Any results from stopping artificial sweetners?

AngieDee12 · April 2011

I can't seem to get away from artificial sweetners, so I was hoping I might be motivated by anyone who had positive results when they got rid of them? I chew alot of sugar free gum, like sugar free hard candies, drink artificial sugar free drinks (crystal light etc)...not soda. I like sugar free jello's, Even some of my yogurts are artificially sweetened! I LOVE THE taste of sweetness, and don't want the cals...yet I have heard the research and how I am only hurting my diet/metab etc. ANYONE Stop, and are glad they did??

LMG0511 · April 2011

BUMP

starboardzor · April 2011

I'd like to know people's answers too. I quit soda for a couple months and was so proud of myself. I had always hated diet soda, but after quitting the sugary stuff for so long when I tried diet soda again I was like "Not so bad!" and now I drink it as much as I used to drink the regular kind. I want to give it up, but I don't... maybe some motivation from people's experiences will help...

liftingbro · April 2011

There is no evidance that artificial sweeteners affect matabolism at all. Just for the heck of it I tried 3 weeks without and three weeks with and lost the same amount of weight during both time spans.

Onesnap · April 2011

Yep. For me fake sugar is a headache inducer. I talked to my doctor about it and she said "don't eat it."

Also, I'm trying to avoid anything known to cause cancer and some fake sugar causes bladder cancer. So...it's real stuff for me all the way!

donicagalek · April 2011

I can't seem to get away from artificial sweetners, so I was hoping I might be motivated by anyone who had positive results when they got rid of them? I chew alot of sugar free gum, like sugar free hard candies, drink artificial sugar free drinks (crystal light etc)...not soda. I like sugar free jello's, Even some of my yogurts are artificially sweetened! I LOVE THE taste of sweetness, and don't want the cals...yet I have heard the research and how I am only hurting my diet/metab etc. ANYONE Stop, and are glad they did??

sugar free gum - Chew mint leaves?
sugar free hard candies - find an online source for maple candies?
drink artificial sugar free drinks - lemon juice, water, sweeten with honey/agave/stevia?
SF jello - packet of plain gelatin, packet of kool-aid, honey/agave/stevia?
yogurt - plain with honey/agave/stevia and frozen or fresh fruit

That being said, I'm a-ok with ALL artificials - but I'm willing to offer help if you're set on trying to avoid them. :-D *Everything* has a healthier alternative.

sarahbear1981 · April 2011

I stopped drinking diet cokes and now I don't get near as many head aches and I turn to water more often than anything else. Those were the benefits for me.

AngieDee12 · April 2011

Great advice! Thanks!

yoghurtand · April 2011

I quit artificial sweeteners cold turkey a while ago (was getting up to ten tablespoons per mug of tea/coffee - aka ridiculous). It had absolutely no affect on me whatsoever in terms of weight loss, but I was able to appreciate subtle natural sugars from fruits and veg more

lpm3925 · April 2011

A couple of links for you from some university backed research:

http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-drinks/sugary-vs-diet-drinks/

basically, take it easy, some studies actually show eight gain from the prolonged use of artificial sweetners.

http://tc.engr.wisc.edu/uer/uer98/author2/index.html

More about Aspartame specfic, including the fact that high levels can cause brain damage!

But really, how can a man made chemical compound be good for you? What nutrional value do these sweetners contain? As for success, my wife was a Diet Coke junky. She was loosing only 1 pound per week on a diet and exercise routine that should have her losing 2. She cut the diet soda, and her weight lose went to 2-3 pounds per week.

Becky1971 · April 2011

I think it's hard to know exactly sometimes, because often it's diet soda with caffeine, and i have personally tried to figure out which of these were causing many symptoms that I had. I have found in the past year, that I definitely had headaches caused from having diet caffeine free soda. And definitely it dries the heck out of my skin. Those two for sure I know were the aspartame.

liftingbro · April 2011

A couple of links for you from some university backed research:

http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-drinks/sugary-vs-diet-drinks/

basically, take it easy, some studies actually show eight gain from the prolonged use of artificial sweetners.

http://tc.engr.wisc.edu/uer/uer98/author2/index.html

More about Aspartame specfic, including the fact that high levels can cause brain damage!

But really, how can a man made chemical compound be good for you? What nutrional value do these sweetners contain? As for success, my wife was a Diet Coke junky. She was loosing only 1 pound per week on a diet and exercise routine that should have her losing 2. She cut the diet soda, and her weight lose went to 2-3 pounds per week.

