Looking for some real answers from a variety of sources

lithiumkat

I am so confused. I am trying to lose weight and also get healthier in general. I've made lots of positive changes. I've given up cigarettes and pretty much soda except on occasion.

and yet...I am so confused about how to sweeten food. I know that sugar is not good for me. I have high triglycerides and was told to try and avoid sugar and have been doing so for about 10 years. I know that I started using Splenda around that time which was about when it came out. Now I hear people constantly bash Splenda and talk about how unhealthy it is and how bad for you it is. I did several forum searches about Splenda and never did figure out exactly what the problem with it was. Also I recently bought a box of Stevia sweetener to try and didn't much care for it. Lately I've gone back to the super old school sweetener of aspartame, little blue packets from Aldi's. I don't understand these sweeteners. I know I'm going to use one and it probably shouldn't be sugar due to my triglycerides. I didn't much care for the taste of Stevia and I know most products I can buy as snack foods for work and school often have Splenda or Aspartame in them.

Before you tell me to go all natural I can guarantee you that it is not going to happen. I do eat fruits and veggies, probably not as much as I should but fruit every single day, and try to get in veggies too. I get in dairy and whole grain and fiber and all sorts of good stuff. But if I'm told to avoid anything but organic or whole or raw foods, it is not a viable option for me, I cannot afford that, and I'm not interested in doing that. I like to indulge in tasty things and try to do so in moderation, or with variation to make it a little healthier and less fattening and with less calories that the fat filled version. I have high cholesterol and high triglycerides and that helps to shape my food choices as well. But I am looking for some real information about the sweeteners?

Why are Splenda and Aspartame bad for me? Is there solid proof? What references are there to show me this? are these references reputable and free of conflicting interests? Why is Stevia good for me, or better than alternatives? Why does it kind of taste strangely? Why aren't foods using this for their low cal snacks? What do you use and why? How do you feel about it and why? How can you back this up?

Not using sweeteners is not an option for me. I will use one that shortens my span a few years before I will just go without.

Thanks again ahead of time for your input.

wmagoo27

There are a variety of different sweeteners out there, both natural and artificial. Most of the folks that have told me over the years to stay away from artificial sweeteners did so because they are "artificial" and made from chemicals. It doesn't sound like you're hung up on this so if the calories fit your day, then have at it. I personally avoid aspertame because I've found that I have an allergic reaction to it in the form of acne. I cut it out of my diet almost a year ago and cleared up. As for stevia, it doesn't taste like sugar because it isn't. It is a natural sweetener that comes from a different plant. I don't use it in everything, but I like it in my coffee and tea. As a general rule, I would look at calories first and avoid anything that is high calorie and that you don't care for the taste. If you've been using Splenda for years, and it isn't hampering weight loss, then why quit?

yksdoris

What about honey? Would that work for you? it's disgusting in coffee (in my opinion) but pretty good in most other things.

as for the sweeteners, I don't know, have never researched it.

jaz050465

Best not to sweeten at all as you will lose your sweet tooth. You could wean yourself off slowly though.

lithiumkat

Again, the idea of not using sweeteners at all is simply not an option for me. I would rather shave a few years off and enjoy myself with sweetened coffee than to stop using any form of sweetener. This has to be an option that is realistic that I feel like I can go with. Honey is basically still just sugar and something I'm really not supposed to have because of my health issues regarding sugar and triglycerides. Plus I use sweeteners more for coffee than for anything else and if it's gross in coffee that pretty much defeats the purpose. I have heard the negative sides of Splenda and Aspartame, and the logical part of me wonders how it can be FDA approved if it's really as harmful as some folks say it is. And Aspartame has been around for a LONG time surely if there were long term negative side effects they've noticed it by now I'd think. Can anyone present any positive factors for Spenda or Aspartame??

Thank you for the input guys. I'm kind of agreeing with wmagoo27 in that I really don't care whether or not it is artificial, I do wish to be a healthier version of myself, but if man can modify something into a better version, why not take advantage. Central Heating and Cooling is not "natural" either but most people take advantage of that manmade upgrade, same thing with running water, it would be more natural to go to the source and retrieve water boil it and then use it, but most of us prefer the convenience of our sinks at home. I know I'm going way left field here, but I'm only trying to make a point.

