Splenda: Yes or no?

crlyxx
crlyxx Posts: 186 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I haven't heard too much terrible regarding it, compared to Equal/Sweet n' Low, etc. but what do you guys think? I've been putting it in my lattes just so I wouldn't have to deal with those extra calories that come with sugar or honey, but is it all that great, really? I've heard better ravings for stevia lately. Would that be a better alternative?

Replies

  • missshadowlovely
    missshadowlovely Posts: 50 Member
    I try to use natural sweeteners in place of it, but some times it can't be avoided.
    I'm ALWAYS catching grief from people for drinking and eating things with Splenda because it's supposedly terrible for you.
    But I think like most things, you're gonna hear both sides of the argument. :\
  • gillesse
    gillesse Posts: 66 Member
    I personally stay away from artificial sweeteners. I'd rather have extra calories from honey than using splenda or the like. But that's just my personal preference.
  • sarahg148
    sarahg148 Posts: 701 Member
    I just went from Equal to Splenda. I heard Splenda isn't AS bad for you...but I could be wrong. :ohwell:
  • Casilibre
    Casilibre Posts: 21
    I live in Mexico, and it's the only sugar alternative I've found. I eat it daily in my morning coffee, the Quaker oatmeal I eat has it also. I am still alive & losing weight. Everything in moderation. I think they feed the lab rats like 7000X the normal serving to see what happens....
  • LavenderBouquet
    LavenderBouquet Posts: 736 Member
    I think the key is to use any kind of artificial sweetener as little as possible. Personally, I think that Stevia is getting all the attention right now because it's new, not because it's necessarily better in any way.
  • quiltlovinlisa
    quiltlovinlisa Posts: 1,710 Member
    I heard on the news (and of course I have no links or anything to support this) that the chemical make up never breaks down, meaning it goes right through you, into the sewer systems and eventually into the environment which frankly scares the crap out of me.

    For that reason alone, I avoid it like the plague. The thought of accumulating artificial chemicals on our delicate ecosystem just makes me ill. Personally I've been using liquid stevia when I want to use a non-calorie option to sweeten my tea.
  • olDave
    olDave Posts: 557 Member
    All you can do is try it and see if you like it.:tongue:
  • quiltlovinlisa
    quiltlovinlisa Posts: 1,710 Member
    I think the key is to use any kind of artificial sweetener as little as possible. Personally, I think that Stevia is getting all the attention right now because it's new, not because it's necessarily better in any way.

    Stevia has been around for years, it's just now getting popular. The difference with stevia is it's truly a more natural alternative with the source of sweetness coming from plants and not a lab.
  • Cassea7
    Cassea7 Posts: 181 Member
    YeS Stevia is all natural and is ZERO calories..It will not harm your body

    I ate artificial sweetners for many years and i believe that they caused me many health problems..
    I advise staying clear of them completely
  • HeidiCooksSupper
    HeidiCooksSupper Posts: 3,839 Member
    I've consumed many artificial sweeteners over the years but I now avoid them except in an occasional Diet Coke. There is research out there that, at least for some of us, artificial sweeteners are a hunger trigger. The body gets the trigger of sweetness and gets all fired up to digest food. When nothing digestible is forthcoming, hunger rages. I found this was true for me. I allow myself an occasional Diet Coke but I talk to tummy/brain about it and tell it to cool it about the hunger. On evenings I don't think it's a fight I can win, I avoid the Diet Coke. Unsweetened, flavored seltzers overcome the soda cravings.
  • Jonesie1984
    Jonesie1984 Posts: 612 Member
    I use it. I'm sure compared to all the other crap food I was putting in my body before I still have to be doing better than I was lol.. moderation is the key in anything.
  • fluffy925
    fluffy925 Posts: 93 Member
    Works good for me :smile:
  • rayvynn5374
    rayvynn5374 Posts: 272 Member
    A little story. About 12 years ago my husband and i started using Splenda in coffee or tea. Fast forward to 7 years ago, husband got extremely sick was in hospital for 17 days. Continued use of splenda. about 5 years ago I got sick went to many specialists finally wound up having 2 sphincter of odditomys performed. Continued use. Immediately after the first SOD I became EXTREMELY allergic to berries, bananas, and tomatoes. Continued use of Splenda. About 2 years ago my husband came across a news article that listed the many side effects. Hum..gastro issues and sudden food allergies. Stopped use and within 6 months we have had no more gastro problems or food allergies. Coincidence???
    Splenda is made with Chlorine like they put in a swimming pool. It doesn't digest and well we aren't meant to consume chlorine. 10 years of consuming chlorine..I could have filled a swimming pool... Olympic sized!
    Also to note a lot of citrus drinks contain Bromeniated Vegetable Oil or BVO. I put bromine in my hot tub DAILY!!!
  • hyenagirl
    hyenagirl Posts: 206 Member
    I use it in my coffee, on some berries, or in a smoothie. Doesn't trigger hunger for me.
  • Rocknut53
    Rocknut53 Posts: 1,794 Member
    Sweets have always been my downfall. Since starting this trip in January I have pretty much weaned myself from sugary foods and have found no need to add artificial sweeteners as a substitute. I do like a little honey or agave syrup in my tea, moderation!
  • mkinney07
    mkinney07 Posts: 66 Member
    Artificial sweeteners can be bad for you long-term. They have carcinogenic qualities. Also, like sugar, artificial sweeteners raise insulin levels in your body. Though they are less than 1 calorie per serving, like carbs and sugars, when your insulin levels rise quickly, it triggers your body to store fat. I would suggest using stevia. I hear that it does not spike your insulin levels like other artificial sweeteners. I also like to use natural sweeteners like honey or agave nectar. Though it isn't calorie free, it is lower calorie than sugar.
  • JoanB5
    JoanB5 Posts: 610 Member
    Stevia is plant based and a natural sweetener, not an artificial one. It may have a few calories, I don't recall.