With respect to to those studies that hint at artificial sweeteners and weight gain, the reality is that none of them actually prove anything. The ones I've read simply say that people who drink artificial sweetened beverages tend to be more overweight than people who don't. The didn't study why that it is, just that that's what the number shows. Personally, I think that if anything artificial sweeteners can make some people more hungery or make cravings worse for some and that is the answer.

I have not experienced increased hunger or cravings while drinking die pop.

lpm3925 · April 2011

Maybe true, but the first article I linked to actually has nothing to do with weight gain, but specfically the inherent stability or instabilty of aspartame, and how our bodies break it down. Chemically the brokedown aspartame has compounds, which in large quantities, is hazardous for humans. I don't know what a large quantity is, and I'm pretty sure no human would consum that much, but I'm back to my point. Which is, if it's not really contributing nutrionally to your diet, why use it? If you want something sweet eat real sugar in moderation, or use honey in moderation. So maybe the question shouldn't be is it bad or does it make me gain or stop me from losing weight? But, "Why do I eat nutrionally devoid foods?"

Atlantique · April 2011

I can't seem to get away from artificial sweetners, so I was hoping I might be motivated by anyone who had positive results when they got rid of them? I chew alot of sugar free gum, like sugar free hard candies, drink artificial sugar free drinks (crystal light etc)...not soda. I like sugar free jello's, Even some of my yogurts are artificially sweetened! I LOVE THE taste of sweetness, and don't want the cals...yet I have heard the research and how I am only hurting my diet/metab etc. ANYONE Stop, and are glad they did??

Wow! I don't think the problem is so much how your food is sweetened but that you have an astonishing sweet tooth! Do you also eat a lot of simple carbs like flour products, pasta, white potatoes, etc.?

If you could start cutting sweet and processed things out of your diet, your taste will change. When I lost this weight the first time, more than 25 years ago, I began with a vicious sweet tooth. I cut almost everything sweet out of my diet and within a few months, foods I used to love were disgustingly over-sweet to me and I never ate them again.

donicagalek · April 2011

So maybe the question shouldn't be is it bad or does it make me gain or stop me from losing weight? But, "Why do I eat nutrionally devoid foods?"

Because we're genetically programmed to find comfort and safety in things that taste sweet and not bitter. Our ancestors didn't make the cut because they contemplated asparagus being healthier than sugar cane. This probably won't be the case in the next few centuries, however.

RoseRDH · April 2011

Bump

pk_dalton · April 2011

My personal opinion is that artificial anything is not good for you in the long run. I tried some and got the headaches. I also read a few articles that it does mess with your metabolism. It basically tells your body that it doesn't need to function on it's own. My personal goal is to continue enjoying the foods that I love, but in smaller portions and less frequently.

Mommyof3texans · April 2011

Great question! I stopped adding splenda to my coffee about two weeks ago and I also stopped drinking diet coke. I don't think I've seen any real results I can attribute to cutting those out but I wasn't necessarily using a lot to begin with.

Becky1971 · April 2011

Again, I don't know if it was the sweetener or caffeine, but there definitely was an increase in hunger and cravings with it.

A couple of links for you from some university backed research:

http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-drinks/sugary-vs-diet-drinks/

basically, take it easy, some studies actually show eight gain from the prolonged use of artificial sweetners.

http://tc.engr.wisc.edu/uer/uer98/author2/index.html

More about Aspartame specfic, including the fact that high levels can cause brain damage!

But really, how can a man made chemical compound be good for you? What nutrional value do these sweetners contain? As for success, my wife was a Diet Coke junky. She was loosing only 1 pound per week on a diet and exercise routine that should have her losing 2. She cut the diet soda, and her weight lose went to 2-3 pounds per week.

With respect to to those studies that hint at artificial sweeteners and weight gain, the reality is that none of them actually prove anything. The ones I've read simply say that people who drink artificial sweetened beverages tend to be more overweight than people who don't. The didn't study why that it is, just that that's what the number shows. Personally, I think that if anything artificial sweeteners can make some people more hungery or make cravings worse for some and that is the answer.

I have not experienced increased hunger or cravings while drinking die pop.

laddyboy · April 2011

I can't seem to get away from artificial sweetners, so I was hoping I might be motivated by anyone who had positive results when they got rid of them? I chew alot of sugar free gum, like sugar free hard candies, drink artificial sugar free drinks (crystal light etc)...not soda. I like sugar free jello's, Even some of my yogurts are artificially sweetened! I LOVE THE taste of sweetness, and don't want the cals...yet I have heard the research and how I am only hurting my diet/metab etc. ANYONE Stop, and are glad they did??

sugar free gum - Chew mint leaves?
sugar free hard candies - find an online source for maple candies?
drink artificial sugar free drinks - lemon juice, water, sweeten with honey/agave/stevia?
SF jello - packet of plain gelatin, packet of kool-aid, honey/agave/stevia?
yogurt - plain with honey/agave/stevia and frozen or fresh fruit

That being said, I'm a-ok with ALL artificials - but I'm willing to offer help if you're set on trying to avoid them. :-D *Everything* has a healthier alternative.

