THM Gentle Sweet
Bayluvr
Posts: 115 Member
I love my daily 12oz cup of coffee, and used to sweeten it with Splenda before starting keto almost 3wks ago. But I cannot stand the taste of Stevia, and I've wasted money on several different brands and blends.
A couple days ago I purchased THM Gentle Sweet, a blend of xylitol, erythritol and stevia (I'm sure most of you know it), and it does the job! I'm just wondering about the 3g carbs per 5 calorie teaspoonful. I read that carbs aren't counted when using these two sugar alcohols because of their non-effect on insulin levels, but does anyone have any experience, positive or negative, using this product?
I've only used it 2 days and haven't noticed any change in my appetite (yet), but I don't want to derail my progress because it takes 6 weighed servings to suit my tastes. Also, what's the deal with Swerve? Would that be a better choice? Thanks!
A couple days ago I purchased THM Gentle Sweet, a blend of xylitol, erythritol and stevia (I'm sure most of you know it), and it does the job! I'm just wondering about the 3g carbs per 5 calorie teaspoonful. I read that carbs aren't counted when using these two sugar alcohols because of their non-effect on insulin levels, but does anyone have any experience, positive or negative, using this product?
I've only used it 2 days and haven't noticed any change in my appetite (yet), but I don't want to derail my progress because it takes 6 weighed servings to suit my tastes. Also, what's the deal with Swerve? Would that be a better choice? Thanks!
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Ok. I looked at the label for you.
Most sugar alcohols need to be counted at least half. BUT...Erythritol is one that is one that for most has been proved to be completely unabsorbed during digestion. I'm not 100% sure on xylitol, but I believe it is similar. So you don't need to count those. If it were maltitol or sorbitol or the others, which are known to actually be partially absorbed on many occasions, should be counted half. I use Pyure (it's like Truvia-but I think it tastes better) which is a stevia, erythritol blend and I don't count those carbs.
All of them probably do cause an insulin response in some people. But experiences with sweeteners are a YMMV. Some won't get cravings; some will. I'm cool with sucralose and Pyure. Aspartame gives me carb-munchies (among other issues.)
Anyone used this and have anything to add?3 -
Carbs from sweeteners should be counted in my opinion.
The idea of Net carbs was first introduced by Michael Eads in his book Protein Power for the sole purpose of encouraging people to eat more green leafy veggies. He found that people got so hung up with trying to stay as low carb as possible that they limited their intake of those foods and he didn't believe that was a good idea. So he introduced the net carb method to allow subtracting the fiber from the green veggies so that people could still use those lowest numbers.
It's totally a mental thing. Everyone thinks the lower the better. If green leafy vegetables are well tolerated by your body there's no reason to limit them. Sometimes people don't want to say they eat 50 or 75 grams or whatever because they are hung up on the lowest number possible. If the carbs are coming from ONLY from full fat dairy and green leafy vegetables, and these things are well tolerated by your digestive system, you don't need to limit them, and it doesn't matter if you're 20g net with 15g fiber... it's the same as 30g total but all of the foods are appropriate choices.
20g net with 10g sugar alcohol and 5g fiber isn't the same as the net method is being used to eat low carb sweets, not vegetables. This can be a slippery slope since the effect on insulin and gut microbiome of all sweeteners isn't fully understood and some of them do in fact pose an issue.6 -
As @baconslave mentioned, take what anyone says with a grain of salt because it is YMMV. That said, from all the posts I have read on here over the last few months, it seems consistent that those who use the most artificial sweeteners seem to be the ones who struggle with going off the rails more often.
Whether or not it affects your BG or not is a factor to consider, especially if you are IR. I fall into that camp.
The bigger thing that seems to be the issue from the posts I see is the sweet leads to cravings/urges for real carbs. Related to that, if you give up the sweeteners, your taste buds become much more sensitive to natural sweetness to the point where foods like celery, pecans, and other foods you don't think of as sweet actually start tasting sweet. IMO, that makes this whole WOE much easier.7 -
Erythritol provides almost zero food energy (0.224cal/g)
Xylitol however, provides 2.4cal/g, which is a bit over half of what table sugar does.2 -
@Bayluvr - the only thing I would add is to suggest slowly dialing back on whatever sweetener you choose. Maybe use 1/4 less weighted serving for the next week, then drop it back another quarter, etc. I found that when I sweetened only to tolerance, not to taste, I was able to dial back my sweet taste buds. That way, whatever sweetener you like/tolerate well, it will have less impact, as you'll end up using less of it.
