Scary article about Splenda

Onesnap
Onesnap Posts: 2,819 Member
edited September 26 in Food and Nutrition
Real sugar or agave is always a good option if you can.

Do you eat Splenda? If so, check this out:

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/04/26/major-media-finally-exposes-splendas-lies.aspx

"Worse, other research has shown that artificial sweeteners might contribute to weight gain ... [when the] sweet taste is not accompanied by the calories (energy) our brain expects it to be, the complex systems our bodies have to regulate energy balance may be thrown off kilter. The result is that a diet high in artificial sweeteners may possibly, over time, cause people to seek out more calories from other sources".

Replies

  • hdchic78
    hdchic78 Posts: 31 Member
    this is weird...... I find it funny that everyone I know obsessed with DIET coke is considerably heavier than myself (a Coca-Cola addict, one a day, every day - wrong, I know, but still) and they are always telling me it's no fair that I can drink Coke and they have to drink the Diet -- however, they are washing down their chocolate cake with Diet Coke, while my plain coke is just the sweet treat I need after a 4+ mile run........ I vote for real sugar!
  • Elizabeth_C34
    Elizabeth_C34 Posts: 6,376 Member
    Splenda makes me so sick. I can't eat that stuff at all or I am cramping or on the toilet all day long. I stay away from all artificial sweeteners now.
  • ClarkMer
    ClarkMer Posts: 206 Member
    I have heard good and bad things about artificial sweeteners and real sugar. From what I can tell Real sugar is the way to go.
  • javarushed
    javarushed Posts: 218 Member
    I plan to eventually cut down on my splenda, but its pretty far down on my priority list. Things made with sugar are too sweet for me now and I'm going to tackle my sodium levels first.
  • Onesnap
    Onesnap Posts: 2,819 Member
    Fake sugar is actually 100s of times sweeter than real sugar.
  • Onesnap
    Onesnap Posts: 2,819 Member
    Elizabeth_C34, me too! I also get headaches from fake sugar and my doctor said to stay away.
  • bast2112
    bast2112 Posts: 63
    I've never been able to have artificial sweetners. They taste weird and give me a headache.

    I just go back to the tried and true: EVERYTHING IN MODERATION.

    I try to avoid corn syrup as well and use cane sugar whenever possible.

    Mexican Coke anyone? OMG, yum!
  • sweetsarahj
    sweetsarahj Posts: 701 Member
    Yep I have cut out all artificial sweeteners since I noticed I would have have wicked sugar cravings about 15 mintues are I ate them. Even chewing gum... miss that :'(
  • Atlantique
    Atlantique Posts: 2,484 Member
    Real sugar or agave is always a good option if you can.

    Do you eat Splenda? If so, check this out:

    http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/04/26/major-media-finally-exposes-splendas-lies.aspx

    "Worse, other research has shown that artificial sweeteners might contribute to weight gain ... [when the] sweet taste is not accompanied by the calories (energy) our brain expects it to be, the complex systems our bodies have to regulate energy balance may be thrown off kilter. The result is that a diet high in artificial sweeteners may possibly, over time, cause people to seek out more calories from other sources".

    First, agave nectar actually has more fructose in it than HFCS, so it's no bargain. And it's FAR from being 'natural'.

    And second, I don't trust anything from Mercola. Everything on their site, even when it purports to be 'educational', is there to sell you one of their products. They don't write about anything that doesn't enable them to sell something.

    While it's been theorized that artificial sweeteners can lead to weight gain, I've never seen it proven. But I do agree that it's better to train yourself out of your swet tooth and use all sweeteners sparingly, rather than keep yourself primed to only enjoy super-sweet items. If you only enjoy things that are REALLY sweet, you'll consume a ot of sugars when you can't find your artificial sweetener.
  • Onesnap
    Onesnap Posts: 2,819 Member
    I can't have fake sweeteners anyway, so it's a non-issue for me.
  • FearAnLoathing
    FearAnLoathing Posts: 4,852 Member
    I drink diet soda all the time and NEVER crave sweets.Not only that ive lost 50 pounds so im not worried about it
  • anubis609
    anubis609 Posts: 3,966 Member
    Splenda?!

    w220184385.jpg
  • shadow3829
    shadow3829 Posts: 103 Member
    I've drank Dt.Coke for years with none of the scary side effects. I don't over do them, 1 a day at the most 2. They are not a trigger for me. Everyone is different.
  • misschoy
    misschoy Posts: 125 Member
    I've never been able to have artificial sweetners. They taste weird and give me a headache.

