scratch, but that's the only time I use it.

I've been eating Splenda, but weaning myself off of it. I told my husband that, too, and he was skeptical. He drinks a lot of Diet Coke, maybe 3 cans a day sometimes. Since being pregnant, I haven't had any soda of any kind, though I didn't have much to begin with, and I don't miss it. I'm trying to make my diet as natural as I can stand. It's not perfect, but it's better than most. I've also cut out most HFCS.

[Aleria]

I can't stand artificial sugars. Once I accidentally bought diet iced tea before work, drank about a quarter of the bottle. It tasted gross, and by lunch time I had an awful stomach ache.
I sweeten my tea with honey, and don't drink soda on N Days. Actually, I rarely drink soda at all. I do put a spoonful of sugar in the Hot Cocoa I make ocassionally, but somehow I don't think that's going to kill me.

[wosnes]

I drink lots of diet soda, and have never had a problem with the aspartame sweetened ones. Aspartame has been studied for so many years, I doubt we'll find out anything horrible about it (thought it would probably be best to avoid it "just in case.")

Margarine and the vegetable oils were studied for years, too. My theory is that sugar has been around forever and we know what it does. While it's overly refined, it's not a chemical.

[DebbiAnn]

It funny how different people react to things. I have never had a problem with AS. I was diagnosed with hypoglycemia several years ago and the dr. said to switch to AS. That was before AS was even popular. I think Tab was the only diet drink on the market. (showing my age). That was also the time when Atkins started.

My hubby is diabetic and was told to watch his sugar intake. I am coming off of a year of low carb. I got bored with not eating anything I wanted even in moderation.

Now that I am re-reading the No S diet, it is making more sense than the last time.

I lost 20 lbs on low carbs but still want to loose 30 more. I am more worried about my cholesterol than weight right now. but even so this way of eating is more in keeping with normal that low anything.

I was on Weight Watchers for awhile and lost then too, but I was very bad about journaling and keeping track of points.

Thanks for all the encouragement. I'm glad this site is still here.

I weigh in at TOPS (Take off Pounds Sensibly) once a week. I needed the accountability. I try not to weigh any other time. I am going to find the daily thread and make sure to check in on a regular basis. I am also going to keep track on HabitCar.

[connorcream]

I would not have the success with weight loss in such a peaceful and happy fashion without them. I have four artificials (plus real thing) always out for guests and self. Splenda, pink (for my mom and guests), Sweet Leaf Stevia, and Xylitol for those visiting of the dental health profession (two dentists prefer Xylitol).

For me, I like Splenda best. I can afford only so many calories a day and spending it on a coffee sweetner isn't happening anymore. Geeze. Do what makes you feel good. If you get health reactions avoid it. If it adds pleasure to your life, be grateful for this small help.

Best wishes with what you decide.

[kccc]

If you were asking about "sugar-free" dessert-like products, I'd recommend that you stop, because they're still "sweets" and have a lot of associated mental triggers.

However, while diet drinks aren't the best, I think they're an "advanced worry" - that is, not something to be too concerned about at the beginning. If you decide later that you want to ditch them or cut back (for whatever reasons), you can.

For now, concentrate on the "big stuff" - especially if having diet drinks means you can stick with the overall plan.

(For the record, I don't personally do artificial sweeteners now... but I used to.)

[oolala53]

One thing at a time.

I did used to have a diet Coke or two a day. I slowly weaned myself off them. I'm not religious about not having fake sweeteners, or even Coke, but I don't plan on using them all the time. I do use stevia in coffee. I'm glad I finally stopped with the Coke, as I've read that it speeds bone loss in women. Ironic, since they are the ones who are most likely addicted--or so they think.

Anyway, this is a process. Though there are no specific rules, this crowd tends to lean toward the natural. It fits well with moderation, as so many processed foods are engineered to thwart your natural ability to know when you've had enough. But, all in good time. I wouldn't worry about liquids. Just be honest with yourself about when you are being immoderate in any intake.