Sucralose / Splenda

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suesuarez
suesuarez Posts: 69 Member
@Karlottap mentioned in her Ketoversary posting (congrats again!) that Splenda actually led to weight gain in her case. Others found the same thing in their situations

My questions for discussion:
1. How has sucralose affected you?
2. How did you determine it had negative/null/positive effects?
3. If you don't use sucralose, do you have an alternate sweetener for things that don't go well with stevia (I'm thinking coffee here).
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Replies

  • Sunny_Bunny_
    Sunny_Bunny_ Posts: 7,140 Member
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    I don't think I had any gain from sucralose but I definitely had cravings for more sweet foods that caused me to have to employ will power to stay on course. I was making "Keto desserts" on a regular basis in the beginning and pretty much eating all of them within a couple days by myself!
    Stevia seemed to be able to give me cravings too, but nowhere near as bad. I definitely used less stevia do that it wouldn't taste bitter so maybe it was mostly ok because I didn't use much.
    I don't add any sweetener to coffee anymore. I started trying different coffees and found that they make a huge difference themselves. My old favorite, Gevalia, just doesn't taste good without stuff in it... So I searched for better coffee.
    Now it's just MCT and butter. Occasionally, if I have coffee in the afternoon or evening, I'll use HWC then instead of the MCT and butter.
  • SueMizzou2
    SueMizzou2 Posts: 9 Member
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    I don't seem to have any effect from sucralose. I think that this just underlines how everyone's body acts differently.
  • dulcitonia
    dulcitonia Posts: 278 Member
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    Since being Low carb 4 years ago I use no sweeteners at all. I think you will be surprised how much they change your taste. My best example is that I never knew tomatoes were sweet!
  • carlsoda
    carlsoda Posts: 3,412 Member
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    I also find if I have too many things with artificial sweetener in it, I crave more, so I try to limit them. I think I have found a balance where I can have the odd thing here and there where it doesn't increase the cravings. We are all different so you will need to experiment. Good luck!!
  • kimmydear
    kimmydear Posts: 298 Member
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    I don't know what my trouble is specifically with sweeteners yet (stevia) but I have a feeling it takes away that full and satisfied feeling that keto usually gives me and I go searching for snacks. I'm cutting down on those keto desserts, but it's more a mental battle than real hunger.
  • lithezebra
    lithezebra Posts: 3,670 Member
    edited April 2016
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    I'm concerned about the recent study linking sucralose to blood cancers, so I'm not eating it. I use small amounts of xylitol and erythritol. Fortunately, I prefer my coffee unsweetened.
  • mao1962
    mao1962 Posts: 33 Member
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    Sucralose definitely leads to increased hunger/ cravings for me. No weight gain though. I limit having it to just a few times a week. I just really enjoy a splash of sugar free vanilla syrup in my iced coffee. Hey, a girl's gotta have a treat :wink:
    Yikes, prior to this way of eating, I had " treats " all day, everyday. How things have changed these last 3 months.
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
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    I find some increased cravings with it too. Probably because of the bulking/ filler they use. I no longer use it. If I need to add sugar I use stevia drops or a a bit of xylitol.... or bananas and fruit in baking, but that is for my kids and not me.
  • RalfLott
    RalfLott Posts: 5,036 Member
    edited April 2016
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    nvmomketo wrote: »
    I find some increased cravings with it too. Probably because of the bulking/ filler they use.

    Good call on the fillers.

    Those added ingredients in the powder form of Splenda and other sweeteners (maltodextrin, dextrose) are not carb-free and are not 0 GI. Go figure.

    However, the liquid comes in various concentrations that you squirt or drop and does not have those 2 fillers. You can also order pure sucralose online.

    Personally, I've never gotten cravings beyond the usual chronic yearning for a bourbon milkshake.
  • Twibbly
    Twibbly Posts: 1,065 Member
    edited April 2016
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    We use Swerve for me and for baking and Truvia for my husband in his coffee and such. The Truvia and I don't get along. The Swerve seems to act pretty much like sugar, but I haven't tried using it and not using it to see how it may affect me.

    You might also try different stevias in your coffee. Some taste different from others. We don't use sweeteners very often outside of coffee, and I use the NOW organic powdered white stuff.
  • Sunny_Bunny_
    Sunny_Bunny_ Posts: 7,140 Member
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    RalfLott wrote: »
    nvmomketo wrote: »
    I find some increased cravings with it too. Probably because of the bulking/ filler they use.