    I just go back to the tried and true: EVERYTHING IN MODERATION.

    I try to avoid corn syrup as well and use cane sugar whenever possible.

    Mexican Coke anyone? OMG, yum!

    Mexican Coke?! BEST THING EVERRRRRR!
  • FitPhysique
    FitPhysique Posts: 284 Member
    I've tried Splenda though it does not taste as bad as Aspartame but it still has an after taste. I've been going back to natural sugar just like everything else has to be done in moderation.
  • Kirsty_UK
    Kirsty_UK Posts: 964 Member
    Hey onesnap, I thought you might be interested in this link.

    http://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/eat-better-live-healthier/everyday-nutrition/50-seemingly-healthy-foods-that-are-bad-

    Dont just read the list of foods though, read why, and what versions are better, or good for you.

    "Diet Soda

    The word "diet" doesn't always equal healthy, and that's certainly the case for diet soda. Made with artificial ingredients and flavorings, it's not only unnatural and high in sodium, but regular diet soda drinkers have been shown to eat more calories after consuming diet cola. While the reasons aren't fully understood, researchers suspect it's the body's way of making up for calories it thinks it received in the diet soda but didn't."
  • Gabby215
    Gabby215 Posts: 69
    @Phil_McRotch Yea! Fry FTW!!!!

    I used to use agave until I heard some criticism so I use honey now in as many things as I can, even my coffee!
  • Gabby215
    Gabby215 Posts: 69
    Hey onesnap, I thought you might be interested in this link.

    http://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/eat-better-live-healthier/everyday-nutrition/50-seemingly-healthy-foods-that-are-bad-

    Dont just read the list of foods though, read why, and what versions are better, or good for you.

    "Diet Soda

    The word "diet" doesn't always equal healthy, and that's certainly the case for diet soda. Made with artificial ingredients and flavorings, it's not only unnatural and high in sodium, but regular diet soda drinkers have been shown to eat more calories after consuming diet cola. While the reasons aren't fully understood, researchers suspect it's the body's way of making up for calories it thinks it received in the diet soda but didn't."

    That is frightening! My mom is a Diet Coke addict (like a case every two weeks) and can never seem to lose weight. I'm going to try to convince her to give up the DC...
  • ashleymcquown
    ashleymcquown Posts: 80
    I can absolutely attest to this. I've put on considerable weight while using Splenda and other artificial sweeteners. I quit cold turkey a few weeks ago. I miss my diet coke but switching over to stevia and xylitol has helped a bit. On that note, does anyone know if these natural low calorie sweeteners will inhibit weight loss?
  • irridia
    irridia Posts: 527 Member
    stevia baby! and none of that truvia, purvia crap (via coca-cola and pepsi-cola respectively) they use alchahol sugar = bad
  • adhillman01
    adhillman01 Posts: 206
    I would think they would halt your weight loss as much as aspartame or sucralose (splenda). They are things that are sweet that contain no calories. So by the logic that not getting calories when you taste something sweet causes you to eat more, they would have the same problem as the other non-calorie sweeteners. But I don't know that splenda or aspartame actually will hurt your weight loss in the first place. There is a correlation that people who drink artificially sweetened beverages tend to be heavier, but heavy people may be more likely to drink low cal stuff than light people. It may not be the sweetener CAUSING the obesity. Also, they have done studies in rats and when the rats are fed artificial sweeteners they tend to consume more calories. But if you control your calories this may not be a problem.
  • AnneMK5
    AnneMK5 Posts: 110
    Regular sodas have high fructose corn syrup which is not regular sugar. There have recently been the retro sodas that have real sugar and not hfcs but I have't seen them sticking around in the stores. I think they were just for a limited time. hfcs is just as bad as the fake sweeteners and it's in just about EVERYTHING. I don't drink soda of any kind.
    When I want my tea sweetened I use stevia.
  • mrs_mouse
    mrs_mouse Posts: 24
    I've been having this debate for about 10 years on the weight watchers message boards... artificial ANYTHING should be avoided in large quantities. I can't stand the taste of aspartame and splenda, so it's not difficult for me to avoid them, but there are too many scary studies about aspartame for me to touch it with a ten foot pole, and have you read about how splenda is made???

