Artificial sweetners

[Seela 1,187]

I read articles about the evils of artificial sweeteners often. The media loves talking about their relation to cancer. They really freak me out! The FDA says most are "safe". I wish we had more concrete evidence on what's safe and what's not that safe.

I was a huge Splenda fan until approximately one year ago. I quit my 6-8 daily cups of coffee along with the 3-4 packets of Splenda that went along with each. I converted to Decaf herbal tea and use Stevia as my sweetener of choice. Supposedly not all Stevia sweeteners are created equal. Many are mixed with other ingredients. My personal favorite so far is NuNaturals Pure liquid vanilla Stevia, Alcohol Free.

The dry or powdered Stevia has fillers... bad. Use the liquid Stevia..

[Seela 1,187]

Also, what has saved me are the sweet leaf sweet drops. I use them as a Water additive, in plain yogurt, hot tea etc... it's about a 1000 times sweeter than sugar so a drop or two is all you need

[Fiddleman 4,376]

The dry or powdered Stevia has fillers... bad. Use the liquid Stevia..

*slaps head* we can't win. I use a stevia product called "Pure Via Stevia" and has the following ingredients : dextrose, Reb A (stevia extract), Cellulse powder and natural flavors. What do you think? Any fillers there? There is a little text that says " the dextrose in this product is derived from corn that may have been genetically modified" yeah, really? I guess China won't be importing this product. It also says "each ingredient in this product exist in nature and meet our standard." Exists in nature and genetically modified? Seems like a contradiction. Anyways, I think I will continue with this unless someone says I am going to grow a 3rd arm from using it in my daily coffee. 1 packet (1/2 amount as Splenda) is sweet enough to equal 2 tsp of sugar.

Edited January 2, 2014 by Fiddleman

[Seela 1,187]

*slaps head* we can't win. I use a stevia product called "Pure Via Stevia" and has the following ingredients : dextrose, Reb A (stevia extract), Cellulse powder and natural flavors. What do you think? Any fillers there?

Yeah... I just fount that out myself recently. I was having this same discussion the other day I and I started wondering that if Stevia is 1000 times sweeter than sugar how come there's the same amount in those little packets? ? So I dis a little research and wouldn't you know it. CRAP! The drops come in plain and multiple flavors though, no fillers

[gamergirl 4,610]

geez louise. All I want is a little something in my Water that won't kill me or make me fat! It shouldn't be so hard!

okay I'm done whining. I will go look up liquid Stevia drops. Thanks guys

[mistysj 1,940]

If you want to know what effect any food has on your blood sugar, you can find out! Go get a blood glucose tester and some test strips. If you have a wal-mart around you in the US, they have their own brand that is cheap. Test yourself one hour and two hours after starting to eat. At one hour, your glucose will be as high as it is likely to get from the food, and at two hours it should have cleared your blood and you will be back at a baseline. Assuming you are not diabetic, a good baseline reading is anything below 85 mg/dl. Do the test with a piece of white bread so you can compare that with whatever food you want to test.

[gamergirl 4,610]

If you want to know what effect any food has on your blood sugar, you can find out! Go get a blood glucose tester and some test strips. If you have a wal-mart around you in the US, they have their own brand that is cheap. Test yourself one hour and two hours after starting to eat. At one hour, your glucose will be as high as it is likely to get from the food, and at two hours it should have cleared your blood and you will be back at a baseline. Assuming you are not diabetic, a good baseline reading is anything below 85 mg/dl. Do the test with a piece of white bread so you can compare that with whatever food you want to test.

All I heard was that you just gave me permission to eat white bread. Everything else just went la la la after that.

Yes!!!

j/k j/k...it's actually a very good idea. I suspect in the quantities we eat these foods it can't be that bad for us. I suppose if we were making dessert, it might be worth using the lowest GI foods for sure though

[mistysj 1,940]

Put it this way. I left my type 2 diabetes in the hospital. Eating this way has never caused a spike and my average blood sugar is astoundingly good, judging from the 3-monthly hemoglobin A1C. And I get 100 to 150 grams of carbs a day.

[michelle68 46]

I only use stevia... my doctor at a wellness clinic only likes it because it is natural and wont cause blood sugar spikes.

I also try to stay as soy free as possible so all of the pre op diet stuff and my post op liquid phase is bugging me because of all the sugar free artificial sweetener stuff...but..once i am on full solids I plan on phasing that stuff out again.

