Anybody else given up artificial sweeteners?

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MandaJean83
MandaJean83 Posts: 677 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hey everyone :)

So I had a lot of success this past year in losing over 20 lbs, just by faithfully logging my food and upping my exercise. I'm a nurse, so my health is actually very important to me after seeing what years of abuse and neglect will do to a person's body. I work on an oncology floor, and have seen so much cancer in younger people lately. Super scary. It really got me thinking about whether or not it may be related to all the diet drinks and foods our generation tends to consume. I haven't read the research myself, but I've been told there has been a link. Either way, I feel like MAYBE 4 cans of diet coke a day, and two or three coffees with splenda is probably not benefitting me any.

So last month, I totally gave up all the splenda, sweet and low, stevia, etc. It has been super hard for me, and I've had to resort to putting sugar in my tea/coffee because I cannot drink them black to save my fricking life. LOL Not only is the urge to sip a diet coke hard to overcome, but I also felt extremely sluggish the first few weeks without consuming them. And some withdrawl headaches as well. LOL

Just wondering what other's experiences have been! Anyone else made the leap and given them up?
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Replies

  • MandaJean83
    MandaJean83 Posts: 677 Member
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    Awww, no one!? I guess it's just me! :) haha
  • singinghorse
    singinghorse Posts: 5
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    I personally gave up all artificial sweeteners years ago. Aspartame really screws with my anxiety. It took me a long time to figure that out, but I started doing some experimenting after reading a bunch about it and found a definite link for me. Splenda does not agree with my body at all... I can't digest it. Best case scenario, bloating. Worst case scenario, massive intestinal cramping and having to run to the bathroom.

    It's also been shown that artificial sweeteners can trigger an insulin release. Not good for those of us who have insulin issues.

    This isn't the exact study I was looking for to link to, but this is one shared to me by the veterinary specialist I consult with on my horse's insulin resistance. There have been more recent ones covering other sweeteners.

    http://ajpendo.physiology.org/content/238/4/E336.abstract
  • caribougal
    caribougal Posts: 865 Member
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    I eliminated them too. I do admit to sneaking a small glass of diet coke every few days, but way less than I did before. At first I put a tsp of honey in my coffee, but now I got used to drinking it unsweetened, and I prefer it that way now. I sometimes put about 1/2 tsp coconut manna in my coffee. It gives it a barely there nutty almost sweet taste and with my full fat cream makes a yummy coffee. Once I cut out all the added sugars, it makes my fruit and dark chocolate taste much sweeter and more satisfying. I don't feel guilty for enjoying them because I have so little sugar elsewhere in my daily diet. Bye bye sweeteners. Nice to have known you.
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
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    I never really drank them... They taste funny. Hang in there, it'll get better after awhile.
  • Mdin1029
    Mdin1029 Posts: 456 Member
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    This is a good idea. I use stevia at home in coffee every day, but to be honest at work they only have sweet n low, out and about they usually only have splenda. So I know I have one of these almost every day and I am going to try stopping and see how I feel.
  • mabstead
    mabstead Posts: 2
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    Hey - Another reason to give up artificial sweetners is new research that says they make you hungrier! I gave them up when I lost 20 pounds a few years ago. At first I missed diet coke - now not at all! I try to use honey in my tea. My mantra is "eat real food"! If I can give up diet coke - anyone can - good luck!
  • nothingwithoutHim
    nothingwithoutHim Posts: 140 Member
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    I used to be a queen of artificial sweeteners! LOL, I would put artificially sweetened flavored coffee syrups into my artificially sweetened pepsi! Oh man... Talk about SWEET! I used to love it though. I would chew sugar free gum on top of that, multiple pieces a day, and drink Snapple (the sugar free, artificially sweetened!) as well.

    I quit cold turkey about a year ago. No withdrawal symptoms, although it was hard for me to stop chewing gum. I feel SO MUCH BETTER now though. It's amazing how sluggish just consuming that type of junk makes you!

    I did, however, drink a HUGE Snapple about a week ago. LOL, guilty pleasure, but yes, I did have it. Feels good to have them every once in a while as a TREAT though, instead of regular every day occurrence.
  • MissJanet55
    MissJanet55 Posts: 457 Member
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    I've been really struggling with diet coke, usually four cans a day. I don't like the taste of coffee, so it's my only source of caffeine. It's a real struggle on days I wake up tired.

