anyone heard using sweetners (splenda) instead of real sugar

Yes, I have heard that. Dr. Weil suggests using Stevia. It's a natural product and now is available in the U.S. Check it out; it's in the sugar area in the store.

WOW didnt know that about Splenda...guess maybe I shouldnt put 7 packets in my coffee each morning.. lol

I've heard it but it is one of those unsubstantiated reports that floats around the internet. Mostly based on individual experiences. I have never experienced this.

My dietician recommended cutting all artificial sweeteners. According to her it fuels cravings. I stopped drinking or eating anything with artificial sweeteners, especially aspartame (Nutrasweet). And guess what... My cravings for chocolate and candy are almost gone. And my headaches too.
She suggested Agave syrup instead. The taste is great and it dissolves great in liquids.

I don't know what they use to sweeten Mug Diet Rootbeer, but I use it to curb cravings for sugar. It tastes just like the real thing, and it seems to fool my brain into thinking I've had sugar. I use spelnda on my cheerios every morning, same deal. Don't really crave sugar unless I actually eat some...then I'm screwed for a couple of days battling the cravings.

I haven't experienced this. My concern is more with the possible side affects of the artificial "chemical" sweeteners in general. I use quite a bit, but am thinking I should cut back "just in case" there's any validity to the online concerns.

My husband is diabetic so we have lots of artificial "chemical" sweeteners in the house for cooking, baking, and beverages which of course we both consume. But I think I need to go back to exploring using more fruit (fresh and concentrates) in my cooking and baking rather than the artificial sweeteners. I have a cookbook called "Sweet and Sugarfree" by Karen E. Barkie that has recipes using fruit-sweetened desserts. Of course the calories in them would be higher than when using the artificial sweeteners, but I've learned so much on MFP about adjusting recipes to lower calories that I think I'll be revisiting this book using my new knowledge about substitutions (and about "portions".) [I recently added delicious apples to rhubarb (after my daughter suggested it), and it made a very enjoyable sauce with no need for any additional sweetener. Since I use applesauce in various ways to replace oils, this was a happy discovery that will allow me further experimentation using the apple/rhubarb sauce.]

Around here Stevia is quite expensive. Does anyone know of a reputable site that maybe sells Stevia or Truvia a little cheaper?

For me splenda works.......I don't add sugar to anything, and I avoid all sweets, but everyday I have a grapefruit with splenda sprinkled on top and it satisfies just fine and I never crave anything afterwards.

I've baked with splenda and its directions say to substitute 1 for 1 for the sugar. My recipe called for 1 cup of sugar, but I usually cut back a little (just like I don't use salt, or at least cut back on it), SO I only used 1/2 cup of the splenda instead of a whole cup. For my taste, the result was STILL too sweet, so when I made the recipe again I used 1/4 cup of splenda instead of the 1 cup of sugar called for in the recipe. If I were only making it for myself, I would probably cut it back even a little more, but my husband usually likes things a little sweeter than I do, so it was a good compromise. Point is: substituting one splenda for one sugar would have been like eating pure sugar/splenda! :sick: This particular recipe had apples in it, and they were already providing sweetness.

For me, using the artificial sweeteners was EASY when baking, so I kind of fell into using them more and more. I'm glad for some of the posts I've seen here on MFP, because they have reminded me that as long as I'm cooking/baking my own recipes anyway, then why not go the "natural" way? I doubt that our house will ever be artificial sweetener free, but I know that we can indeed "cut back" on the amount that we consume.

While we are on the topic of artificial sweetners, so I don't post a whole new topic, I was wondering about kids and these sweetners....

When I was a kid I remember that we were never allowed diet soda or food. Granted I had a super unhealthy upbringing of processed foods and spoonfulls of sugar over cornflakes, strawberries, and in kool-aide, but this was a rule that was drilled into our heads. I remember our family doctor talking about these things causing developmental problems in children. Its always stuck in my head that kids shouldn't have these things even though it "seems" better than actual sugar.

I've noticed ALOT lately that so many kids, like uder 12, drink 'Diet' sodas. I even had a friend who made her kids milkshakes from slimfast because she thought it was better than an actual milkshake.

Regardless of whether my childhood doctor was right or not, I would never allow my child to have these things. I stand strong that whole foods are the only way to go and if it has to go through a factory, its not meant to be consumed for healths sake. But I am curious if there is evidence that these artificial sweeteners are actually causing problems in the development of our youth? When I suggested to a friend that maybe the reason her son gets sick all the time and has such a poor appetite and is so underweight and frail and bones break so easily...... was possibly the 5-6 diet cokes her 11 year old was consuming. She stood strong that their doctor said diet was better than regular. ({SIGH}) To each his own I guess....

While we are on the topic of artificial sweetners, so I don't post a whole new topic, I was wondering about kids and these sweetners....

When I was a kid I remember that we were never allowed diet soda or food. Granted I had a super unhealthy upbringing of processed foods and spoonfulls of sugar over cornflakes, strawberries, and in kool-aide, but this was a rule that was drilled into our heads. I remember our family doctor talking about these things causing developmental problems in children. Its always stuck in my head that kids shouldn't have these things even though it "seems" better than actual sugar.

I've noticed ALOT lately that so many kids, like uder 12, drink 'Diet' sodas. I even had a friend who made her kids milkshakes from slimfast because she thought it was better than an actual milkshake.

Regardless of whether my childhood doctor was right or not, I would never allow my child to have these things. I stand strong that whole foods are the only way to go and if it has to go through a factory, its not meant to be consumed for healths sake. But I am curious if there is evidence that these artificial sweeteners are actually causing problems in the development of our youth? When I suggested to a friend that maybe the reason her son gets sick all the time and has such a poor appetite and is so underweight and frail and bones break so easily...... was possibly the 5-6 diet cokes her 11 year old was consuming. She stood strong that their doctor said diet was better than regular. ({SIGH}) To each his own I guess....

I agree - there is an epidemic now of kids consuming entirely too much sugar artificial and real. I know people who give their kids crystal light, and diet sodas all the time several times a day - thinking well it has to be better than kool-aid or regular soda - well yes they are "Sugar" free, but they contain so many added chemicals that are far worse than sugar. If you're looking for something for your kids to drink why not try WATER? My 5 year old gets nothing to drink except skim milk, water, and diluted 100% juice - I don't even give him straight juice and guess what he likes it better that way. On special occasions he will get to have a soda - like birthday parties - but that is rare! If I buy him juice boxes for traveling we get either juicy juice or capri sun roaring waters. He has never had a cavity and is very healthy for a 5 year old. I hear from other parents all the time about how often their kids are sick or that they've already had two or three cavities and I just want to go into this lecture about what they are allowing their kids to eat or drink.....Anyway sorry to go off on this little tangent, but the nutrition of kids today is a little pet peeve of mine :ohwell: