Sugar vs. Splenda

JAM7791

I'm wondering everyone's thoughts on sugar vs. Splenda. I realize sugar has more calories, but I feel like Splenda is a chemically packet of ick that may not be great for me....despite not having calories. I've never tried truvia or anything like that. Thoughts!?

dls06

I don't eat any artificial sweetners. I'd rather have nothing then use chemicals. I did try Truvia but it has a bitter taste and hated it.

pinuplove

Aspartame is a migraine trigger for me. I used to do Splenda, but I've worked hard to cut other junk out of my diet, so I figure why would I add something purely chemical back in on purpose? Now if I need sweet, I just use a small amount of sugar. I've started using raw sugar in my tea and oatmeal. Last night my 11-yr-old made cookies with his dad and you better believe I ate one :happy:

Having never used stevia I can't comment on that. I'm happy enough to eat the real thing in limited quantity.

warmachinejt

If you don't mind the calories, try agave nectar. It's basically sugar with a low glycemic carb index. Meaning your body absorbs it slow and is not like injecting yourself with sugar and going hyper. I think stevia is fine in my smoothies but not in many things.
If you have money to burn, try zsweet. You can buy it on amazon and apparently it tastes like sugar and has no calories. It is like 22 for 3 small packs though.

poponastick302

I had a Coke Zero for the first time yesterday and it tasted absolutely repulsive. I might as well have gulped down a bottle of chlorine or something.
Maybe try a ratio of the two, so you don't get as many calories but not as much chemical at the same time.

tabi26

I have recently started using splenda as sugar makes me quite sick. It's not the greatest thing in the world for you. It can cause nasty things to happen, but so can sugar. If I had a choice I would use sugar. Also, I only use it in my coffee. I don't bake with it or anything else. I'm not really into giving it to my kids so regular old sugar goes in everything else.

1grammie

I use a product called "whey low". It is a combination of natural sugars (lactose, sucrose, frutose). It also has a lower glycemic index and can be used by diabetics. If you can't find it in local stores, do a goggle search.

thekarens

In our house we do both. I use Splenda for my coffee and tea. My partner uses sugar in the raw for her coffee and nothing in her tea.

If you prefer using real sugar I don't see a thing wrong with that in moderation. I think moderation is the key for most things.

Spinelli2288

I agree with moderation, but I try to cut out as much processed sugar as I can. I use stevia, I HATED it at first, but your body does get acclimated to it.

LoraF83

I'm not in to the chemical sweeteners.......I just use very small amounts of real sugar (like 1/2 tsp on my shredded wheat for breakfast). I only eat baked goods and sweets in moderation, so that helps me cut down on the amount of sugar I consume.

jcpmoore

I've tried most of the sweeteners out there and here's my take on it.

I don't like aspertame at all. It's got a bitter aftertaste that I don't like. It gives my sister migraines.
I do like splenda, but not always. In cold drinks, such as iced tea or unsweetened kool aid it's great. Hot drinks, not always.
Truvia-I can use one packet in an entire pot of coffee and love it. If I put a whole packet in one cup of coffee it's bitter. I haven't had time to explore beyond that.

I use splenda when I cook and when I bake. I like it in those ways more than in my hot drinks. I use the splenda brown sugar blend more than the other.

The real bottom line is this: If you don't like the idea of using artificial sweeteners-don't. Just be fully conscious of how much sugar you use. Know that honey, sugar, agave nectar, and the other natural sweeteners all have calories. However, calories does not equal evil! It means measure and track. As long as you do that, there's nothing in the world wrong with using the real thing.

jcpmoore

I agree with moderation, but I try to cut out as much processed sugar as I can. I use stevia, I HATED it at first, but your body does get acclimated to it.

I really have found that with Stevia (truvia, whatever name it uses by brand), less really is more. The more you use, the more likely it tastes bitter. If you use less, it tastes better. At least, that's been my experience.

HTH

Jacquibennett

I've started using Truvia!
Don't know anyone elses opinions on this but it's calorie free and made from a leaf. VERY sweet, only need about 1/3 teaspoon to 1 spoon sugar.
Lovely on strawberries x

WhittRak

Please do use Splenda. If you need more info let me know.