    Good call on the fillers.

    Those added ingredients in the powder form of Splenda and other sweeteners (maltodextrin, dextrose) are not carb-free and are not 0 GI. Go figure.

    However, the liquid comes in various concentrations that you squirt or drop and does not have those 2 fillers. You can also order pure sucralose online.

    Personally, I've never gotten cravings beyond the usual chronic yearning for a bourbon milkshake.

    Very good point. Anyone that does use them, even with no problem at all, still may benefit from using the liquid forms instead.
    dulcitonia wrote: »
    Since being Low carb 4 years ago I use no sweeteners at all. I think you will be surprised how much they change your taste. My best example is that I never knew tomatoes were sweet!
    This has been true for me also. I have been able to enjoy more foods. I actually like things that I didn't used to like. Green peppers even taste sweet to me and I used to hate them.
  • Phrick
    Phrick Posts: 2,765 Member
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    Twibbly wrote: »
    We use Swerve for me and for baking and Truvia for my husband in his coffee and such. The Truvia and I don't get along. The Swerve seems to act pretty much like sugar, but I haven't tried using it and not using it to see how it may affect me.

    You might also try different stevias in your coffee. Some taste different from others. We don't use sweeteners very often outside of coffee, and I use the NOW organic powdered white stuff.

    I don't mind Swerve/erythritol but the cooling effect is really off-putting to my husband and kids - and none of us like any Stevia that we've tried so far. My menfolk all seem to prefer xylitol, which could be dangerous since we have 3 dogs... so we just have few desserts these days.
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
    edited April 2016
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    RalfLott wrote: »
    nvmomketo wrote: »
    I find some increased cravings with it too. Probably because of the bulking/ filler they use.

    Good call on the fillers.

    Those added ingredients in the powder form of Splenda and other sweeteners (maltodextrin, dextrose) are not carb-free and are not 0 GI. Go figure.

    However, the liquid comes in various concentrations that you squirt or drop and does not have those 2 fillers. You can also order pure sucralose online.

    Personally, I've never gotten cravings beyond the usual chronic yearning for a bourbon milkshake.

    Bourbon milkshake? Ooooh. I've obviously missed out on something life changing there!
  • KarlaYP
    KarlaYP Posts: 4,439 Member
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    My experience with splenda: I cut sweetener for six months (Jan. through June, last year). I didn't drink coffee either during that time because I didn't think it would taste right without it. After learning that my body really liked being carnivore, I felt it was safe enough to add it back in since it was sugar free syrup, and coffee. Boy, was I wrong! I began gaining weight like crazy, still being meativore! I didn't want it to be the splenda! I was in denial for a bit, and almost gave up on this woe because of it!

    I had no food cravings, though, and I was maintaining my macros. But over a three week period I gained a total of twenty two pounds!! I found an article at the time about inflammation in the body being tied to use of splenda. I even had a marked increase in pain during that time, and the inches increased in my waist measurement! I finally poured the stuff down the drain, and learned to drink my coffee without sweetner! Once I cut them out, again, it took some time to overcome the increase, and feel good again!

    So, no, I don't have much sweet stuff in my life, since its in everything! I don't miss the effects of it though!

  • macchiatto
    macchiatto Posts: 2,890 Member
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    It doesn't seem to bother me. If I have a lot of artificially sweetened things, I do have more cravings but using it in smaller amounts hasn't had any noticeable effects for me.
  • RalfLott
    RalfLott Posts: 5,036 Member
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    nvmomketo wrote: »
    RalfLott wrote: »
    nvmomketo wrote: »
    I find some increased cravings with it too. Probably because of the bulking/ filler they use.

    Good call on the fillers.

    Those added ingredients in the powder form of Splenda and other sweeteners (maltodextrin, dextrose) are not carb-free and are not 0 GI. Go figure.

    However, the liquid comes in various concentrations that you squirt or drop and does not have those 2 fillers. You can also order pure sucralose online.

    Personally, I've never gotten cravings beyond the usual chronic yearning for a bourbon milkshake.

    Bourbon milkshake? Ooooh. I've obviously missed out on something life changing there!

    Well, given where we are today, it would be a serious life-changer for either of us.....

    However, the crude substitute, Coffee + HWC, whipped with coconut milk + 1 drop liquid Sucralose + Bourbon, is still a treat!
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
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    RalfLott wrote: »
    nvmomketo wrote: »
    RalfLott wrote: »
    nvmomketo wrote: »
    I find some increased cravings with it too. Probably because of the bulking/ filler they use.

