Sugar or sweetener??
Replies
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It's personal preference. I don't like sugar in my drinks. I prefer sweetener. Also, this thread mostly talks about aspartame, but it does touch on a few other sweeteners.
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1308408/why-aspartame-isnt-scary/p1 For all you claiming artificial sweetener is dangerous - take a peak, you might learn something and save some calories in the mean time.2 -
Personally I always go with the natural route... So I'd go with honey in my tea and adjust calories otherwise. But it just depends on the calories you are ok with having.
Honey has about the same calories as sugar.
I like sugar in coffee and sometimes honey in tea. I don't care for artificial sweeteners because I think they taste weird, but if you like them them they are lower in calories than sugar. But I don't think that 15-30 calories in coffee is that many. I would rather have something that taste good.1 -
Thanks for you all your replies! You've given me a lot to think about! And also I don't feel so bad having either!3
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I love Honey0
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what's wrong with sugar?
Fwiw, choosing between sugar and other sweeteners isn't a matter of natural vs. artificial. There are plenty of non-sugar sweeteners, including stevia, xylitol, and erythritol, that are no more artificial than sugar is.
have you ever used any of those listed above?
I've tried Stevia and Xylitol...both have side effects...that cause me to use sugar only.
And anything left in teeth long enough is bad for them...that's why we brush.
High in calories in compared to what...???
My point is there is nothing wrong with Sugars in general. Everything in moderation.
When I was actively losing weight I used sugar in my coffee every day...5 tsps. I ate a chocolate bar every night...a big one...so even to say it is high in calories isn't enough to deter the use of it.
And no I didn't sacrifice any nutrition for that chocolate bar...ever.
ETA: and I ate fruitloops frequently too.3 -
It comes down to application and taste.
Sweeteners save me from drinking 700 calories. It's why I choose Diet Mt. Dew over regular Mt. Dew.
But when i bake, I will use a combination of either white or brown sugar, sweeteners, syrup or honey. Depends on the recipe and if I can offer the calories.
In generally, I'd rather save some quick carbs (often jelly beans) for my rides. So I wouldn't prefer to drink part of my calorie budget.1 -
In all honestly, I'd be questioning why someone feels the need to drink 700 calories worth of soda to begin with?? What it is in these drinks that keep people so hooked that they have to have it every single day? It can't be caffeine, because many of these people also drink coffee and tea.
Sure, i drink coffee and tea every morning, but it's just a habit that I've gotten used to. I stayed at my daughters house for a few days last month, not a drop of either in her house, so i had a warm chocolate milk every morning. I was relieved to know that i don't have an addiction to the caffeine, it's just the warm a.m drink that i look for.1 -
I really like erythritol. It doesn't have a nasty aftertaste like other sugar alcohols and it works great in drinks, baking, whatever. I buy big bags of it from Amazon.
Good write up here: https://authoritynutrition.com/erythritol/1 -
Christine_72 wrote: »In all honestly, I'd be questioning why someone feels the need to drink 700 calories worth of soda to begin with?? What it is in these drinks that keep people so hooked that they have to have it every single day? It can't be caffeine, because many of these people also drink coffee and tea.
Sure, i drink coffee and tea every morning, but it's just a habit that I've gotten used to. I stayed at my daughters house for a few days last month, not a drop of either in her house, so i had a warm chocolate milk every morning. I was relieved to know that i don't have an addiction to the caffeine, it's just the warm a.m drink that i look for.
Where you drank coffee, i drank two 20oz Mt. Dews at 290 calories a pop. I really like the taste. I cant stand coffee and only like iced tea.
What can i say, i was addicted So i switch to diet.1 -
Christine_72 wrote: »In all honestly, I'd be questioning why someone feels the need to drink 700 calories worth of soda to begin with?? What it is in these drinks that keep people so hooked that they have to have it every single day? It can't be caffeine, because many of these people also drink coffee and tea.
Sure, i drink coffee and tea every morning, but it's just a habit that I've gotten used to. I stayed at my daughters house for a few days last month, not a drop of either in her house, so i had a warm chocolate milk every morning. I was relieved to know that i don't have an addiction to the caffeine, it's just the warm a.m drink that i look for.
Where you drank coffee, i drank two 20oz Mt. Dews at 290 calories a pop. I really like the taste. I cant stand coffee and only like iced tea.
What can i say, i was addicted So i switch to diet.
Fair enough I'm the first to admit i don't understand the obsession some people have with soda. I'll have a glass of regular soda when we go out to dinner, which is like once every 6mths or longer lately :grumble: But other than that, it's just boring water, which i do enjoy btw.
OP i used to add 3tsp of sugar to each cup of tea, which sometimes added up to 20tsps a day just for that one beverage I slowly tapered down to none, and now any sugar in my tea makes it taste too sweet! I do add full cream milk though.
I'll sometimes add xylitol or truvia to my coffee, or if they're not available, just plain old brown sugar, but not umpteen spoons like i used to. Just learn to use it in moderation, whatever you choose.0 -
Christine_72 wrote: »In all honestly, I'd be questioning why someone feels the need to drink 700 calories worth of soda to begin with?? What it is in these drinks that keep people so hooked that they have to have it every single day? It can't be caffeine, because many of these people also drink coffee and tea.
Sure, i drink coffee and tea every morning, but it's just a habit that I've gotten used to. I stayed at my daughters house for a few days last month, not a drop of either in her house, so i had a warm chocolate milk every morning. I was relieved to know that i don't have an addiction to the caffeine, it's just the warm a.m drink that i look for.
Where you drank coffee, i drank two 20oz Mt. Dews at 290 calories a pop. I really like the taste. I cant stand coffee and only like iced tea.
What can i say, i was addicted So i switch to diet.
I get sick of water. I can easily down a 2 liter of diet pop in a day. It's refreshing. Now, I drink several cans of la croix. I've never been a regular soda drinker, but if I were - I'd be pretty darn close to that 700 cal a day as well. I love fizzy stuff, I can't help it.1 -
Christine_72 wrote: »In all honestly, I'd be questioning why someone feels the need to drink 700 calories worth of soda to begin with?? What it is in these drinks that keep people so hooked that they have to have it every single day? It can't be caffeine, because many of these people also drink coffee and tea.
Sure, i drink coffee and tea every morning, but it's just a habit that I've gotten used to. I stayed at my daughters house for a few days last month, not a drop of either in her house, so i had a warm chocolate milk every morning. I was relieved to know that i don't have an addiction to the caffeine, it's just the warm a.m drink that i look for.
Where you drank coffee, i drank two 20oz Mt. Dews at 290 calories a pop. I really like the taste. I cant stand coffee and only like iced tea.
What can i say, i was addicted So i switch to diet.
I get sick of water. I can easily down a 2 liter of diet pop in a day. It's refreshing. Now, I drink several cans of la croix. I've never been a regular soda drinker, but if I were - I'd be pretty darn close to that 700 cal a day as well. I love fizzy stuff, I can't help it.
I've never tried diet soda, but the regular kind just makes me more thirsty, and is the opposite of refreshing for me, drinking it just makes me crave water to quench the thirst. Maybe the diet stuff has a different affect??0 -
Christine_72 wrote: »Christine_72 wrote: »In all honestly, I'd be questioning why someone feels the need to drink 700 calories worth of soda to begin with?? What it is in these drinks that keep people so hooked that they have to have it every single day? It can't be caffeine, because many of these people also drink coffee and tea.
Sure, i drink coffee and tea every morning, but it's just a habit that I've gotten used to. I stayed at my daughters house for a few days last month, not a drop of either in her house, so i had a warm chocolate milk every morning. I was relieved to know that i don't have an addiction to the caffeine, it's just the warm a.m drink that i look for.
Where you drank coffee, i drank two 20oz Mt. Dews at 290 calories a pop. I really like the taste. I cant stand coffee and only like iced tea.
What can i say, i was addicted So i switch to diet.
I get sick of water. I can easily down a 2 liter of diet pop in a day. It's refreshing. Now, I drink several cans of la croix. I've never been a regular soda drinker, but if I were - I'd be pretty darn close to that 700 cal a day as well. I love fizzy stuff, I can't help it.
I've never tried diet soda, but the regular kind just makes me more thirsty, and is the opposite of refreshing for me, drinking it just makes me crave water to quench the thirst. Maybe the diet stuff has a different affect??
I agree with that 100%! Ew, coke makes me so thirsty, like what's the point of drinking it. I just prefer the taste of diet. It's not as sweet to me and doesn't make me thirsty. The only regular I like is pepsi, but that's because my dad drank it when I was a kid.0 -
what's wrong with sugar?