    Aspartame is alllll chemicals, and has been linked to brain tumors... I also know a lot of people that have side effects (like headaches, digestive issues) that have gone away when they cut out Aspartame.

    Sucralose is supposed to be better because its "made from sugar"... How exactly does one take the calories out of sugar???? Just because it starts with a natural ingredient doesn't make it good for you... that's like saying McDonalds burgers can't be unhealthy because they're "made from beef"... lol...

    Has anyone done any research on Xylitol? It's a sugar product made from something other than sugar cane, that is recommended for diabetics etc because apparently you metabolize it differently and it is therefore low GL?? Can anyone weigh in?
  • Atlantique
    Atlantique Posts: 2,484 Member
    Has anyone done any research on Xylitol? It's a sugar product made from something other than sugar cane, that is recommended for diabetics etc because apparently you metabolize it differently and it is therefore low GL?? Can anyone weigh in?

    The one big thing I know about Xylitol, which I only mention because all the folks who have mentioned it in this thread have dogs in their avatars, is that it will KILL your dog!

    If you ever even think that your dog may have eaten some xylitol, rush to the emergency vet!

    http://www.petplace.com/dogs/is-chewing-gum-toxic-to-your-pet/page1.aspx

    http://www.petplace.com/dogs/xylitol-can-be-toxic-to-dogs/page1.aspx
  • pyroxian
    pyroxian Posts: 99
    I've never been able to have artificial sweetners. They taste weird and give me a headache.

    I just go back to the tried and true: EVERYTHING IN MODERATION.

    I try to avoid corn syrup as well and use cane sugar whenever possible.

    Mexican Coke anyone? OMG, yum!

    Mexican Coke?! BEST THING EVERRRRRR!


    +1
    That and Pepsi Throwback and Mt Dew Throwback. Yuummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.
    (250+ calories a bottle for the 20oz'ers though!)
  • kensky
    kensky Posts: 472 Member
    ...
    And second, I don't trust anything from Mercola. Everything on their site, even when it purports to be 'educational', is there to sell you one of their products. They don't write about anything that doesn't enable them to sell something.

    ^^
    THIS!
  • RMinVA
    RMinVA Posts: 1,085 Member

    Real sugar or agave is always a good option if you can.

    I don't drink sodas of any sort and I don't use enough of the artificial stuff to worry about it.

    IMO, if you can find it, raw honey is the way to go. Not to mention the potential benefits of allergy relief if you buy locally. Agave is processed in a manner similar to HFCS. And while regular honey is also processed, there just aren't quite as many steps.

    Aside from the lack of calorie "hit," the other purported issue w/artificial sweeteners is that they skew the perception of sweet. So people eat more sugar laden foods to satisfy that need for sweet. While others are easily satisfied w/a small piece of chocolate or fruit. Then there is the issue of WHAT you eat your diet coke with...cheeseburger and fries w/a diet coke ring a bell to anyone? We probably all did it at some point...had to save 100 calories somewhere. Never mind that ditching the fries would have probably been a better option. :-)
  • Lazyboy09
    Lazyboy09 Posts: 190 Member
    "Diet Soda

    The word "diet" doesn't always equal healthy, and that's certainly the case for diet soda. Made with artificial ingredients and flavorings, it's not only unnatural and high in sodium, but regular diet soda drinkers have been shown to eat more calories after consuming diet cola. While the reasons aren't fully understood, researchers suspect it's the body's way of making up for calories it thinks it received in the diet soda but didn't."

    Really? 40mb in my diet coke is high in sodium?

    While diet soda does not contain salt, IF the sodium in it were derived from salt, there are 2300 milligrams in one teaspoon of table salt. So: 40/590x0.25 = 0.016... (or about 1/32nd of a teaspoon of salt worth of sodium)

    1 cup of chopped raw carrot has 88 mg of sodium and a medium stalk of celery has 32 mg. One cup of cubed raw sweet potato has 73 mg of sodium. *Source: http://www.livestrong.com/article/390242-low-sodium-and-no-sodium-dinners-snacks/#ixzz1KkK5VAZr

    I've also experienced no discernible change in my diet on days where I drink many diet colas vs days when I drink none.
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