Sweetener - Good or Bad?

Iona_EllenRose

Do you see sweetener as good or bad? Would/Wouldn't you use it? And why?

StealthHealth

I try not to classify any food a good or bad.

If you're overweight and trying to reduce weight, swapping added sugar for artificial low-cal sweeteners is a good idea. If you're an athlete or trainee who needs some quick energy before a race/training session etch swapping the artificial low-cal sweetener for sugar is a good idea.

sijomial

It's a good thing that people have choices and alternatives but sweeteners themselves are neither good or bad.
When I was growing up the only readily available sweetener was saccharin and it tasted revolting.

There's times I want or need sugar and its calories, there's times I don't. There's drinks or foods that taste better with sugar and some that taste better (to me) with sweetener. Diet coke and coke as an example, sugary coke is far too sweet for my taste buds. A spoonful of sugar in my porridge on the other hand is divine.

zyxst

Depends on the sweetener. If I like it, it's good. If I don't like it, it's bad.

zcb94

As a diabetic, I swear by Splenda™. It tastes and behaves almost exactly like sugar, especially in drinks.

singingflutelady

Neutral but I like the fact it doesn't have many calories.

grannynot

I love Splenda - I add 2 packets to my morning protein shake.

Regarding "good" or "bad" - everybody wants to villainize something; and just about everything we eat is "bad" for us if done to excess. I'm probably far more likely to die in a car accident, than from consuming sweeteners - and I still choose to drive every day.

Spliner1969

I personally like Stevia blends. It's more natural, and doesn't (to me anyway) have as much of an aftertaste.

vingogly

I use stevia or monkfruit when they're available, else Splenda. I like monkfruit better than stevia, myself, but it tends to be more expensive. Wanted to get that in before the deluge of "artificial sweeteners are eeevvviiilll" posts.

jgnatca

When I want something sweet without the calories, I'll use an artificial sweetener.

cwolfman13

I feel that matters of nutrition, health, fitness, etc are hardly ever that black and white...as with most things in life...

I'm always a little surprised that so many people have such a black and white spectrum of things and miss out on this whole gray/nuanced area which is where most truth's are found.

bshrom

I use stevia cane sugar blend which is 5 calories per 1/2 tsp so 10 calories in my morning coffee.

stealthq

At the moment, I'm living on sugar free cough drops (allergy-related laryngitis and a killer sore throat). A sweetener means I'm not eating a thousand or so cals of sugar per day while I'm taking them, so on the one hand I see it as a good thing.

On the other hand, I discovered the sweetener in the ones I'm taking (isomalt) causes intestinal issues for me. Which I view as bad.

So, sweeteners in general, good. Specific sweeteners may be bad for me.

shor0814

I believe in using whatever makes the most sense for my day and particular food. My substitute order is Stevia, Splenda, then whatever else is on the table.

Some foods need real sugar but I am finding them fewer and farther between. For a syrupy substitute I have started to use Vitafiber.

Use what works for you and fits your needs and worry less about others.

grannynot

Spliner1969 wrote: »

I personally like Stevia blends. It's more natural, and doesn't (to me anyway) have as much of an aftertaste.

LOL! My taste buds run the opposite - stevia has a NASTY metallic aftertaste (to me, at least).

I DO avoid the "sugar alcohols" like maltitol, sorbitol, etc. They upset my stomach.

singingflutelady

grannynot wrote: »

Spliner1969 wrote: »

I personally like Stevia blends. It's more natural, and doesn't (to me anyway) have as much of an aftertaste.

LOL! My taste buds run the opposite - stevia has a NASTY metallic aftertaste (to me, at least).

I DO avoid the "sugar alcohols" like maltitol, sorbitol, etc. They upset my stomach.

Sugar alcohols are major laxatives lol

ThatUserNameIsAllReadyTaken

Artificial sweetener is terrible. I despise getting a hold of any product that has any amount of artificial sweetener. It leaves a terrible taste right in the back of my mouth and it always takes like 2 hours for it to go away. I read labels to be sure that it hasn't been flown in under the radar on products that don't seem like they should have it. As far as sugar and honey? Yes. I use both in small amounts as needed or wanted. I like green tea with just about a half a tablespoon of honey. But I don't use it in abundance. I think food tastes good enough with out a lot of added sweeteners. I mean, except for like... cake frosting. Powdered sugar is a main ingredient.

ThatUserNameIsAllReadyTaken

stealthq wrote: »

At the moment, I'm living on sugar free cough drops (allergy-related laryngitis and a killer sore throat). A sweetener means I'm not eating a thousand or so cals of sugar per day while I'm taking them, so on the one hand I see it as a good thing.

On the other hand, I discovered the sweetener in the ones I'm taking (isomalt) causes intestinal issues for me. Which I view as bad.