UnderConstructionJ

Wanted to know the same thing. I'm a big Splenda and Stevia user...and I've heard all of the bad things about it such as migraine inducer, bad chemical, appetite increase...however I have a hard time replacing something calorie free with something 60 calories per tsp.

perezke91

I used Stevia and agave nectar (if I have extra calories left). Stevia tastes great!

reaolliemama

Here's a list I found about natural sweeteners. I use some of these, but usually choose not to eat something that has to have sweetener of any kind added, I'll just choose something else, like fruit! http://www.livrite.com/sweeten.htm

formersec

Sugar is 16 calories in a teaspoondul. Unless you dump a pile of sugar in your coffee or tea, it won't cause you to gain weight.

littlemsmuffet

I've wondered about this too - Sugar vs Sweeteners (not just Splenda). I use sweeteners b/c of calories but I don't know anything about the chemical composition of sweeteners

becky2967

i use sugar. thats one area of my diet im not changing, i have indeed cut back though (in my tea i have 2/4 of one small; spoon rather than 2,.

jrodx2

My personal take is that splenda is like a poison to your system. Besides the nasty after taste, it is known to give many people migraines. If the options were only regular sugar or splenda, I'd suggest small amounts of regular sugar over any amount of splenda.

At my house, we only have agave nectar or stevia as options. I would suggest giving at least one of them a try. They can be expensive but it only takes a small amount to give the sweet taste you are looking for.

upwiththesun

agave nectar! artificial sweeteners wreak havoc on insulin, your body doesn't know how to metabolize it. Not worth the chemicals. You will eventually get used to not using sweeteners.

If you have time, check out this article: (not tryting to start a debate, just useful information) Good luck!

http://www.womentowomen.com/healthyweight/splenda.aspx " Sugar substitutes and the potential danger of Splenda"

MaryDreamer

I use Splenda daily. In my coffee, in my water bottles, oatmeal, etc. I like the taste of it and it has no allergic reactions to me. I do not like the Blue packet or Pink Packets of artificial sweeteners. But I do like the Splenda in the yellow packets. (NOT Twin in yellow packets that I do not like). Some people use Stevia or Truvia, but they're more expensive. I tried Stevia and found it to be too sweet for me. I prefer Splenda.

djbruno51

This past week at a Carb Review class for diabetes the nutritionist said the following: if you are a one coffee per day type person and don't have any other sugar free foods or foods made with artificial sweetner then one splenda per day is okay. But if you drink diet soda, eat sugar free desserts, ice cream etc then you need to remember how much of the artificial sweetner is in your system per day and more then once is too much. One teaspoon of sugar has 7 grams of carbohydrates and you might be better doing that then using pure chemical. We don't really know what it's doing to the brain and other organs.

Spinelli2288

I agree with moderation, but I try to cut out as much processed sugar as I can. I use stevia, I HATED it at first, but your body does get acclimated to it.

I really have found that with Stevia (truvia, whatever name it uses by brand), less really is more. The more you use, the more likely it tastes bitter. If you use less, it tastes better. At least, that's been my experience.

HTH

I didn't think it tasted bitter, I was just holding on strong to my International Delights French Vanilla creamer! lol I actually used two drops of the liquid stevia in my coffee and it was too sweet!

kadamson87

Hi

I'm new to this MyFitnessPal but wanted to reply.

I cannot drink my tea without sugar in it and realise it's a lot of calories to have even just one sugar, however have a splenda sweetner tastes the same and is 0 calories. I understand that doesnt help with anything other than tea, but I find theres not much I eat that requires sugar to be put on it anyways.

Kelly

SarahMay272727

I started using Splenda for specific recipes and now use it some of the time in cocoa and that sort of thing too. I may be totally wrong but I understood it to be one of the least potentially bad for you artificial sweeteners. I try to avoid aspartame amid its regular health scares (and my mum tells me it used to give me headaches and sleeping problems when I was younger).

But to be honest I'm not that militant about any of it!

'They' say unprocessed sugars like honey are better for us but has anyone ever seen a reasoned, scientific argument for it?

Spinelli2288

http://www.lovethetruth.com/truth_about_aspartame.htm

Read this bit of information on aspartame. In large doses, like a person drinking a lot of diet soda every day can lead to death.

Amy_B

I don't use any artificial sweeteners at all. The few chemicals in my body, the better. I use real sugar or Stevia when I need something sweetened.

Lesa_Sass

It is my understanding that splenda was created while trying to develop ant poison.

On the rare occasion I use sugar, I either use dates, sugar in the raw or blue agave.

kristyhooker

try xylitol! Hard to find, usually in the organics section!