184 lbs lost and you think you could post a decent picture. LOL
Super Job by the way.
I use Stevia in my yogurt, oatmeal, water, coffee and such. I also use fresh fruits like you suggested.
Good Advice.

AngieDee12 · April 2011

Yes, I have a sweet tooth! I do not eat white flour products, and seldom white potatoes, no white rice. Just whole grains...No added sugar to hardly a thing..just my own addition to of spenda, stevia...I am going to try and cut back, maybe my cravings will lessen.. Thanks for your insight.

AngieDee12 · April 2011

I would say the worst thing about diet soda...any soda...is the phosphoric acid. Our bodies tries to maintain an acid balance, and the soda throws it off. To try and keep our proper balance( as our body is very protective of our blood Ph.)...calcium is pulled from our bones to balance out what the phos. in soda does to this equilibrium! NOT good!!!! SO, for stong bones, decrease soda consumption!!!! When I learned of this I cut way down on my diet soda....Used to have 1-2 a day, now maybe 1-2 per week

jessicaj_824 · April 2011

I have had success with cutting out aspartame and sugar free gum. I have had IBS type symptoms for years. I knew I was lactose intolerant and recently found I couldn't tolerate most fruit. I went to a gastro for help since even after cutting out these foods I still did not feel 100% (or even close). She had me cut out all the various supplements I was taking, lower my fiber intake, cut diet soda and caffeine. I then told her that I had had the bad habit of chewing a pack of sf gum(sorbitol) a day and was drinking a jug of crystal light (aspartame) every day. She made me stop all of these things right away and this is what I found:
First: When I didn't chew gum I had none of the gas and bloating that I was thinking was a symptom of IBS. I have since read that this is very common and the sorbitol that sugar free gum is made from is a laxative.
Second: I had been taking diet pills for close to ten years and whenever I tried to stop my appetite would be through the roof. I had also tried cutting out aspartame in the past and never felt any difference so I would go back to using it regularly. When I cut out the diet pills AND the aspartame I found that not only was appetite not crazy but it actually seemed to go down.

I do have a sweet tooth and I am currenlty on a diet that limits my sugar to under 25 grams. I do notice that cutting out the real sugar has also helped keep my appetite down. I do always hear that real sugar and artificial sweetners will have the same effect on your insuling level and spike your appetite.
I use stevia when I do need sweetner as it is calorie free and not a chemical - this sweetner is also recommended by Dr. Oz.

TheDeviation · April 2011

Yep. For me fake sugar is a headache inducer. I talked to my doctor about it and she said "don't eat it."

I stopped drinking diet cokes and now I don't get near as many head aches and I turn to water more often than anything else. Those were the benefits for me.

That is the biggest complaint I hear from people who drink diet sodas. A friend of mine's blodd sugar plummets if he drinks diet coke and then does anythign physical.

I can't believe that artificial sweetners are a good thing in the amounts that some consume. Personally, I limit artificial sugars more than real sugars. Nature tends to know better than the chemists in the long run. Again, everything in moderation.

sugar free gum - Chew mint leaves?
sugar free hard candies - find an online source for maple candies?
drink artificial sugar free drinks - lemon juice, water, sweeten with honey/agave/stevia?
SF jello - packet of plain gelatin, packet of kool-aid, honey/agave/stevia?
yogurt - plain with honey/agave/stevia and frozen or fresh fruit

That being said, I'm a-ok with ALL artificials - but I'm willing to offer help if you're set on trying to avoid them. :-D *Everything* has a healthier alternative.

Good suggestions!

AngieDee12 · April 2011

yes, I think the gum, candy causes me to be bloated in the belly. I chew the gum too much, easy a pack a day. I am a nurse, and I asked our neuroligist at the hospital if she thought the artificial sweeteners were bad, she said the problem is way more with diabetes and real sugar...that sugar was for certain a problem in peoples diets....effects there blood sugar levels! However, it is my understanding that sugar free products do not impact our blood sugar, hence the reason diabetics are supposed to use the artif. sweetners instead. Thanks for you input!...once I ate too much sugar free candy, and my stomache was awful!!!! bloated and cramping! I am going to try and control this somewhat of a "sugar Like" addiction.

Any results from stopping artificial sweetners?

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