[bearman99 228]

I will have to disagree with your target of a good number. Lower is not better necessarily. If one could maintain blood sugars and insulin in perfect balance it would be more like 95-100. This will get you off the insulin/glucagen blood sugar roller coaster. But don't believe the internet - read yourself in http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/book/10.1002/0470862092

incidentally, thinking about your favorite meal when you close your eyes and smell the food - can cause an insulin spike which induces hunger. So, it is logical artificial sweeteners will have an effect on your blood sugar/insulin response but most importantly can stimulate hunger pangs......crap.

that said, with me eating broth, Jello, and yogurt right now. Artificial sweeteners are in my diet at present. Maybe down the road 6 months I will get back to not using AS.

If you want to know what effect any food has on your blood sugar, you can find out! Go get a blood glucose tester and some test strips. If you have a wal-mart around you in the US, they have their own brand that is cheap. Test yourself one hour and two hours after starting to eat. At one hour, your glucose will be as high as it is likely to get from the food, and at two hours it should have cleared your blood and you will be back at a baseline. Assuming you are not diabetic, a good baseline reading is anything below 85 mg/dl. Do the test with a piece of white bread so you can compare that with whatever food you want to test.

[gamergirl 4,610]

This thread actually inspired me to go cut up an orange and a lemon and fill a pitcher with Water to infuse it with the citrus and no sugar.

When all else fails, the strong start cooking their own healthy versions.

See what your thread did Sheila? thank you

[Peggy 53 69]

I will have to disagree with your target of a good number. Lower is not better necessarily. If one could maintain blood sugars and insulin in perfect balance it would be more like 95-100.

Good response! , but your range is wrong, close, but wrong..... A diet controlled diabetic, off insulin, is 65-99. Your A1C is about 5.0-5.5. Pre diabetic range is 5.7 to 6.1 Yes endocrinologists will tell people on insulin to keep blood sugars 100-120. (I have an Endocrinologist) but after surgery...new ball game...new rules. Normal blood sugar is 70-80 for non diabetics. Get rid if the starchy carbs - get the carbs from fruits and veges and you'll stay on track...oh and don't for get your Protein. Critical for keeping all blood sugars in balance. I primarily I use stevia...stevia in the raw to be exact, but will use Truvia.. Splenda only if I absolutely have too. HOWEVER, at the latest Obesity Week conference in Atlanta (Nov 2013), There were presentations that discussed the use of artificial sweeteners and there were no critical findings to not use any of the artificial sweeteners. Now I've done a fair amount of research on the matter and from my clinical understanding of how the body, ( liver, tissues and cells) as well as the brain (dopamine, serotonin) use artificial sweeteners, I'm sticking with stevia....

Edited January 2, 2014 by Peggy 53

[sheilarae 84]

I read articles about the evils of artificial sweeteners often. The media loves talking about their relation to cancer. They really freak me out! The FDA says most are "safe". I wish we had more concrete evidence on what's safe and what's not that safe. <br><br> I was a huge Splenda fan until approximately one year ago. I quit my 6-8 daily cups of coffee along with the 3-4 packets of Splenda that went along with each. I converted to Decaf herbal tea and use Stevia as my sweetener of choice. Supposedly not all Stevia sweeteners are created equal. Many are mixed with other ingredients. My personal favorite so far is NuNaturals Pure liquid vanilla Stevia, Alcohol Free.

Agreed. We have to read the labels. Sugar alcohol is different than artificial sweetener. It's a carb. And not good for us with blood sugar problems. I will probably look around for the liquid stevia. My fily really went nuts when my sister pulled out the computer and searched Truvia. We all thought it was natural. My mom had a fit. She thought she finally found the golden ticket!

[sheilarae 84]

This thread actually inspired me to go cut up an orange and a lemon and fill a pitcher with Water to infuse it with the citrus and no sugar. <br><br> When all else fails, the strong start cooking their own healthy versions. <br><br> See what your thread did Sheila? thank you

You're welcome!! This all started because I made up a recipe for healthy egg custard. My sister (who likes all things organic and natural ) got the computer out when I mentioned I used Truvia. Btw the custard has 10 gms Protein. I guess the best thing is to become "hunters and gatherers" again. Sure sounds like a lot of work to me!

[gmanbat 5,889]

Here is a short list of natural sweeteners:
http://www.oprah.com...ural-Sweeteners

Fiddleman, I actually like everything on Oprah's list. I am especially fond of agave nectar and dark honey. I have a friend who gets his stevia shipped from South America somewhere. I am nuts about blackstrap molasses but it is sometimes hard to find.

When all else fails I have my wife stick her finger in my coffee, she's mighty sweet.