    Good call on the fillers.

    Those added ingredients in the powder form of Splenda and other sweeteners (maltodextrin, dextrose) are not carb-free and are not 0 GI. Go figure.

    However, the liquid comes in various concentrations that you squirt or drop and does not have those 2 fillers. You can also order pure sucralose online.

    Personally, I've never gotten cravings beyond the usual chronic yearning for a bourbon milkshake.

    Bourbon milkshake? Ooooh. I've obviously missed out on something life changing there!

    Well, given where we are today, it would be a serious life-changer for either of us.....

    However, the crude substitute, Coffee + HWC, whipped with coconut milk + 1 drop liquid Sucralose + Bourbon, is still a treat!

    LOL
    Your "crude substitute" still sounds like a treat that I would be happy with. ;) Thanks. :)
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
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    Karlottap wrote: »
    My experience with splenda: I cut sweetener for six months (Jan. through June, last year). I didn't drink coffee either during that time because I didn't think it would taste right without it. After learning that my body really liked being carnivore, I felt it was safe enough to add it back in since it was sugar free syrup, and coffee. Boy, was I wrong! I began gaining weight like crazy, still being meativore! I didn't want it to be the splenda! I was in denial for a bit, and almost gave up on this woe because of it!

    I had no food cravings, though, and I was maintaining my macros. But over a three week period I gained a total of twenty two pounds!! I found an article at the time about inflammation in the body being tied to use of splenda. I even had a marked increase in pain during that time, and the inches increased in my waist measurement! I finally poured the stuff down the drain, and learned to drink my coffee without sweetner! Once I cut them out, again, it took some time to overcome the increase, and feel good again!

    So, no, I don't have much sweet stuff in my life, since its in everything! I don't miss the effects of it though!

    22 lbs? ... wow. I mean.... wow. That must really make you wonder what it was doing to you; what caused the inflammation. I gotta say, you've made me miss my 2 srops of stevia in my coffee a whole lot less now. ;)

    yikes.
  • KarlaYP
    KarlaYP Posts: 4,439 Member
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    I don't think stevia would do the same since its not all foreign fillers, like splenda can be. I've tried it, and just don't care for it.

    Yep, last summer was my nightmare come to life. Accepting that my one and only indulgence was working against me (when it shouldn't!) was hard. Obviously I allowed it to continue (hard headed). I backed away from here for a bit because of it! Once I did accept it, and eliminate the use, things went back to being good again. I felt good, and the scale began to drop again. It took four months before that twenty two pounds dropped, and I began losing new weight. I ,mentally, add this twenty two pounds to my total weight loss, because relose it I did!

    I realize that this has happened to me before, too! It's clear to see, now, but I was a sad eater then. I had gastric sleeve surgery in 2010. I dropped coffee, and sweeteners then as well. I don't recall how long, but remember unexplainable weight increases. Never dreamed it was the splenda then!

    The stuff is evil to me!
  • Sunny_Bunny_
    Sunny_Bunny_ Posts: 7,140 Member
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    Karlottap wrote: »
    I don't think stevia would do the same since its not all foreign fillers, like splenda can be. I've tried it, and just don't care for it.

    Yep, last summer was my nightmare come to life. Accepting that my one and only indulgence was working against me (when it shouldn't!) was hard. Obviously I allowed it to continue (hard headed). I backed away from here for a bit because of it! Once I did accept it, and eliminate the use, things went back to being good again. I felt good, and the scale began to drop again. It took four months before that twenty two pounds dropped, and I began losing new weight. I ,mentally, add this twenty two pounds to my total weight loss, because relose it I did!

    I realize that this has happened to me before, too! It's clear to see, now, but I was a sad eater then. I had gastric sleeve surgery in 2010. I dropped coffee, and sweeteners then as well. I don't recall how long, but remember unexplainable weight increases. Never dreamed it was the splenda then!

    The stuff is evil to me!

    I remember when you posted about it and found the source of trouble. It was part of my decision to cut back the sweeteners back then. I wasn't very successful in cutting back so I eventfully cut them out with the exception of occasional sweet leaf (stevia), which I have given up for AAA challenge this month.
    I used to keep 4 bottles of that coffee syrup on hand in different flavors. I even bought the pumps to put on them. No more. All gone! Won't be buying again.