I understand that the more you put natural back into your lifestyle and diet you can see some major positive results, like eating more fresh veggies and fruits, and I'm all for that. But I'm not going to give up cereals, I will opt for Shredded Wheat, Cheerios, Fiber One, and Kix over the sugary variety. I am not going to give up butter, I will go for the light version from Land O the Lakes. Etc. I just think it has to all be about balance, at least for me, for it to be a LIFESTYLE and LONGTERM change that I'm able to stick with. If I make it something that is a pain in the rear for me, and unattainable and I'm unhappy and constantly longing for "forbidden" items, I feel like all I will be tasting is failure.

nanainkent

I use sugar free creamer in coffee and I use sugar free pancake syrup in other foods. Even though it is sugar free it is still sweet enough

lithiumkat

If it's sugar free, but still slightly sweet, I'm betting it's got artificial sweeteners in it. Which isn't bad, but I've opted to take away the sugar free creamer (to eliminate the calories) and drink my coffee with only a couple packets of artificial sweetener in it since it has no calories but adds a little sweetness which is all I really need. But I will check out the label of the creamer I've got over there by the coffee (I'm thinking it's sugar free, or low sugar) and take that idea into consideration as well, I hadn't thought of keeping the creamer and eliminating the sweetener.

1ConcreteGirl

If it's sugar free, but still slightly sweet, I'm betting it's got artificial sweeteners in it. Which isn't bad, but I've opted to take away the sugar free creamer (to eliminate the calories) and drink my coffee with only a couple packets of artificial sweetener in it since it has no calories but adds a little sweetness which is all I really need. But I will check out the label of the creamer I've got over there by the coffee (I'm thinking it's sugar free, or low sugar) and take that idea into consideration as well, I hadn't thought of keeping the creamer and eliminating the sweetener.

Use regular sugar. There are a number of genuinely terrifying studies I have read (I can pm you links if you want) on the effects of aspartame, sucralose, and acesulfame-K (also known as acesulfame potassium...which, by they way, was discovered while they were trying to create a rat poison).

Seriously, regular sugar is naturally occurring. yes, it has calories, but they're natural, not chemical. Other options are avage nectar (tastes like honey) and honey itself. I like honey in my coffee, but I typically just use a flavored coffee creamer, which is sweet enough for me.

ETA: I'm sure you have room in your day for 50-100 cals of sugar. Not the best for you, but if you're not willing to cut it out it isn't going to hinder your weight loss.

Bentley2718

What about honey? Would that work for you? it's disgusting in coffee (in my opinion) but pretty good in most other things.

as for the sweeteners, I don't know, have never researched it.

Honey is just sugar that has been processed by a bees innards instead of in a factory. It has a nutritional profile very similar to sugar. So if you're going to use honey, you might as well use sugar.

lithiumkat

Again I'd like to point out to everything that SUGAR IS NOT AN OPTION FOR ME EVEN IN SMALL AMOUNTS as I have been told by my doctor to avoid it due to health problems. Naturally occurring sugar in fruits and things is fine but white sugar is a NO NO for me per DOCTORS ORDERS!!!! I do not want to have a heart attack before age 30 thanks.

I am not looking to cut out sugar in order to lose weight, I'm looking for alternatives because I CANNOT HAVE SUGAR DUE TO DIETARY RESTRICTIONS per my doctor based on health problems I struggle with. I'm not trying to caps lock here to yell or be pissed, I just want to add emphasis as I feel that these very important points have been overlooked based on some of the responses I've gotten.

prokomds

Not sure if you're just being melodramatic or what, but the idea that you would rather die an early death than give up your beloved sweeteners is kind of scary to me. Maybe you need to address this idea first? That sounds like a pretty unhealthy relationship with food

I'm a believer than anything in moderation is fine. That is, if you're using a little bit of sweetener (or sugar, or whatever) daily, and it fits into your calories, I wouldn't stress too much over it. Some people here will not give up their diet soda, oh well, and I don't think it matters if you're keeping it reasonable. Now, if you're dumping numerous packs of sweetener into a single cup of coffee... I think you could admit that it's not moderation anymore. With a little self control, you could cut back over time.

I haven't given up anything I want to eat. I've just exercised greater control over the portion sizes and the frequency I have unhealthy things, but to say that I'd give up unhealthy foods forever (hello ice cream) is just ridiculous.

With your health issues, it kind of sounds like you really need to focus more on doing what you need to be healthy. Take care of yourself!

1ConcreteGirl

Again I'd like to point out to everything that SUGAR IS NOT AN OPTION FOR ME EVEN IN SMALL AMOUNTS as I have been told by my doctor to avoid it due to health problems. Naturally occurring sugar in fruits and things is fine but white sugar is a NO NO for me per DOCTORS ORDERS!!!! I do not want to have a heart attack before age 30 thanks.

