I need to kick artifical sweetners HOW???

LaPatrizia

Xylitol is good- try the brand called Ideal Sweetener. It tastes just like sugar and is natural.

If you have pets, be very careful as this is extremely toxic to dogs -- even in very small doses.
This is the reason I don't buy it .... I don't even want them licking my plate/bowl with something I used this in.

Sorry to go off topic

Yes! Very true. Just like avocados, raisins, and chocolate. Definitely keep away from pets.

RonSwanson66

@Meggles 63 Anything processed which INCLUDES artificial sweeteners is TOXIC to the human body! Anyone who wants to argue that or say differently is incorrect. If you do your research and follow through with eating all organic foods without any artificial ANYTHING you will SEE and FEEL the difference. This is a FACT!

Stop making things up.

MichelleMcClung

@Meggles 63 Anything processed which INCLUDES artificial sweeteners is TOXIC to the human body! Anyone who wants to argue that or say differently is incorrect. If you do your research and follow through with eating all organic foods without any artificial ANYTHING you will SEE and FEEL the difference. This is a FACT!

Stop making things up.

I'm NOT making things up!!!! Seriously! DO YOUR RESEARCH!!! Why would I waste my time saying this? You think I just sit around making things up to cause a debate?? Splenda and anything similar to it is TOXIC. I don't care if you believe me or not! It's your body so if you want to put toxic chemicals in it and take that chance that is YOUR choice. But for anyone out there that doesn't know this they need to at least have a chance to hear the truth and figure it out for themselves. IF you do your proper research you will find these things out. Even top trainers like Jillian Michaels and Tony Horton of P90X would tell you the SAME THING!! So get your head out of your *kitten* and YOU STOP MAKING THINGS UP! You are calling me a LIAR and I don't appreciate it!! You obviously are CLUELESS to the FACTS!

RonSwanson66

@Meggles 63 Anything processed which INCLUDES artificial sweeteners is TOXIC to the human body! Anyone who wants to argue that or say differently is incorrect. If you do your research and follow through with eating all organic foods without any artificial ANYTHING you will SEE and FEEL the difference. This is a FACT!

Stop making things up.

I'm NOT making things up!!!! Seriously! DO YOUR RESEARCH!!! Why would I waste my time saying this? You think I just sit around making things up to cause a debate?? Splenda and anything similar to it is TOXIC. I don't care if you believe me or not! It's your body so if you want to put toxic chemicals in it and take that chance that is YOUR choice. But for anyone out there that doesn't know this they need to at least have a chance to hear the truth and figure it out for themselves. IF you do your proper research you will find these things out. Even top trainers like Jillian Michaels and Tony Horton of P90X would tell you the SAME THING!! So get your head out of your *kitten* and YOU STOP MAKING THINGS UP! You are calling me a LIAR and I don't appreciate it!! You obviously are CLUELESS to the FACTS!

Adorable.

Not surprising that you believe this nonsense, when you listen to morons like Tony Horton and Jillian Michaels. How about actually citing peer-reviewed, scientific evidence of your nonsensical claims?

If you actually did YOUR research, you would see that everything you believe is wrong.

Aspartame:

The safety testing of aspartame has gone well beyond that required to evaluate the safety of a food additive. When all the research on aspartame, including evaluations in both the premarketing and postmarketing periods, is examined as a whole, it is clear that aspartame is safe, and there are no unresolved questions regarding its safety under conditions of intended use.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0273230002915424


These results further document the safety of the long-term consumption of aspartame at doses equivalent to the amount of aspartame in approximately 10 L of beverage per day.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0273230002915424




Sucralose (Splenda):

The collective evidence supports the conclusion that the ingredient, sucralose, is safe for use in food and that the sucralose-mixture product, Granulated SPLENDA® No Calorie Sweetener, is also safe for its intended use.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0273230009000786



Based on these studies and the extensive animal safety database, there is no indication that adverse effects on human health would occur from frequent or long-term exposure to sucralose at the maximum anticipated levels of intake.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0278691500000351

_______________________________________________________________________________________



Instead of listening to alarmist websites and "celebrity" trainers with no real qualifications, look at the actual science before making these ridiculous claims.