Fwiw, choosing between sugar and other sweeteners isn't a matter of natural vs. artificial. There are plenty of non-sugar sweeteners, including stevia, xylitol, and erythritol, that are no more artificial than sugar is.
have you ever used any of those listed above?I've tried Stevia and Xylitol...both have side effects...that cause me to use sugar only.And anything left in teeth long enough is bad for them...that's why we brush.
Also there are reasons dentists and dental associations the world over specifically recommend avoiding or limiting foods with added sugar. The kind of sugar in sugar-sweetened foods adheres to teeth and creates more of a risk of tooth decay than other foods do. Here's what the American Dental Association says: http://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/nutrition/food-tips#High in calories in compared to what...???
1 -
what's wrong with sugar?
Fwiw, choosing between sugar and other sweeteners isn't a matter of natural vs. artificial. There are plenty of non-sugar sweeteners, including stevia, xylitol, and erythritol, that are no more artificial than sugar is.
have you ever used any of those listed above?I've tried Stevia and Xylitol...both have side effects...that cause me to use sugar only.And anything left in teeth long enough is bad for them...that's why we brush.
Also there are reasons dentists and dental associations the world over specifically recommend avoiding or limiting foods with added sugar. The kind of sugar in sugar-sweetened foods adheres to teeth and creates more of a risk of tooth decay than other foods do. Here's what the American Dental Association says: http://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/nutrition/food-tips#High in calories in compared to what...???
Yep, my dentist was the one who told me to use xylitol instead of sugar, and choose that over any other artificial sweetener.
ETA: Some people swish xylitol in their mouth after eating, they brush their with it and it is also in many mouthwashes.2 -
Sometimes I use sugar in one of it's many forms, and sometimes I use stevia. Those are my two favorites. If neither of those is available, then whatever sweetener there is. Splenda's OK, too. One of those sweeteners (don't remember if it's the blue or the pink one, maybe it's both, because I almost never consume either of them) tastes like a chemical abomination. It's a real turn off to my taste buds. Nasty. But use whatever works for you. Just don't get crazy. Anything in excess can be harmful...0
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I think it depends on how much of it you are eating. If you tend to eat a lot of sugars, then I would switch to sweeteners. High blood glucose swings are not healthful to anyone. Plus there are some who theorize that high levels of sugar (and refined ultraprocessed food) in the diet may contribute to insulin resistance.
That artificial sweeteners are unhealthy has largely been debunked, whereas higher levels of sugar does appear to be unhealthy. When dealing with added sugars/sweeteners, I would go with the sweetener.
JMO
I don't use either sugar or sweetener much (I use sugar if baking, but I don't bake that much). More relevant to the thread, I don't like sweetened tea unless using it as a sore throat remedy and then I use honey.
However, here's a nice comparison:
Teaspoon of sugar (which is a normal amount to add to something like tea or oats if one adds sweetener): 4 grams of carbs, 4 grams of sugar, 15 calories.
Medium (154 g) apple: 19 g carbs, 14 g sugar, 71 calories.
Now, of course the apple is still worth eating, it has micros, it tastes good, it's filling for some of us, it has some fiber. Say fruit has low amounts of sugar when warning people away from adding sugar to tea (when on the whole the amount added will often be even less) makes no sense to me.0 -
Christine_72 wrote: »Christine_72 wrote: »In all honestly, I'd be questioning why someone feels the need to drink 700 calories worth of soda to begin with?? What it is in these drinks that keep people so hooked that they have to have it every single day? It can't be caffeine, because many of these people also drink coffee and tea.
Sure, i drink coffee and tea every morning, but it's just a habit that I've gotten used to. I stayed at my daughters house for a few days last month, not a drop of either in her house, so i had a warm chocolate milk every morning. I was relieved to know that i don't have an addiction to the caffeine, it's just the warm a.m drink that i look for.
Where you drank coffee, i drank two 20oz Mt. Dews at 290 calories a pop. I really like the taste. I cant stand coffee and only like iced tea.
What can i say, i was addicted So i switch to diet.
Fair enough I'm the first to admit i don't understand the obsession some people have with soda.
I do, because I have just as big an obsession with coffee.
I quit it or cut way down from time to time to make sure it's not addiction to the caffeine (and to ensure it's not affecting my sleep), but like with your tea it's just that I really enjoy it, especially as part of my morning routine.
It's delicious.
