Artificial Sweeteners

I use Hermesetas, which is saccharine. This one suits me better than the others. The other types make me feel..'odd.' I cant quite explain how.

Anecdotally, a friend switched from real sugar to Stevia (cos it was 'natural') and ended up having a flare up of some liver issue he has.

Listen to your body, whichever route you choose.

Pick the one you like the taste of.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Precisely this.

I have tried most of the artificial sweeteners now. Stevia tastes gross to me and leaves a bitter after taste. Monk fruit does, too. Asparteme is 'meh'. I need to use a LOT of it for it to taste 'right' to me. I tend to lean toward sucralose. I go all by taste, though. If I don't like something, I'm not going to use it.

They say that stevia and monk fruit extract are the lesser of the evils. I don't know for certain that this is or isn't true, but it's worth noting. Still, they both taste... horrible to me. You might like the taste, though.

I love, love, love truvia and its all natural - its a mixture of erithytol and stevia! There is a little after taste but after a while it goes away. I love that its natural and not splenda or aspartame or sweet and low....my favorite no calorie drink it water - 3 true lemon drink packet and 5 packets of truvia in a 32 oz container....so freshing!

In my quest to get my weight under control, one obvious target to be cut is the empty calories in sugar. While reducing sugar intake is desirable, and while I have already cut back significantly on the sugar I'm adding, I'm not ready to give up on sweetener of some type in my coffee or tea, for example. Any thoughts on which is the lesser evil? Sucralose (e.g., Splenda), Aspartame (e.g., Equal, NutraSweet) or Stevia (e.g., PureVia, TruVia)?

Stevia in moderation! I use 1/2 to 1 a day on average.

I use truvia in my coffee in the morning. other than that I don't really use sweeteners in anything.

I recommend that you experiment and see which one you like the best and stick with it.

I used to think artificial sweeteners were good because of the reduced calories. After years of sweet cravings, pain, and overall not doing well I decided to get off them all together. I use Stevia in my coffee and have to say the after taste does subside once you use it a few times. My pain level has almost completely gone away, my sugar cravings are almost non-existent and I have lost 25 pounds because I am now eating healthier and able to participate in various exercises because of the lower pain levels.
Not sure why it impacted my body in this way, but I can say that I feel a whole lot healthier when I stay with the natural stuff.

Nobody linked this yet? Hmm, well, here you go:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1308408-why-aspartame-isn-t-scary

1. Whichever taste you like the most
2. Whichever doesn't give you an odd reaction like a headache, etc.

Personally I like Aspartame. I use Equal or Sugar in my coffee.

EDT: Oh my how could I forget Aaron's thread:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1308408-why-aspartame-isn-t-scary

Just in case you missed it the first time...

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1308408-why-aspartame-isn-t-scary

They came out with a substitute (I read it as an advertisement in Oxygen magazine- a fitness read) that is genuinely supposed to taste like sugar without being artificial (as in, chemical that is). I wish I could remember the name offhand! But I'm sure if you look around you can find it.

Also, being a scientist, of all the sweeteners out there- I use Splenda. It's just real sugar with a chlorine molecule passed through it. Legit, it's probably in less of an amount than our tap water nowadays. People using Splenda for EVERYTHING, such as those who drink a 12 pack of diet sodas a day and then have little Weight Watcher muffins or something, CAN risk having too much chlorine in their bodies, which will make you feel super icky.

That being said, if it's just for coffee (which is exactly what I use it for myself) you're safe! Plus, it just tastes better than the others!

I use Stevia for my iced tea sometimes. Most of the time, I don't sweeten it but every now and then I want a little sweetness. I use flavored creamer in my coffee and the sugar in that is plenty for me so I don't add anything else.

I personally stay away from aspartame, my son and I both seem to have reactions to it.

Good luck