When I did Atkins back in 2002, I never addressed my sweet tooth. Having done so now, while I still stumble, makes it far easier to manage across the board. You'll find a level, maybe at half where you are now or more or less, and you'll not even notice the difference after a while... Good luck!5 -
Thank you to everyone who replied...I gained a whole lot of insight from your responses. I was mainly interested in the sweetener because my coffee is the ONLY thing I drink/eat to indulge my sweet tooth. I have always loved my daily super sweetened (used to use 5-6 Splenda packets in 12ozs coffee) cuppa joe, and thought I could get away with it after going keto, by changing sweeteners because I did get really bad cravings with Splenda.
Think I'll dial back the Gentle Sweet to 1 tsp and add a little of the stevia for my daily cup. If I develop any problems with cravings, it will have to go because I am loving this woe and the benefits thus far. The HWC does help to make it more palatable, and it's only once a day
You guys are great! Thanks again!!4 -
Erythritol is one that is one that for most has been proved to be completely unabsorbed during digestion
Am I the only person who wonders, "if you eat a lot of erythritol, would your poop taste sweet?"
I should probably keep these questions to myself. It turns out, there are stupid questions.
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You're not alone there, my friend. Those thoughts enter my head all the time. Hope I'm never compelled to test it though
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Xylitol..... also provides sudden relief from constipation, whether or not you're constipated, if you consume a micrograin too much. Swami urges Caution.2
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Erythritol is one that is one that for most has been proved to be completely unabsorbed during digestion
Am I the only person who wonders, "if you eat a lot of erythritol, would your poop taste sweet?"
I should probably keep these questions to myself. It turns out, there are stupid questions.
I am not signing up for this medical trial
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Erythritol is one that is one that for most has been proved to be completely unabsorbed during digestion
Am I the only person who wonders, "if you eat a lot of erythritol, would your poop taste sweet?"
I should probably keep these questions to myself. It turns out, there are stupid questions. Actually @FIT_Goat , you should wonder: "if you eat a lot of erythritol, would your pee taste sweet?" because your body excretes it as waste through urine. LOL 3 -
Erythritol is one that is one that for most has been proved to be completely unabsorbed during digestion
Am I the only person who wonders, "if you eat a lot of erythritol, would your poop taste sweet?"
I should probably keep these questions to myself. It turns out, there are stupid questions. Actually @FIT_Goat , you should wonder: "if you eat a lot of erythritol, would your pee taste sweet?" because your body excretes it as waste through urine. LOL
Mmmmmmmm sweet pee. Oh wait, I think that's tea... my bad2 -
This conversation had taken a peculiar turn...and as a nurse I delight in the sick and wrong conversations about bodily fluids!6
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BT_rescuemom wrote: »This conversation had taken a peculiar turn...and as a nurse I delight in the sick and wrong conversations about bodily fluids!
Forgive me, for I have been woefully inattentive. My wife works in a hospital, and sitting down to a meal practically triggers a torrent of (would-be) gross work stories. You folks are a special (and indispensable) breed!3 -
Sunny_Bunny_ wrote: »Erythritol is one that is one that for most has been proved to be completely unabsorbed during digestion
Am I the only person who wonders, "if you eat a lot of erythritol, would your poop taste sweet?"
I should probably keep these questions to myself. It turns out, there are stupid questions. Actually @FIT_Goat , you should wonder: "if you eat a lot of erythritol, would your pee taste sweet?" because your body excretes it as waste through urine. LOL
Mmmmmmmm sweet pee. Oh wait, I think that's tea... my bad
@Sunny_Bunny_ still ROLFLMAO!! 2 -
Erythritol is one that is one that for most has been proved to be completely unabsorbed during digestion
Am I the only person who wonders, "if you eat a lot of erythritol, would your poop taste sweet?"