    Splenda: yes for me, for my short-term dieting needs. I don't have extra calories to waste, and I only use it for coffee and tea. I figure it's better than colas.

    I hope to transition to stevia and natural sweeteners after I get to goal and move toward maintenance.
  • rdarabos
    rdarabos Posts: 2 Member
    if you do not like artificial sweeteners, use honey the body breaks that down differently then sugar , or use just plain sugar its only 15 cal per tsp. and watch how much you use
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
    There is Splenda in the Pepsi Next that I drink, and so far I haven't noticed any crazy side effects.

    I think it affects everyone differently to be honest. My mom can't have Aspartame because she's allergic. I, on the other hand, can have almost all artificial sweeteners and have no adverse reactions.
  • bluntlysally
    bluntlysally Posts: 150 Member
    i used to use splenda a LOT = too much. my insides suffered for sure. had to do some prep work for all of the digestive tests (medical) i was having done and cut out splenda by chance. i think the fact that i didn't go back to it plus started taking pro-biotics is what finally got my insides better.

    so, i can't really recommend splenda by name. if you do choose to use it, please use it sparingly.

    i've recently started using truvia (a version of stevia) and haven't had any problems yet - but i am using it MUCH more sparingly.

    i use the powdered drink mixes (crystal light, etc) so they have a little bit of artificial sweeteners in them. having max two single packets a day isn't that much (and i use 32 oz of water per each). i am not a water drinker, so i have to get myself to drink somehow!
  • stealthq
    stealthq Posts: 4,298 Member
    A little story. About 12 years ago my husband and i started using Splenda in coffee or tea. Fast forward to 7 years ago, husband got extremely sick was in hospital for 17 days. Continued use of splenda. about 5 years ago I got sick went to many specialists finally wound up having 2 sphincter of odditomys performed. Continued use. Immediately after the first SOD I became EXTREMELY allergic to berries, bananas, and tomatoes. Continued use of Splenda. About 2 years ago my husband came across a news article that listed the many side effects. Hum..gastro issues and sudden food allergies. Stopped use and within 6 months we have had no more gastro problems or food allergies. Coincidence???
    Splenda is made with Chlorine like they put in a swimming pool. It doesn't digest and well we aren't meant to consume chlorine. 10 years of consuming chlorine..I could have filled a swimming pool... Olympic sized!
    Also to note a lot of citrus drinks contain Bromeniated Vegetable Oil or BVO. I put bromine in my hot tub DAILY!!!

    Yes, we are meant to consume chlorine. It is one of the major minerals found in the body and necessary for digestion among other things. We consume it through eating salt (NaCl), and through eating many vegetables. It is not the same thing as drinking the chlorine in the pool, which is mostly in the form of calcium hypochlorite or drinking bleach, which is sodium hypochlorite.

    Having a chlorine atom in a molecule of sucralose (Splenda) does not make it unhealthy.
  • kjm3579
    kjm3579 Posts: 3,974 Member
    A couple of years ago I tried Splenda -- got sick at work and had to have my son take me home. I finally vomited a sticky white glob and my system immediately felt better. No more Splenda for me.
  • links_slayer
    links_slayer Posts: 1,151 Member
    Artificial sweeteners can be bad for you long-term. They have carcinogenic qualities.

    lololololololol
  • bookyeti
    bookyeti Posts: 544 Member
    Can't handle it... tried it a few times but gave me horrible cramps.
  • Cassea7
    Cassea7 Posts: 181 Member
    Please dont eat splenda!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    ..its a chemical and can really do damge to you..I ate 4 to 8 packs a day and i ended up with migraines and ruined my stomach lining and developed allergies to many many foods. I had hives almost everyday and was in the hospital many times.

    its taken 4 years to undo the damage..Through probiotics and l glutamine and a clean diet. I can eat most foods now safely ..but peanuts are still a no no:flowerforyou:
  • badtastebetty
    badtastebetty Posts: 326 Member
    Rather than supplement sweetness, try to train your palette to handle unsweetened foods and drinks, and then when you do want something sweet go for an all natural source that will have nutritional value (honey, maple syrup) and the calories won't be so bad.
  • Christie0428
    Christie0428 Posts: 221 Member
    I don't touch it (or any artificial sweetener), I regard them as poison!

    you are far better to have a little of a natural sweetner like raw honey or maple syrup.
  • SabrinaLily
    SabrinaLily Posts: 121
    When I go to Dunkin Donuts I get an iced caramel (or mocha) latte lite with Splenda added. Truly, everyone has different opinions about artificial sweetners and there's always some study out there that says they cause cancer. My opinion- it's better than the sugar I would normally have in it. I don't have time to sweat about every minute detail of what I eat. If I was so concerned, I'd have a garden in my back yard and just eat what I grew. Lol. Right now I just want to stay under calories but still enjoy the food I'm eating and guess what, Splenda helps me do just that. Good enough I say, at least for me! :):):)

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