So, sweeteners in general, good. Specific sweeteners may be bad for me.

It's not for anyone who wants to get kissed for a few hours but garlic tea is a great soother for a sore throat. If you're interested grate a single clove of garlic into a coffee mug and allow it to sit for 15 minutes, then pour boiling water over the garlic. Add lemon and honey, sip slowly.

Chef_Barbell

I use sugar in baking and sweetener everywhere else. Neither are good nor bad.

Chef_Barbell

MeganMoroz89 wrote: »

Iona_EllenRose wrote: »

Do you see sweetener as good or bad? Would/Wouldn't you use it? And why?

I don't know enough about the different kind of sweeteners but I just came here to say that SPLENDA IS ATROCIOUS AND IT WILL RUIN YOUR COFFEE.

*shrug* I like Splenda in my coffee.

Unknown

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Orphia

If I don't want any sugar, I don't have any.

I don't feel the need to have fake sugar.

Especially since the fake sugars seem to all taste revolting to me.

sugaraddict4321

As others have said, depends on your goals and your tastes. I like my coffee sweet with a lot of milk. Over time I've gone from 2 tsp per cup to using a substitute. That's a "savings" of roughly 80-100 kcals per day where I can instead eat something healthier - like an apple.

chapiano

I can't do artificial sweeteners. Just a taste thing for me.

theycallmenass2013

Try xylitol or erythritol. Both are 100% natural, has zero calories, zero GI and are also safe for people with diabetes. Also tooth friendly and helps with weight loss. The only draw back is it is a little pricey but do your shopping on amazon or ebay and you will get a good price.

alexpn

I do have a taste for Diet Coke, but I'm trying to stop drinking it because it's sweetened with Aspartame, and it's supposed to be very bad for your insides when it's metabolised. I think the jury is out about Insulin response and Sweeteners, but a lot of main stream diets do say to avoid sweeteners because they `can' stall your progress. Best to try it and make your own mind up.

stevencloser

alexpn wrote: »

I do have a taste for Diet Coke, but I'm trying to stop drinking it because it's sweetened with Aspartame, and it's supposed to be very bad for your insides when it's metabolised. I think the jury is out about Insulin response and Sweeteners, but a lot of main stream diets do say to avoid sweeteners because they `can' stall your progress. Best to try it and make your own mind up.

The jury has already made their verdict, had coffee, got married, built a house, died and their grandchildren are still screaming at the population at large that it's settled.

http://seriecientifica.org/sites/default/files/scl_enc_butchko.pdf
https://examine.com/nutrition/do-artificial-sweeteners-spike-insulin/

Chef_Barbell

GypsyFire65 wrote: »

I'm struggling to understand it myself.
Sugar = Bad, Artifical = worse???

I've been using either stevia in the raw, or regular sugar in the raw. I also like raw honey.

Nope. Not true at all.

ThatUserNameIsAllReadyTaken

Chef_Barbell wrote: »

GypsyFire65 wrote: »

I'm struggling to understand it myself.
Sugar = Bad, Artifical = worse???

I've been using either stevia in the raw, or regular sugar in the raw. I also like raw honey.

Nope. Not true at all.

Totally true depending on whom you ask. I say yes it's worse. The stomach problems and funky neurological side effects do not make artificial sweeteners in any way a good choice for me or my kids. The putrid after taste that doesn't go away for over 2 hours is also a massive annoyance.

Chef_Barbell

ThatUserNameIsAllReadyTaken wrote: »

Chef_Barbell wrote: »

GypsyFire65 wrote: »

I'm struggling to understand it myself.
Sugar = Bad, Artifical = worse???

I've been using either stevia in the raw, or regular sugar in the raw. I also like raw honey.

Nope. Not true at all.

Totally true depending on whom you ask. I say yes it's worse. The stomach problems and funky neurological side effects do not make artificial sweeteners in any way a good choice for me or my kids. The putrid after taste that doesn't go away for over 2 hours is also a massive annoyance.

K.

Alyssa_Is_LosingIt

ThatUserNameIsAllReadyTaken wrote: »

Chef_Barbell wrote: »

GypsyFire65 wrote: »

I'm struggling to understand it myself.
Sugar = Bad, Artifical = worse???

I've been using either stevia in the raw, or regular sugar in the raw. I also like raw honey.

Nope. Not true at all.

Totally true depending on whom you ask. I say yes it's worse. The stomach problems and funky neurological side effects do not make artificial sweeteners in any way a good choice for me or my kids. The putrid after taste that doesn't go away for over 2 hours is also a massive annoyance.

Neurological side effects?

And is this something the general population has to worry about, or a select few, who should avoid consuming whatever it is causing their uncommon problem (similar to how someone allergic to peanuts should avoid peanuts)?

Sounds like unnecessary fear mongering to me.