I should probably keep these questions to myself. It turns out, there are stupid questions.
Like the unicorn ice cream poop in that video..... ?2 -
canadjineh wrote: »Erythritol is one that is one that for most has been proved to be completely unabsorbed during digestion
Am I the only person who wonders, "if you eat a lot of erythritol, would your poop taste sweet?"
I should probably keep these questions to myself. It turns out, there are stupid questions.
Like the unicorn ice cream poop in that video..... ?
Aha! I always wondered how the wondrous unicorn was able to produce keto-ice cream. Now we know - the miracle of Erythritol, undigestable even for 8-stomached unicorns!
Thanks for clearing that up.3 -
canadjineh wrote: »Erythritol is one that is one that for most has been proved to be completely unabsorbed during digestion
Am I the only person who wonders, "if you eat a lot of erythritol, would your poop taste sweet?"
I should probably keep these questions to myself. It turns out, there are stupid questions.
Like the unicorn ice cream poop in that video..... ?
Aha! I always wondered how the wondrous unicorn was able to produce keto-ice cream. Now we know - the miracle of Erythritol, undigestable even for 8-stomached unicorns!
Thanks for clearing that up.
I like the fact that it came out rainbow colored!! 4 -
BT_rescuemom wrote: »This conversation had taken a peculiar turn...and as a nurse I delight in the sick and wrong conversations about bodily fluids!
Years ago, my nursing instructor told us she and her colleagues were required to taste the urine of diabetics for sweetness! They also made their own bandages, and stood from their chairs when The Doctor enter the room, 2 -
BT_rescuemom wrote: »This conversation had taken a peculiar turn...and as a nurse I delight in the sick and wrong conversations about bodily fluids!
Years ago, my nursing instructor told us she and her colleagues were required to taste the urine of diabetics for sweetness! They also made their own bandages, and stood from their chairs when The Doctor enter the room,
Uh...... I thought we emerged from the swamp a long time ago.... Hmm.
PS. Mightn't your instructor's formative years have been during the "cigarettes are good for you" era - as in "Pass Me a Lucky and I'll Pass on the Sweets?" A corpse's *kitten* could taste sweet after snacking on a pack of Luckies.....1 -
U nailed it! Said her breakfast was "a Coke and a smoke"!3
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U nailed it! Said her breakfast was "a Coke and a smoke"!
Whew. That would have made it tough to taste anything sweet for a spell.
https://youtu.be/JjdwTHaDzCY
Poor diabetics who got taste tested in the morning probably got leaded Coke or coffee instead of good old wholesome Postum. Oh, wait...
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OOOOuuuw, I liked Postum.... and Ovaltine (not like you can find those anymore). I don't even know what the ingredients were, probably some malt beverage (NO, not beer!) I think.2
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canadjineh wrote: »OOOOuuuw, I liked Postum.... and Ovaltine (not like you can find those anymore). I don't even know what the ingredients were, probably some malt beverage (NO, not beer!) I think.
I think it was mostly wheat in Postum, which is probably why it tasted so damn good, even to my taste buds as an idiot 8-yo.
As for yummy Ovaltine....
https://youtu.be/rZ5_SyvxDXE 3 -
Lol!! I remember Postum (I think), but don't remember my mom ever buying it. Ovaltine is still sold in some stores...at least within the last 2 or 3 yrs.1
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Mrs. Murphy DID lose 67 lbs....1
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Erythritol is one that is one that for most has been proved to be completely unabsorbed during digestion
Am I the only person who wonders, "if you eat a lot of erythritol, would your poop taste sweet?"
I should probably keep these questions to myself. It turns out, there are stupid questions. Actually @FIT_Goat , you should wonder: "if you eat a lot of erythritol, would your pee taste sweet?" because your body excretes it as waste through urine. LOL
Interesting, I didn't know that. I assumed that it was like some other artificial sweeteners that don't get through the intestinal wall at all. This is probably why it doesn't cause some of the horrible reactions that I get from maltitol and other sugar-alcohols.
I am still not rushing out to test this myself. 1
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