_____________________


http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&q=sucralose+safety&btnG=&as_sdt=1,38&as_sdtp=

CherokeeTopaz

Use cane sugar or honey.. lol they're not artificial.

neanderthin

@Meggles 63 Anything processed which INCLUDES artificial sweeteners is TOXIC to the human body! Anyone who wants to argue that or say differently is incorrect. If you do your research and follow through with eating all organic foods without any artificial ANYTHING you will SEE and FEEL the difference. This is a FACT!

Stop making things up.

I'm NOT making things up!!!! Seriously! DO YOUR RESEARCH!!! Why would I waste my time saying this? You think I just sit around making things up to cause a debate?? Splenda and anything similar to it is TOXIC. I don't care if you believe me or not! It's your body so if you want to put toxic chemicals in it and take that chance that is YOUR choice. But for anyone out there that doesn't know this they need to at least have a chance to hear the truth and figure it out for themselves. IF you do your proper research you will find these things out. Even top trainers like Jillian Michaels and Tony Horton of P90X would tell you the SAME THING!! So get your head out of your *kitten* and YOU STOP MAKING THINGS UP! You are calling me a LIAR and I don't appreciate it!! You obviously are CLUELESS to the FACTS!

Water and oxygen can be toxic.....along with thousands of natural substances.......you need to apply some context and dosage to your blanket statement.

Shock_Wave

google fda and type in your questioned sweetner. They have some good info.

I personally don't touch the stuff other than whats in my protein shakes.

RonSwanson66

google fda and type in your questioned sweetner. They have some good info.

Better yet, use Google Scholar and type in:

splenda safety

aspartame safety

etc.

runfatmanrun

I use honey for my yogurt, oatmeal. I drink black coffee. If I use something else it's sugar, white or brown. If you can't find space in you diet for 15 cals per tsp, 60 cals for a T of honey, maybe reevaluate your other foods.

PositivePower

Wow - Thanks for the feedback! Didn't mean to start something...but I agree that artifical sweetners just aren't good for you. I will try some of your suggestions...and you're right in moderation the real thing isn't that bad. Also I might try black coffee :ohwell:

Thanks again!!!!!!

FreedomReigns

google fda and type in your questioned sweetner. They have some good info.

I personally don't touch the stuff other than whats in my protein shakes.

J....That is because you are too smart and cant be doing anything harmful to your muscles :happy:


~ amber

quill16

I weaned myself off of artificial sweetners on the advice of my nutrtionist. She claimed that the artificial sweetners just made you crave sugar more. She said your body craves sugar and when you try to fool it with artificial stuff it says"wait a minute I didn't get what I wanted and then it makes you crave it more". I don't know all the scientific stuff behind this ,but I do trust her advice. My one exception to this is my sugar free chocolate pudding as my dessert every night.. My doctor said that if this is the worst of it, not to worry. It was those 5 cups of coffee each day plus diet sodas. I bet I was doing 8 servings of equal and aspartame a day. I feel so much healthier I truly feel the difference. I first gave up cream in my coffee and then cut the packet down to a half , then a quarter. I found it so much more convenient to just go black without all the adding and stirring etc.. Now I add just skim milk or just black.I make myself a large pitcher of lemon and water and keep it in the frig for cool thirst quenching taste.

chstarling

I have never been one to use artificial sweeteners much, as I just never learned to acquire a taste for them. However, I did quit sugar cold turkey for about 2 weeks last year. I found, as others have mentioned, that when I went back to it, I needed much less of it to be satisfied taste-wise. For example, i use about 1/3 the amount of sugar in my coffee now. Also, I dieted and went from an overweight range back down to a healthy weight range. After the "detox" described above, I just limited carbs and watched calories to lose the weight. During this diet, and ever since, I have consumed only real sugar and full fat goods (i.e. whole eggs, dairy, etc.) and maintained my weightloss! I have no science behind this, just my personal experience, but I just seem to be more satisfied. I just believe you should put things into your body that it can actually use for maintenance and energy. The allergies described in just this handful of ppl are evidence that these artificial things may not be good for the human digestive system. Even if some thing is "safe," that does not make it necessarily "good for you."