I am not looking to cut out sugar in order to lose weight, I'm looking for alternatives because I CANNOT HAVE SUGAR DUE TO DIETARY RESTRICTIONS per my doctor based on health problems I struggle with. I'm not trying to caps lock here to yell or be pissed, I just want to add emphasis as I feel that these very important points have been overlooked based on some of the responses I've gotten.

Oops, I must have misread; sorry about that! So if your doctor has said that regular sugar is out, I suggest blue agave syrup. It is naturally occuring, not a white sugar, tastes similar to honey. You might like stevia DROPS (the powder has a nasty aftertaste, imo). All others out, one or two packets of SPLENDA a day won't hurt you. I use it occasionally.

SideSteel

Aspartame is totally fine if you don't have PKU, you don't get headaches from it, and you stay well under the ADI, which off the top of my head I couldn't quote, but it's quite a high dose limit.

Edit: for those that have research suggesting otherwise, I'm happy to look at it--but dose and context need to be considered here.

lorcart

Ok, sooooo you don't mind shaving a few years off by using cholorine as a sweetener, but shaving a few years off using actual SUGAR is out of the question? hhmmm okie dokie.

5stringjeff

You might not want to hear this, but try going to black coffee. You can find coffee that's brewed so it's not burnt or stale - coffee that tastes the way coffee should - and not have to worry about the sweeteners. I personally shop online at www.coffeefool.com (I have no financial stake in the firm - just a very satisfied customer) and love their stuff.

rsharper97

I just recently read that if you are using artificial sweetners, then the best option is Sweet and Low because it has the longest history and has no data linking it to medical problems. I hope that helps.

r0ckclimbingm0m

I use stevia to sweeten my coffee and tea. I've yet to hear bad things about it (though that doesn't mean there isn't some study I've missed), whereas I've heard plenty of bad about the artificial sweeteners (not to mention my sister gets ill almost instantaneously from aspartame). It does taste slightly different than other sweeteners, but you acclimate, and I've come to like it more. However, I think people are right, best not to use any sweeteners because of the sweet tooth you develop. Other than that though, I don't think the stevia is a big deal.

MochaMixAZ

My two cents:

Sugar is NOT entirely bad for you. Too much sugar is bad for you. Included as part of a balanced diet, in moderation... it's completely fine. I'm wondering if maybe what the doctor said is a little out of context. Even diabetics are no longer told to avoid all sugar. In addition, the word "sugar" is often exchanged for starch or carbohydrates -- these actually are the contributing factors to high triglycerides. If "sugar" is the real issue... honey, agave, fruits, bread, etc would all be problematic. So, again - I think the dietary restriction may be misunderstood.

I completely understand being wiling to live a few years less to not give up something that gives you joy. If someone ever tells me coffee will kill me, well... I'll be well-caffeinated but dead.

Processed sugars are worse for you than natural. Whenever you can, opt for unprocessed sugars from sources like you mentioned - mainly fruit.

Artificial sweeteners - science doesn't agree. I've done a LOT of research on this. Some will say they are chemicals and can increase your chance of certain cancers and/or lead to weight gain, not loss. My PERSONAL history with them is quite extreme. I was a Splenda-holic. I was very proud of reworking hundreds of recipes to cut calories by including Splenda instead of sugar. The results were tasty indeed, but the side effects were not. I found my natural sweet sensors were impacted greatly by using Splenda and I needed more and more to achieve the same taste. I also found I CRAVED other bad-for-me-foods like salty and crunchy things. Even a Diet Soda would make me dream of pizza or pretzels. So...I cut it out completely. I went through withdrawals, was agitated, had headaches, and my taste buds were wonky for weeks. FINALLY, my tastes return to normal and the crabbiness went away. I found things are SHOCKINGLY sweeter now that I'm Splenda-free.

I've tried a few other versions of sugar, like agave and honey. I don't particularly like the taste or texture of these... so I tend to shy away from them unless they are in baked goods.

I do like Truvia. Science doesn't agree on that either. I believe it's a more natural, non-chemical sweeter. It takes some getting used to in flavor, but it's no calorie and provides the sweetness factor. So when I DO buy packaged foods, I look for truvia (stevia) as in ingredient... or go for a smaller portion of the full sugar item. Truvia has become my go-to sweetener.

Specific to hi-tri's, extra weight can cause this to skyrocket. Triglycerides are stored as fat in your tissues and muscles. Excess calories are converted to triglycerides. Think generic heart-healthy diet: Limit high-calorie foods and carbohydrate, especially high-sugar foods such as cookies, soda, and fruit juices. Alcohol also has an elevating effect on triglycerides. You can use diet and lifestyle changes to lower triglyceride levels... especially for lowering borderline-high levels (150 to 199 mg/dL) back to normal levels (less than 150 mg/dL). Do an internet search or check out evidence-based websites like WebMD for more information. I think it's critical to understand sugars hide in just about anything that comes out of box or package... and this is again where "sugar" is often replaced with starch or carbohydrate.