And it's black, like God intended. (Kidding, although one of the things I love most about coffee is that it's NOT sweet. I do like it with milk on occasion, although usually not worth adding calories since I like it as well or better black, but I HATE sweetener in it.)0 -
what's wrong with sugar?
Depends on who you ask:- It's "refined" empty calories
- Sugar plantations exploit the land and the people
- Some of the most biodiverse regions on the planet have been cleared for sugarcane production.
- 7.5 Bagasse, molasses, press mud, waste water and fly ash are produced during the manufacture of sugar. As bagasse, molasses and press mud are gainfully utilized, they do not cause much environmental pollution though they are potential pollutants. ... 7.7 Sugar mill waste water has low BOD.
But fructose is worse; fructose is a major contributor to:- Insulin resistance and obesity
- Elevated blood pressure
- Elevated triglycerides and elevated LDL
- Depletion of vitamins and minerals
- Cardiovascular disease, liver disease, cancer, arthritis, and even gout
Artificial Sweeteners are bad, because:
1. They trick your taste buds.
Artificial sweeteners, even natural ones like stevia, which comes from an herb, are hundreds, sometimes thousands, of times sweeter than sugar, says Anne Alexander, editor of Prevention magazine and author of the new book, The Sugar Smart Diet. Sucralose, sold under the brand name Splenda, is 600 times sweeter than table sugar, and neotame, an emerging alternative to aspartame, is 7,000 times sweeter. Stevia is 200 to 300 times sweeter than table sugar. "And evidence suggests that exposing your taste buds to these high-intensity sweeteners makes them less receptive to natural sources of sweetness such as fruit," says Alexander. When your taste buds get dulled, you're more likely to seek out sweeter and sweeter foods.
2. They trick your gut.
Susan Swithers, PhD, professor of behavioral neuroscience at Purdue University and a leading researcher on artificial sweeteners, says that your gut gets confused when you eat zero-calorie-but-super-sweet artificial sweeteners. The sweet taste sends a signal to your gut that something high calorie is on its way, so your gut anticipates foods that do, in fact, have a high calorie count. But when those don't arrive, your gut doesn't utilize the foods efficiently, and that causes a cascading effect that interferes with your body's hunger signals.
3. They mess with your hormones.
Part of that cascading effect has to do with the hormone insulin. When you taste sweet foods, even if they have zero calories, your body still releases insulin as if you'd eaten sugar. Insulin leads to blood sugar spikes, which increase cravings. Swithers' research has also suggested that artificial sweeteners prevent your body from producing GLP-1, a hormone that controls blood sugar levels and feelings of satiety. Combined, the two haywire hormones could be causing you to feel hungrier and eat more.
4. They make you overeat.
It's not just a biochemical reaction that leads artificial sweeteners to pack on the pounds. Natasha Turner, ND, author of The Super-Charged Hormone Diet, says that artificially sweetened foods could trick you into overeating because of they way they feel in your mouth. "The taste and feel of food in our mouth influences our learned ability to match our caloric intake with our caloric need," she says. High fat, high sugar foods taste both sweet and dense, signaling to your brain that they're high calories. But artificially sweetened foods often have a thinner consistency and texture than sugar-sweetened foods and thus, aren't as satisfying. "Our natural ability to control how much we eat and, therefore, our body weight may be weakened when this natural link is impaired by consuming products that contain artificial sweeteners," she says.
5. They increase the risk of diabetes.
The two above, combined, could explain why a number of studies have found that diet soda drinkers are at an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Researchers aren't clear as to why they're seeing this relationship, whether it's the fact that people eat other unhealthy foods that undo any calorie-saving effects of a no-calorie drink or if it's something biological related to the drinks' artificial sugars. But something is obviously amiss: A recent study from the University of Texas found that people who drank diet soda were 65 percent more likely to be overweight than people who drank no soda and, more bizarre, they were more likely to be overweight than people who drank regular soda.
6. They're polluting your water.
Artificial sweeteners are meant to be hearty—they're designed to withstand the harsh conditions of your body so they won't break down and add calories. Because they're so potent, they don't break down in the environment, when exposed to light, oxygen and microbes, either. In a 2009 study published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, Swedish researchers detected sucralose and acesulfame K in treated wastewater, including samples that were pulled from a municipal water-supply source. They also noted that the artificial sweeteners hadn't degraded in wastewater sludge after a period of seven hours. Canadian researchers got the same results four years later; sucralose and acesulfame were found in each sample drawn from a river that collects wastewater from 33 different treatment plants.