FitLink

Hi ~ I have made lots of healthy changes during the past year. Losing weight, changing habits and loving exerise. I am so hooked on exercise I am always up for trying new things now that I have dropped some pounds! I think the next thing I need to look at is artifical sweetners. I know they are not good for you and I need to work on cutting back or cutting them out all together. I enjoy a Fresca a few times a week and put splenda in my coffee..I also enjoy crystal light, and once in awhile treat myself to a Weight Watcher ice cream. I have tried agave sweetner.....yuck!

Have you given up sweetners??? Looking forward to any tips you might have :happy:

Why? What evidence do you have that artificial sweeteners, in the absence of an allergy, are "not good for you?"

FitLink

I use Stevia from the health food store. I don't buy the off brands. Stevia is more natural.

"Off brands?" Stevia isn't a brand name, it's the genus of the plant the sweetener comes from.

FitLink

I have never been one to use artificial sweeteners much, as I just never learned to acquire a taste for them. However, I did quit sugar cold turkey for about 2 weeks last year. I found, as others have mentioned, that when I went back to it, I needed much less of it to be satisfied taste-wise. For example, i use about 1/3 the amount of sugar in my coffee now. Also, I dieted and went from an overweight range back down to a healthy weight range. After the "detox" described above, I just limited carbs and watched calories to lose the weight. During this diet, and ever since, I have consumed only real sugar and full fat goods (i.e. whole eggs, dairy, etc.) and maintained my weightloss! I have no science behind this, just my personal experience, but I just seem to be more satisfied. I just believe you should put things into your body that it can actually use for maintenance and energy. The allergies described in just this handful of ppl are evidence that these artificial things may not be good for the human digestive system. Even if some thing is "safe," that does not make it necessarily "good for you."

SO if some people are allergic to something, it's "not good for" the general population? Like say, cat dander, dust, and/or plant pollens, for instance, are "not good for you?"

Christine1110

I stopped eat/drinking anything processed. If I need sugar I use Stevia.....but I rarely use any

FitLink

Xylitol is good- try the brand called Ideal Sweetener. It tastes just like sugar and is natural.

Xylitol, like it's sister chemicals, mannitol, and sorbitol, is a sugar alcohol. It's a good sugar substitute, and it's proven to kill the bacteria that cause tooth decay--BONUS!--but in large quantities it can have a laxative effect.

auntiebabs

How about real sugar in your coffee? It is only 15 calories per teaspoon.

^^^^This!

I switched to real sugar, then bit by bit reduced the amount I used.
Now it depends on how good the coffee is... If it's a good strong cuppa joe i'm fine with a little skim. If it's lack then I'll add 1/2 pack of sugar.

FitLink

Personally I don't see the point. Life has gotten be sweetened up somehow and real sugar adds too many calories and carbs. And contrary to popular belief, consuming artificial sugar does not make you crave real sugar.

The point to not using artificial sweeteners is HUGE! It's not about the calories it's about the foreign chemicals that you are putting into your body that your body does NOT know how to digest! It's like poison! So the best thing to do is either not use them at all or use good ole fashioned organic sugar in moderation. That is the only way to go for the most healthy choice and you will benefit so much from it! In my opinion artificial sweeteners should be banned and no longer allowed in stores. They are highly toxic! So unless you are detoxing constantly it's not a good idea. I would just stay away from them altogether. For example, Just drink your coffee black...that is what I do. I used to drink all those fancy coffees at starbucks and caribou but after changing my ways and my very bad habits I have learned to live a life without sweeteners and high calorie coffees. Once you get used to it, you will be fine and your body will thank you for it! )

sorry, but that's just not true!

Sorry but YES that IS true!!! Artificial sweeteners are toxic. Do your research!

I completely agree. I argue with people about this all the time. I have lots of nutritionists and various other people who tell me I'm wrong, yet they don't know the chemistry behind it. I know chemistry and I know some of the best industry experts in chemistry (who do the chemical engineering of things like artificial sweeteners) and a number of artificial sweeteners are very bad. That being said, there are actually good ones that have essentially no ill effect on the average human body. Even then, the good ones are often some pretty nasty chemicals that are only "safe" by virtue of their low solubility in our digestive system. It's just not worth it in my opinion. If I told you to swallow a container full of poison and said it's fine because your body won't open the container, would you still take it? I wouldn't. Especially when the container leaks...

If your body can't absorb something, it' can't absorb it. Period. Not like your leaky jar analogy, but not at all. So consuming it would be zero risk. Period.

And saying you "know chemistry" without showing your credentials doesn't prove you know anything at all about the topic of artificial sweeteners, nor does throwing out that you know "some of the best industry experts in chemistry" if you don't prove THEIR credentials. This is all hearsay and the available evidence contradicts it.

FitLink

Personally I don't see the point. Life has gotten be sweetened up somehow and real sugar adds too many calories and carbs. And contrary to popular belief, consuming artificial sugar does not make you crave real sugar.

The point to not using artificial sweeteners is HUGE! It's not about the calories it's about the foreign chemicals that you are putting into your body that your body does NOT know how to digest! It's like poison! So the best thing to do is either not use them at all or use good ole fashioned organic sugar in moderation. That is the only way to go for the most healthy choice and you will benefit so much from it! In my opinion artificial sweeteners should be banned and no longer allowed in stores. They are highly toxic! So unless you are detoxing constantly it's not a good idea. I would just stay away from them altogether. For example, Just drink your coffee black...that is what I do. I used to drink all those fancy coffees at starbucks and caribou but after changing my ways and my very bad habits I have learned to live a life without sweeteners and high calorie coffees. Once you get used to it, you will be fine and your body will thank you for it! )

If your body doesn't know how to digest them, they couldn't do any harm. They just pass through unchanged.

TrailRunner61

I use them all the time and I've used them since Equal came out in the 80's! The only problem I've ever had with them is this.. if I'm out of Splenda, Equal or whatever and I have to use regular sugar in coffee.. I have to put a ton of sugar in it to make it taste as sweet as the Splenda does. I think that solves the mystery of the 'sweeteners make you crave more sugar' theory! I don't crave it whatsoever, I just want my coffee to taste the same as it did yesterday. I solved that problem by not ever running out of Splenda!

Don't fear sweeteners. You will not die if you use them! If you prefer sweet tasting beverages and/or foods, use them instead of sugar! It's better for you than excessive calories, especially if you're like me and maintenance cals are UNDER 1200. I cherish my sweeteners as they allow me to eat more FOOD.

P.S. I'll also add that I'd be more worried about the toxins, pesticides, etc. in the FOOD you eat rather than something that has been proven to be safe to eat. I live in farm country and all summer long we hear the cropdusters spraying our country's supply of green beans, sweet corn, peas, cabbage, etc. These are big companies like Green Giant, Del Monte, Stokelys and Libbys! Worry about that instead.

jleslie66

Here is how I do it, and in this way have kicked tobacco, changed my eating habits, changed lifestyle habits etc... and it really does work for me!! Here's what I do....

I change the way I think about giving up things. I look at ALL issues I want to change as simply a decision. I make a decision and i stick to that decision. I chewed tobacco for 27 years, heavy user and one day I decided to quirt, threw a 1/2 can of tobacco in the trash and never looked back! I made a decision and stuck to it!! You make decisions constantly in your day to day life, healthy eating is just one. The only benefit is to yourself, and so why not decide to do yourself a favor? Reduce the "monster" habit to a decision to stay with it or to quit it, seems to simplify it for me and make it easier to make changes!!

Hope this helps!