    A friend suggested I keep a jar and plop in money I save on days I drink less than four cans. This was genius, I've banked over $200 in no time, My goal is zero (four dollars a day!) - carbonated drinks have been implicated in osteoporosis
  • PennyLane75
    PennyLane75 Posts: 2
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    I'd like to cut them out completely also. I am convinced that artificial sweeteners give me headaches and an overall icky feeling.
  • Cyndi1
    Cyndi1 Posts: 484 Member
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    I use splenda years ago and said what am I doing... I am better off with real sugar and limiting that...at least I know what it is....people will say its real sugar...if its real sugar it wouldnt be called splenda...there is a chemical in there somewhere... I really only drink water and coffee....at home no sugar in coffee and out and about 1/2 tsp of sugar.... good luck . just remember every day is a new day and you are doing fine.
  • tz2187
    tz2187 Posts: 250 Member
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    I gave up Splenda about 2 weeks ago. I don't feel any different, but I have noticed I'm using about 100 calories a day in sugar for my tea and coffee. So I need to cut that down.
  • fitterpam
    fitterpam Posts: 3,086 Member
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    Just to be clear, Stevia isn't artificial - it doesn't raise your blood insulin levels and work on your body the way some others do.

    I have shifted to Xylitol - natural as well and has quite a few benefits (and has been around since the 1800s).

    Most of the time though, it's unsweetened for me. I have PCOS and so I have to be careful of the insulin rollercoaster. Once I get on, it's very tough for me to lose weight.
  • Sheirai
    Sheirai Posts: 79 Member
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    Nursing is usually a very busy, high stress work environment, and oncology can be particularly so. You have my admiration. I'm also a nurse (public health now, but I worked for a long time at the hospital), and I've used coffee, tea, and soda to stay alert and energetic, not to mention hydrated. I used to drink from 3-5 diet sodas a day, but I read some scary things about the possible safety artificial sweeteners, and cut them out of my diet about 3 years ago. (I know there are many that would argue that they are safe, but I'd rather not take the chance.) I'm still a bit of a caffeine fiend, so drink a lot of tea, and I use about a teaspoon of sugar per 10 oz cup. I don't eat a whole lot of sugar otherwise, and I log in the calories. When I want something sweet, I try to choose foods that are sweetened with sugar, molasses, honey, or occasionally stevia.
  • MandaJean83
    MandaJean83 Posts: 677 Member
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    Yes, I have read that carbonated sodas basically sap all of the calcium out of your bones, leading to osteoporosis. I will occasionally have a glass of regular coke, but otherwise NO soda for me.

    I am hoping that I am less hungry as a result of giving it up, but so far I feel like the hunger level is just about the same. I am curious about how artificial sweeteners will taste to me if I ever go back...maybe I'll find them gross after a while! I can only hope so!
  • familyties68
    familyties68 Posts: 1
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    I gave up artificial sweeteners 4 days ago. I've used them since I was 16, so this is quite a change. I have had headaches and some brain fog. I'm using raw sugar and coconut Palm sugar instead. My understanding is that artificial sweeteners cause inflammation which may block my body from assimilating and disposing nutrition properly. Have you heard anything like that before?
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
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    i give up nothing…

    but I actually prefer real sugar over stevia, artificial stuff, etc...
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
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    Hey - Another reason to give up artificial sweetners is new research that says they make you hungrier! I gave them up when I lost 20 pounds a few years ago. At first I missed diet coke - now not at all! I try to use honey in my tea. My mantra is "eat real food"! If I can give up diet coke - anyone can - good luck!

    links to said research?
  • MrsLannister
    MrsLannister Posts: 347 Member
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    I gave up artificial sweeteners in 2010. The withdraw I went through was worse than when I quite smoking. Headaches. Nausea. Mood swings. The whole bit.

    PS. Stevia is not artificial, no need to give that up.
  • AZ_Danny
    AZ_Danny Posts: 50 Member
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    i give up nothing…

    but I actually prefer real sugar over stevia, artificial stuff, etc...

    Likewise. I avoid them but only because sugar tastes better
  • angellmoore
    angellmoore Posts: 72 Member
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    Hey - Another reason to give up artificial sweetners is new research that says they make you hungrier! I gave them up when I lost 20 pounds a few years ago. At first I missed diet coke - now not at all! I try to use honey in my tea. My mantra is "eat real food"! If I can give up diet coke - anyone can - good luck!

    links to said research?

    Here is what I found about artificial sweeteners and weight gain/loss.

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2892765/

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