Hope that helps!

Marieevans813

I use Truvia. It is natural and tastes better than stevia. It's made from stevia.

ColorfulWeirdo

A quick google search of Kix and Cheerios (the two on your list that I looked up) both list Sugar as the third ingredient. I understand that it may be hard for you to completely eliminate sweetners, but before you say that you will have a heart attack and die if you eat sugar, you should make sure that you're actually not eating any sugar.

I use bark honey. It has a lower GI than sugar, and I need to use less of it because it's naturally sweeter. Unlike the poster above, I don't mind it in my coffee.

Aspartame and other artificial sweeteners give me massive migraines (they also give four of my seven co-workers migraines), but the FDA doesn't recognize that as a side effect.

lithiumkat

Well, they say cigarettes cause cancer and can lead you to an early death and how many cigarettes are still sold on a daily basis? That quite clearly IS poison and yet people still won't or can't give it up. If I've given up cigarettes but refuse to give up a few packets of sweetener a day, is it really your place to judge me?

Everyone has SOMETHING that they don't wish to give up regardless of negative health/side effects. Many many things. You can take ALMOST ANYTHING and come up with some research that points to negative side effects or ill results of using said product.

Do I want to live 3 years longer and be miserable the whole duration because I am unable to sweeten my coffee due to bad side effects, not really, I'd rather live 3 years less, and be happy for all of those years than live 3 years longer irritated at the fact that foods I love are forbidden to me because of a lack of suitable sweetener. No I am not being melodramatic here, maybe some of the others that want to judge people based on their food choices or that want to use scare tactics to prove how horrible a substance on the market is being a bit melodramatic. I just don't believe in being a food nazi to the degree of making my life overly complicated and inconvenient. I wish to enjoy life and find solutions I can stick with.

And I do believe I read some research that stated the amount of aspartame one would have to consume to lead to cancer based off of that of lab rats would equal out to something along the lines of a person drinking literally multiple flats of diet soda daily, for prolonged periods of time to come even close to that.

I would like to hear the opinions that include pros and cons for both sides of the sweetener debate if anyone has a less biased view on all the different sugar alternatives. Not just the cons because I know that both exist, and biased reviews aren't very helpful.

thanks

paj315

I think sweetener usage is a personal choice and is ultimately determined by what your end goal is. If your end goal is to eat unprocessed food then your choice of sweetener will be different than one whose goal is to lose weight.

You said you can have fruit sugar right? And you're not worried about weight loss? My advice is to look into Agave Nectar, it's 90% fructose (fruit sugar) and only 10% glucose. Also date sugar may also be an option for you.

Personally I use splenda when I need to sweeten something. I drink my coffee and tea without cream or sugar so I use very little sweetener.

lithiumkat

A quick google search of Kix and Cheerios (the two on your list that I looked up) both list Sugar as the third ingredient. I understand that it may be hard for you to completely eliminate sweetners, but before you say that you will have a heart attack and die if you eat sugar, you should make sure that you're actually not eating any sugar.

Well the answer to that is that these were two of the lower sugar varieties that were mentioned by the dietitian I had to consult with when I first found out about said health problems. If there is less than 10 grams per serving I believe I was told that it was okay. But I am mostly talking about for coffee, and in order for my coffee to be sweetened to a level that is acceptable to me, it would take at least 2 spoonfuls of regular sugar which is too much, that and the fact that straight sugar out of the bowl is what is deemed to be a problem from what I understood from my doctor, and the fact that straight sugar tastes nasty to me now as I've kept it mostly out of my diet for the past 10 years. Just sayin'

EDIT:

You said you can have fruit sugar right? And you're not worried about weight loss?

Very limited amounts, like it is okay for me to eat fruit even though it has sugar in it, but like fruit juice with high concentrations of that sugar is not recommended. And weight loss is my goal. That is something that goes hand in hand with my health problems is losing some excess weight.

pinky_pie

We use Splenda in my household, as my husband is a Type 2 Diabetic. No aspartame is allowed as I get terrible headaches (plus, it tastes like crap in my opinion). I've tried Stevia and I didn't like the bitter aftertaste, but I hear the liquid Stevia is better than the powder. I haven't tried Truvia - it isn't as readily available here in Canada as Splenda or Stevia is.

