Artificial Sweeteners are not FOOD

Akimajuktuq

I've noticed some Primal/Paleo people who are consuming artificial sweeteners (and I'm not talking about Stevia products, though I don't think of it as food either). Maybe some you are new, maybe not. I totally get that some of us are doing the 80/20 thing or whatever, but there is never a reason to eat artificial sweeteners, in my never humble opinion. Eat the real thing. Honey, maple syrup, organic cane sugar, whatever. They taste better and are safer since they are actually food.

If my opinion does not fit your philosophy and you think artificial sweeteners are in-line with a Primal/Paleo lifestyle, please, by all means, just ignore me and my ignorance as I've been known to go off into left field at times. I seriously have a hate on for that stuff and the way it has been marketed and is now put in so many food items, including being fed to children in schools.....

Just my unsolicited two cents for today. (I think I got triggered again..... )

SteamClutch

Honestly, they just do not taste right in my opinion; so why would I eat something that tastes "off"?

judychicken

I use Stevia and I like it.

smallpalehuman

AGREED!

I'm guilty of using artificial sweeteners in the past, even though I KNEW it was NOT healthy nor Primal. I would convince myself it's okay and make excuses "it's only a little bit and it means I can keep under my carb/sugar goal!"

I changed my attitude and removed sugar substitutes from my diet completely (they tasted like hell anyway) I'd much rather have a teeny bit of the 'real' deal. :happy:

Kaitlyn811

I use (usually) one packet of pure stevia a day in my morning smoothie. Or if I decide to have a coffee.

Normally I wouldn't condone use of them either - use the good stuff like you mentioned. However...I'm trying to keep my carb intake low. When I can graduate to "maintenance level" I will use honey instead.

The response could be "well drink your smoothie without it" and I try - but I cannot get it down and it's a primary way I get in my healthy fats.

Just my .02. I don't taste the "off taste" others experience either..which I guess is good or bad. LOL

ascrit

At this point I believe the only artificial sweeteners I consume are in sugarless gum. Natural sweeteners are the way to go for sure.

ortega1990

Agreed - and I'm guilty of being an avid artificial sweetener consumer for 25+ years. I recently stopped using artificial sweeteners - right when I did Whole 30 in January.

Also, for my husband and daughter who eat standard food, I've stopped buying anything with High Fructose Corn Syrup - that stuff is of the devil! I recently spent about 10 minutes at the market reading labels on BBQ sauce and could only find 2 with sugar instead of HFCS - sheesh!

My latest NSV - drinking coffee with no sweetness! I do add heavy cream though.

Akimajuktuq

Yup, I was all about artificial sweeteners, and low fat, and high carb thanks to Weight Watchers in my late teens. They helped me go from a healthy, full figured woman to an obese and sick mature woman. Yup, I have a chip in my shoulder for all the things that helped me make the worst choices for myself. Artificial sweeteners have no business being put in everything, marketed irresponsibly, and being fed to children.

I even special order gum as there is not one single brand left in my local stores that is not loaded with the crap.

PS, I am ketogenic most of the time too and artificial sweeteners do not need to be part of that lifestyle either. I'm saying that if one must have sweet, go natural. We do NOT need sweet though.

KombuchaCat

I agree!