TrailRunner61

I'd also like to add that all sugars, (unless you eat raw, not fitered and pasteurized honey), are processed. How does the stevia leaf turn into a granular form? Sugar comes from a cane. Have you ever seen how it's processed?? It's gross and I wish I had never seen it done.

Just use what works for you. If you truly want to stop using them, gradually phase them out one at a time and/or replace them with fruit sugars. I use strawberries and/or bananas to sweeten my oatmeal and smoothies. It tastes better too!

Good luck

tinabell153

My uncle went to the doctor and asked about artificial sweeteners. They can have negative side effects on your digestive system. His doctor suggested taking Tums or antacids after consuming artificial sweeteners to reduce the effects it will have on your body. Not sure if this really works, but it kind of makes sense!

I use splenda a LOT and I know it's bad, but it's difficult to have sugar when on a low calorie diet.

jlbay

I don't use artificial sweeteners anymore. Actually, I never liked the taste of them, so it wasn't that hard for me.

A few tips for the usual suspects:
I have one cup of coffee in the AM. I switched back to regular sugar. Then, I cut down the sugar. Now I add spice mixes to my coffee with no sugar (like pumpkin pie spice) plus 1 tbsp of real cream. Sometimes I add a bit of dark cocoa powder. I've read about coconut oil in coffee - but haven't tried that yet. I only drink really good coffee, freshly ground beans.

For other hot drinks - I drink fruit or herb tea with no sweetener or a bit of honey on occasion.

For soft drinks - I started with sparkling water mixed with small amounts of fruit juice. Now, sparkling water with fruit and/or mint. (Strawberries and mint with lots of ice and sparking water or, sliced lemon, lime and orange or sliced cucumber and slivers of melon).

I don't eat "diet" foods or bars - which usually use sweeteners. Instead, I've found raw fruit and nut bars or natural energy bars (if you're in the US, Whole Foods or maybe Trader Joe's or maybe even regular grocery stores might have them - haven't lived in the US for a while). Here in the UK, I eat "Nakd" bars. No gluten, no sugar. Just fruit and nuts and spices.

On the rare occasions that I bake - I use real sugar, but lower amounts. There are so many recipes on line that show you how to add nutrition to baked goods. I try to only have these in small amounts. Right now, I'm trying to lose weight and get blood sugar under control, so I really don't have baked goods.

Your taste will adjust. I bought a vegetable soup for lunch the other day and I couldn't eat it because it was SO sweet. Read the label, sure enough, sugar was one of the last ingredients listed. Yuck! Cream and butter and tomatoes (and so many other things) taste sweet to me, now, whereas they didn't before. So, the girl who loved syrups in her coffee now thinks it tastes great with some cinnamon and cream. Oatmeal? I don't add sugar of any type anymore - just cinnamon and 1/3 banana.

mchall03

Just recently completed a 30 day "no refined sugar" challenge, which cut out all artificial sweeteners, sugar, corn syrups, dextrose, maltodextrin.... really all "sugars" except fruit and raw honey. (Pure maple syrup and stevia were also allowed in this challenge, but I did not use them.) Based on that experience, here is my advice: Set a goal to eliminate all your artificial sweeteners for a specific time period. Go "cold turkey," but you don't have to tell yourself you can never have them again, just tell yourself you WILL NOT have them for 30 days, or whatever you decide. Make it a CHOICE that you are making, and be proud of it. Tell your family, coworkers, friends, etc. what you are doing and then you will want to stick to it even more because you don't want to declare you're kicking the habit and then have them catch you cheating! As others have suggested, I think trying your drinks and such without any sweetener at all for that time period might help. After 30 days of no sweetened drinks (Crystal Light, coffee drinks, etc.) you will probably not want them as much at all.

myfitnessnmhoy

Have you given up sweetners??? Looking forward to any tips you might have :happy:

The best way to give up sweeteners is to give up the idea that everything in life needs to be sweet. That's the key to developing the willpower to avoid sicky sweet sugary junk when it is offered to you - because once you start tasting "sweet" less frequently, your cravings for it will drop off naturally.