7. They're genetically modified.
As if the preceding six reasons weren't enough to turn you off artificial sweeteners for good, here's one more: They're yet another source of genetically modified crops in your food. Artificial sweeteners such as sucralose, aspartame, neotame, and erythritol can all be made from corn, soy, or sugar beets. In the United States, the vast majority of those three crops have been genetically altered to resist or produce harmful pesticides.
Dead wrong3 -
Tiny_Dancer_in_Pink wrote: »Nothing wrong with high in calories. On my long hikes, sugar is the best thing of all. I need the energy sugar gives me. My favorite cookie to pack is the Oreo or Fig Newtons
That pertains to any macro1 -
kshama2001 wrote: »Last night, my OH was giving me a hard time about my tea operation. He complained that there were 10 things on the counter just to make tea.
Don't know how he got to 10, but I do have a lot of tea going at one time
Kettle. Kettle lid. Teapot. Teapot lid. Tea bag. Container of tea. Spoon. Sugar/sweetener. Cup. Saucer. And hey, if you add milk, that could be eleven!
And I call BS on artificial sweeteners making it harder to enjoy fruit. I'm noshing on strawberries and drinking diet root beer1 -
what's wrong with sugar?
Fwiw, choosing between sugar and other sweeteners isn't a matter of natural vs. artificial. There are plenty of non-sugar sweeteners, including stevia, xylitol, and erythritol, that are no more artificial than sugar is.
have you ever used any of those listed above?I've tried Stevia and Xylitol...both have side effects...that cause me to use sugar only.And anything left in teeth long enough is bad for them...that's why we brush.
Also there are reasons dentists and dental associations the world over specifically recommend avoiding or limiting foods with added sugar. The kind of sugar in sugar-sweetened foods adheres to teeth and creates more of a risk of tooth decay than other foods do. Here's what the American Dental Association says: http://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/nutrition/food-tips#High in calories in compared to what...???
well then if we must get pedantic about it...fine.
stevia is too sweet almost sickening...xylitol causes bowel issues and is poisonous to dogs/cats erythritol same bowel issues as xylitol as it is a sugar alcohol as well.
xylitol regardless of teeth causes issues with bowels among other things...
and no sugar doesn't have as many calories as all mentioned.
honey has 62 calores per tbsp, sugar has 42....
my point is this...eat sugar it's not the devil...if you prefer it...have at.
If you want an artificial sweetener have at it's fine...
If you want something else go for it...
but don't for one minute think or tell me sugar is bad or the devil...3 -
well then if we must get pedantic about it...fine.
stevia is too sweet almost sickening...xylitol causes bowel issues and is poisonous to dogs/cats erythritol same bowel issues as xylitol as it is a sugar alcohol as well.and no sugar doesn't have as many calories as all mentioned.
honey has 62 calores per tbsp, sugar has 42....Compared to all non-sugar sweeteners that were mentioned.
This discussion was posted in the weight loss section, so it's a drawback if a food has a lot of calories. And for most people, dental health is also important.
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I use stevia...it is zero calories and natural.1
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I like tea plain but use a sweetener if u need it sweet0
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I like truvia in my coffee. It's sweeter to my taste. But I don't run from sugar, either. Moderation works best with most things. I do find that more sugar equals more cravings for me.1
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well then if we must get pedantic about it...fine.
stevia is too sweet almost sickening...xylitol causes bowel issues and is poisonous to dogs/cats erythritol same bowel issues as xylitol as it is a sugar alcohol as well.and no sugar doesn't have as many calories as all mentioned.
honey has 62 calores per tbsp, sugar has 42....Compared to all non-sugar sweeteners that were mentioned.
This discussion was posted in the weight loss section, so it's a drawback if a food has a lot of calories. And for most people, dental health is also important.
Then brush your teeth and floss, daily2 -
I have one or two cups of coffee a day and I put 1 sugar pack in each coffee. I hate sweeteners in coffee. At night i love camomile or peppermint tea and I don't need sugar in either of them.
I have read all of those negative things about sweeteners before but I still love diet coke. I have quit diet coke in the past and it had no impact on my weight.0 -
I use raw Stevia when I can, but I prefer regular sugar for most things.0
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I have a general rule not to drink my sugar (so sweetener in drinks) but I'm more than willing to have it in chocolate or desserts lol0
This discussion has been closed.
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