I really don't know if agave syrup will be better for you than honey as it's also on the 'no-no' list of sweet things my husband's diabetic nutritionist gave.

So we stick with Splenda as it's the most palatable for us. You'll just have to figure out what's best for you as every person is different here.

lithiumkat

We use Splenda in my household, as my husband is a Type 2 Diabetic. No aspartame is allowed as I get terrible headaches (plus, it tastes like crap in my opinion). I've tried Stevia and I didn't like the bitter aftertaste, but I hear the liquid Stevia is better than the powder. I haven't tried Truvia - it isn't as readily available here in Canada as Splenda or Stevia is.

I really don't know if agave syrup will be better for you than honey as it's also on the 'no-no' list of sweet things my husband's diabetic nutritionist gave.

So we stick with Splenda as it's the most palatable for us. You'll just have to figure out what's best for you as every person is different here.

Thank you, my dietary needs are very similar to that of a person with diabetes so I know the honey is not really a good choice and it sounds like the agave syrup must not be much better. Matter of fact, the doctor/dietician is really who recommended splenda to me in the first place, which adds to my confusion, but this was around 10 years ago and I know a lot more research can happen in that amount of time.


EDIT: Also I must add as a side note, that the response I've received from some and the snarky attitude displayed along with judgements on me and quickness to have an attack approach when I've kindly asked for some genuine unbiased information and thoughts has almost made me regret the decision to start posting, and depending on how things continue to go on the forums, I may have to go back to just tracking my food and keeping to myself and just do some google searches or forum searches and keep my mouth shut when I want more information about something to keep myself from being judged and made to feel badly.

sammyneb

My only opinion is I don't eat/drink anything with Aspartame, it (in my opinion) has an awful after taste and it makes me nauseous.

Topher1978

Try a couple different companies for your stevia. Also, you should only use 1/4 the stevia as you would sugar/sweetener as it has a much sweeter effect. But to put to much stevia causes a different, more bitter taste. That may have been your problem with stevia. It is worth trying out.

cwolfman13

I have high triglycerides as well (along with high cholesterol) and is one of the reasons I completely changed my diet. Did you doctor really tell you absolutely no sugar? I would personally get a 2nd opinion on that. I'm definitely supposed to watch my overall carb intake as well as my saturated fats, but my doctor didn't tell me I had to completely cut anything out of my diet. Could it possibly be that you misunderstood or possibly just going a bit overboard?

I'm not trying to be snarky here...I actually went way overboard when I got that news from my doctor. Everything was suddenly no fat/low fat and I avoided anything sugary and seriously reduced my carb intake...I was scared I'd die if I even looked at a steak or something. What I ultimately found after a couple of weeks was that I felt like absolute crap...I didn't have any energy and was getting headaches and dizziness and my nerves were completely on edge. I went back to my doctor and brought along copies of my diary so he could take a look...he basically shook his head and told me I was on the right track but my headaches and dizziness could very well be attributable to not having enough fat in my diet and my lack of energy stemmed from getting very few carbs. We looked at my macros and adjusted those and he simply went over a few things that I should avoid in my day to day, but I didn't need to cut out entirely. He basically told me that the best possible thing I could do is eat at a deficit and lose some weight and start exercising along with having a reasonable macro balance.

This is what I've been doing and my numbers are on the decline and my blood pressure issues are coming under control as well. My macros are 40 carb/30 protein/30 healthy fats and it's working really well for me. I'm eating at a Lb per week deficit and I'm not miserable. I have my energy back and the headaches and dizziness are gone as well. I would suggest having another conversation with you doctor and/or getting a 2nd opinion. I would also suggest taking a look at your macros overall...not just sugars...but your overall carbs as you may need to just reduce these in general. Before I started all of this, my diet was about 80% carbs

Topher1978

My only opinion is I don't eat/drink anything with Aspartame, it (in my opinion) has an awful after taste and it makes me nauseous.

I also get an awful aftertaste. Those of us that get that aftertaste actually have more taste buds than other people going down the back of our tongues. Learned that in culinary school

hdjjones

I use splenda but only on unsweetened cereal. I heard years ago that aspertame was bad for you because it put little holes in your brain, but I have not researched it. I know it is in most diet soda, so I avoid diet soda with aspertame in it.

sammyneb

My only opinion is I don't eat/drink anything with Aspartame, it (in my opinion) has an awful after taste and it makes me nauseous.

I also get an awful aftertaste. Those of us that get that aftertaste actually have more taste buds than other people going down the back of our tongues. Learned that in culinary school

hmm...more taste buds in the back of my tongue..good to know :happy: