What is your take on any type of artificial sweetener?

I'm researching it, well, I just started, and I'm finding that artificial sweeteners (AS) in the end cause weight gain. I read an article on Dr. Oz's website about it, I tried to copy and paste to this message, but I don't know what I'm doing, so it's not here.

I use a fair amount of AS, and I'm thinking I should stop. I have to admit, I'm addicted. It's an easy way to get "sweet" and not gain weight. And in my favorite, Iced coffee, it is sweeter than sugar. I'd have to use a LOT of sugar to equal my AS's sweetness.

I hear it is bad for you. I want to use mostly natural foods in my diet, you are what you eat, right?

So if you can give me your opinion on AS's, the pro's and con's, I'd feel good having your input. You guys know your stuff! If I'm going to be losing weight, I'd like to put the most nutritional, safest foods in my body. It can't be avoided completely, but I need to cut down.

If you used AS's and stopped using them, or cut down....I gotta ask, HOW did you do it?

Here, I found this to both help me understand, and also confuse me.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/artificial-sweeteners/MY00073

I avoid them. They upset my guts anyway.

But I look at it like this. Sugary foods should be a small part of your diet. Sugar is empty calories. But so are artificially sweetened foods by and large, just less empty calories. If you use artificial sweeteners so you can survive on crap like soft drinks, Cookies, cakes, sweets and Desserts then you're better off giving them up.

If you use them for a once in a while treat to save on a few calories then go for it - but neither artificially sweetened nor sugar foods should be on your menu at every meal.

What is your take on any type of artificial sweetener?

I'm researching it, well, I just started, and I'm finding that artificial sweeteners (AS) in the end cause weight gain. I read an article on Dr. Oz's website about it, I tried to copy and paste to this message, but I don't know what I'm doing, so it's not here.

I use a fair amount of AS, and I'm thinking I should stop. I have to admit, I'm addicted. It's an easy way to get "sweet" and not gain weight. And in my favorite, Iced coffee, it is sweeter than sugar. I'd have to use a LOT of sugar to equal my AS's sweetness.

I hear it is bad for you. I want to use mostly natural foods in my diet, you are what you eat, right?

So if you can give me your opinion on AS's, the pro's and con's, I'd feel good having your input. You guys know your stuff! If I'm going to be losing weight, I'd like to put the most nutritional, safest foods in my body. It can't be avoided completely, but I need to cut down.

If you used AS's and stopped using them, or cut down....I gotta ask, HOW did you do it?

i dont know much about them but i have Stevia in my home and use that. Not a lot. We dont use sugar... dont have it in the house, only for visitors. Our taste buds are well used to not having sweet things anymore. When i weaned myself off sugar.. especially with Hot drinks, i put the sugar away, started using two sweetener tabs a drink. Couldnt stand that so started cutting back, each drink a little less. In the end the amount was so small it was easier to just leave the sweetener out altogether.. lol. i havent looked back. i have my tea and coffee black without sugar.. have done for years. Personally i am very wary of artificial sweeteners... they are not good news.

I was using Splenda over the others since my Lapband journey. Now, I've switched to Stevia (Fresh n Easy, Trader Joe's) which is a nutural sweetner and NO chemicals. If you do research on Google it's been around 1500 years.

Cheers

My nutritionist says natural is better so go stevia over artificial. She also says she finds small amounts of regular sugar more satisfying.

I continue to use splenda in my decaf coffee and I put one in my protein shake to give it a little bit of sweetness.

I use stevia. I have it in my garden. It is beneficial

http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/stevia/

i honesty dont think too much about it.

i mainly use sugar in the raw on my oatmeal or grits (1 packet) and i guess my crystal light has other artifical sweeteners in it to make it taste (sweet). i drink my coffee black and tea unsweet.

i guess its up to the individual.

I am wary of them. Like others here, I use Stevia. It's more natural and doesn't have all the nasty chemicals. It doesn't give me headaches, either.

I personally don't worry about it much. Rather than sweat every detail about sweetners, low fat, low carb, etc. I subscribe to the mindset of everything in moderation.

If you have such a sweet tooth that moderation is unattainable, then I would probably stay away from artificial sweeteners as much as possible. As stated above stevia is a 100% natural low/no calorie sugar substitute. I would recomend getting it as the pure pressed oil rather than a powdered form there are tons of fillers in the powders. You can usually find it at your local health food store.

I personally don't worry about it much. Rather than sweat every detail about sweetners, low fat, low carb, etc. I subscribe to the mindset of everything in moderation.

That's exactly where my mindset is at. I made some changes and adjustments but I cannot cut everything out. I am doing the lower carb, lower fat.

It was cool to read all of your responses, thanks!

I'm going to give Stevia a try. When I thought about where the 'sweet' was in my diet, I realized that it was almost entirely in drinks! I get me 'sweet' from fruit. No, that's not completely true, I also get it in SF FF pudding and SF Jello. I probably get it somewhere else but I can't think of it. I know I like hot black coffee, but black iced coffee? Uh uh. And Crystal Light has artificial sweeteners in it. See, drinks are my vice, therefore, my problem that must be addresed. I've managed to do well in the food rearrangement in my life, I'll just have to work on my drinks.

I can do it, just don't wanna! tee hee.

Thanks again for all your lovely responses!

My nutritionist says natural is better so go stevia over artificial. She also says she finds small amounts of regular sugar more satisfying.

i really do like stevia. i use it in my protein drinks sometimes... with raspberries and Greek yoghurt.