Advice on Sweetener

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eoberle27
eoberle27 Posts: 14 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hello! I'm pretty new to this app (been on less than a month!) and I'm still adjusting to the healthy eating. Thing is, I love tea and it's just awful drinking it without sugar. Are no calorie sweeteners such as Splenda or Stevia a viable alternative? Or more natural substitutes like Agave Necter or Honey?

Any advice is very appreciated, thanks!
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Replies

  • stevencloser
    stevencloser Posts: 8,911 Member
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    If you don't want calories and you don't mind the taste, use sweeteners.
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
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    Sweeten it with whatever tastes the best to you, just remember to log whatever you use.

    Personally, I don't like the bitterness of stevia. I do use Splenda for some things because I prefer the taste over other artificial sweeteners.

    There really isn't a better or worse option as far as natural sweeteners are concerned, all types of sugar get used by the body the same way. Agave nectar is actually worse than high fructose corn syrup as far as fructose is concerned. Brown sugar is white sugar with molasses added back in. Honey is a combination of glucose and fructose. Maple syrup is mostly sucrose. Table sugar is sucrose. Demerara sugar is sucrose with some of the molasses left in it (and is my personal favorite in tea).
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,565 Member
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    As long as they don't make you sick (some people can be affected by them), they're fine.
  • fidangul
    fidangul Posts: 673 Member
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    I can't drink tea or coffee without the sweet taste so I use sweetener. Honey has quite a bit of calories and my total calorie for the day(only for hot beverages) will be really high so I probably won't have room for other things.
  • tennisdude2004
    tennisdude2004 Posts: 5,609 Member
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    There's nothing unhealthy about sweetners, they do not spike insulin (as some may suggest). If you like the taste they are a low cal alternative to full fat (and yes I know they replace sugar - carb, it's just an expression).
  • DoreenaV1975
    DoreenaV1975 Posts: 567 Member
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    I prefer real sugar but since I don't have a lot of room for calories, I use the no calorie sweeteners. I say if you have room, use the real stuff... but if not, the sweeteners are fine. FYI - I drink coffee every day, sometimes 2 times a day, and occasionally a cup of tea...
  • DoreenaV1975
    DoreenaV1975 Posts: 567 Member
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    Oh great.. I killed another thread... Hahahahahahahaha!!!
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,488 Member
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    I use truvia or pure via at home. Out and about I use splenda usually. Just depends on how you personally feel about artificial sweetners.
  • TnTWalter
    TnTWalter Posts: 345 Member
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    I like stevia. Truvia above is one brand. Splenda makes me sick. And don't like others based on my research.
  • AnaPaulaKayser
    AnaPaulaKayser Posts: 7 Member
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    Take a look at Lakanto. 0 calories - tastes like sugar!
    Not bad for you like Splenda!
  • debtay123
    debtay123 Posts: 1,327 Member
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    i use truvia or stevia- but my husband prefers splendar which is fine.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,996 Member
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    I love tea. I've gradually reduced my sugar in black tea so that now I am using 1 scant teaspoon for two tea bags of Earl Grey. I use 1/2 t for one bag of Twinings cold brewed peach. I don't need any sweetener for the Celestial Seasonings varieties that have stevia (I haven't had luck adding stevia myself.)
  • Meganthedogmom
    Meganthedogmom Posts: 1,639 Member
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    To me, Splenda is the best tasting in tea. Sometimes I use Truvia, or honey (which does have calories).
  • nordlead2005
    nordlead2005 Posts: 1,303 Member
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    I drink my tea with either no sweetener or with sugar. I don't care for the artificial stuff in my tea. I would use artificial sweeteners if I liked them. I use 3/4 cuo sugar and 1/8 cup lemon for 3 quarts of tea. So at least it has less calories than a can of soda.

    Agave or honey won't really save you calories. Agave might save a calorie or two as fructose is sweeter than glucose. Agave is ~90/10% fructose/glucose and, sucrose (table sugar) is ~50/50% fructose/glucose.

    So, use whatever you like the taste of and log the calories if applicable.
  • Leslierussell4134
    Leslierussell4134 Posts: 376 Member
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    I like the liquid stevia, it's not bitter like powdered versions. I buy the trader Joe's or Whole foods little bottle and keep it in my purse. Perfect for going out. Other sweeteners give me headaches, took me a long time to correlate, but now I won't go back to them or eat products with it in them.
  • eoberle27
    eoberle27 Posts: 14 Member
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    Hey, thanks for all the responses, guys! Seems like it's mostly up to preference. I think I'll just try a little of everything and see how it goes, lol!
  • OldHobo
    OldHobo Posts: 647 Member
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    I don't drink tea so maybe my experience isn't relevant to your situation, but I find that after a while, like maybe a month, my taste buds get used to change.

    My concession to the 90's Starbucks epidemic was to start adding creamer and sweetener. By the way, I'm proud to have never actually been inside a Starbucks. Early this year I decided to switch back to black coffee. It seemed like a sacrifice at first, but now, once again, I enjoy that strong, slightly bitter flavor and the idea of going back to "creme and sugar" not only doesn't tempt me, but seems downright unappealing.

    Similarly, I have gotten used to come to enjoy the tastes of beer, bourbon, broccoli, whole wheat flour, brown rice, yogurt, strong cheeses etc, etc, etc.
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
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    eoberle27 wrote: »
    Hey, thanks for all the responses, guys! Seems like it's mostly up to preference. I think I'll just try a little of everything and see how it goes, lol!

    That works. Just remember to log any calories!

  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
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    I like stevia, if it has calories, it's minimal. I have the powder and I have the actual plant

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