Dr. Oz in on right now talking about artificial sweeteners...

4:00PM EST

I'm watching it...this is really interesting, too.

It's making me seriously rethink all the "sugar free" stuff like pudding in my fridge.

Just checked my SF Jell-O and SF pudding...aspartame.

I use Equal every day.

I drink A LOT of diet iced tea. I just checked it has Aspartame.

Interestingly, I am on Detrol for bladder urgency issues. I've been on it for a couple years, my neurologist attributed it to the MS (I have Multiple Sclerosis) but now I'm wondering if it's all the Aspartame I ingest.

I am glad to see Stevia is a safe alternative. I use it a lot, too

I'll be getting some Stevia.

Holy crap butter substitute causing Alzheimers?? You have got to be kidding me. I use a lot of that too!

Now, now...Dr. Oz can make the Healthiest person become a hypochondriac! Let's all discuss things like this that come up and research it too. Missy, you have health issues that MAY be cause for some of the thing Oz has described.

But hell, I use A LOT of Equal every day, not even including what's already in my SF "anything;s:! OMG.

Now, now...Dr. Oz can make the Healthiest person become a hypochondriac! Let's all discuss things like this that come up and research it too. Missy, you have health issues that MAY be cause for some of the thing Oz has described.

But hell, I use A LOT of Equal every day, not even including what's already in my SF "anything;s:! OMG.

Oh I agree with you 100%. But the reality is, it would worth it to me to stop drinking the Aspartame drinks for a couple weeks and see if that makes a difference with my bladder. I mean, on the off chance it is the cause rather than the MS, it would be awesome to get off another daily drug. I'll be healthier for switching to Water anyway, so I see it as a win-win.

What do you think about the butter substitutes? Does that concern you?

I saw "Organic" Stevia on Oz's set, is there a difference between organic Stevia and the regular Stevia that has other fillers in it?

Either way, I think I'll give it a try. I now realize that I am addicted to sugary things. Well, I already knew that, but I have to have sweetener in my coffee, tea, etc or it's just not the same.

I'm thinking I need to piss off those taste buds that demand sweetness and knock it out...

Oh I agree with you 100%. But the reality is, it would worth it to me to stop drinking the Aspartame drinks for a couple weeks and see if that makes a difference with my bladder. I mean, on the off chance it is the cause rather than the MS, it would be awesome to get off another daily drug. I'll be healthier for switching to Water anyway, so I see it as a win-win.

What do you think about the butter substitutes? Does that concern you?

I'd have to agree about stopping the aspartame for a test run in your case. It would be awesome to get off another daily pill! But "water"??? There MUST be something we can drink that is better and tastier than water.

I use Fake Butter Spray when I make my daily egg Breakfast, or at dinner. IDK, maybe I should stop. But does it "really" cause alzheimers? I have heard of people making spray out of a mix of EVOO and water, I should try that.

I wish I weren't ,missing tomorrows Oz, cuz he's going to simplify all this over-information that his show produces. He just gets me all confused.

I stopped using Aspartame because of the havic it reeks on my stomach. I cannot take too much of it in at all. I use I can't believe its not butter on occasion, but other times if its a small amount, I will just use real butter. I remember a show a long time ago saying that a container of fake butter can sit out in the garage and not have any flies or critters go anywhere near it... I always picture that when I eat it and it yucks me out!

I now make decaf iced tea at home and use Truvia. It works. It does take a bit of getting used to, but its better than no sweet at all!!

I stopped using Aspartame because of the havic it reeks on my stomach. I cannot take too much of it in at all. I use I can't believe its not butter on occasion, but other times if its a small amount, I will just use real butter. I remember a show a long time ago saying that a container of fake butter can sit out in the garage and not have any flies or critters go anywhere near it... I always picture that when I eat it and it yucks me out!

I now make decaf iced tea at home and use Truvia. It works. It does take a bit of getting used to, but its better than no sweet at all!!

scorrea, Glad to see you have it all figured out. I'm stumped.

I drink mostly decaf anything, but occassionaly regular.... How do you make your iced decaf tea?

I saw "Organic" Stevia on Oz's set' date=' is there a difference between organic Stevia and the regular Stevia that has other fillers in it?

Either way, I think I'll give it a try. I now realize that I am addicted to sugary things. Well, I already knew that, but I have to have sweetener in my coffee, tea, etc or it's just not the same.

I'm thinking I need to piss off those taste buds that demand sweetness and knock it out... [/quote']

I can't stand the way the public equates organic with healthy. They are not the same. Cyanide is organic.

A couple of years back my sister had symptoms that she thought were MS, she used to drink diet drinks by the gallon. She has now cut them right back and her symptoms have disappeared.

I think that it is always better to eat the real thing than a substitute if you can and remember that with all things we need to practice moderation. Sugar is natural - artificial sweeteners aren't, ditto butter/margarine etc. If you are trying to cut out sugar it is better to find healthy natural foods to replace it with than to turn to substitutes that some scientist has cooked up in a lab rather than been prepared by a chef in a kitchen.

I worry about Stevia. It is the current "next big thing" but who says that in a couple of years time they won't find some problem with it?

I think the best approach is to stick to natural foods and if you have to have a little bit of sugar or stevia or equal then fine. The problem comes in when you have any of them in large quantities. Too much of anything is bad for you - people can even die from having too much water!

Now' date=' now...Dr. Oz can make the Healthiest person become a hypochondriac! Let's all discuss things like this that come up and research it too. Missy, you have health issues that MAY be cause for some of the thing Oz has described.

But hell, I use A LOT of Equal every day, not even including what's already in my SF "anything;s:! OMG.[/quote']

I didn't watch the show, but the critical question is why concentration was used in the experiment/study. If these were animal studies, what is an equivalent dose for a human?

I agree with the others who have posted about using the natural and unprocessed ingredient rather than a chemical filled "alternative". I've often posted on this forum about staying with basic and unprocessed foods as much as possible.

I have gotten accustomed to minimal use of fats such as butter, only shopping on the periphery of the grocery store to find the produce, dairy, and meat sections.

My late mother and grandmother were years ahead of their time when they taught me from an early age to avoid white anything in food (except potatoes), and avoid over processed anything.

Simply put, more additives equals less nutrition, and higher risk for negative effects on health. Not worth it to me...it's easier and healthier to do without the sweets and fats.