Sugar or Sweeteners?

mick804
mick804 Posts: 2 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I love a couple of cups of sweet black coffee in the mornings but am unsure what would be best to use to make it sweet now I am on a calorie focused diet. There are many confusing and contradicting articles?

Replies

  • RuNaRoUnDaFiEld
    RuNaRoUnDaFiEld Posts: 5,864 Member
    I'd use sweetner because of the calories. Most reports are just scare mongering without any scientific basis.
  • Lourdesong
    Lourdesong Posts: 1,492 Member
    I use artificial sweetener. Sugar doesn't have a ton of calories, but it would require a lot of sugar to get the same amount of sweetness of one packet of sweet and low. Sugar also doesn't mix very well making the last 1/4 cup left in my mug undrinkable, but what annoys me most is that sugar coats my teeth with a film and I really dislike that sensation.

    So that's why I prefer artificial sweetener. If you prefer sugar, just log it and fit it into your goals. There's lots of scare-mongering about both sugar and artificial sweetener, it's noise.
  • weblucas
    weblucas Posts: 1 Member
    Use steviol. The others are harmful to our body. There are plenty of Studies that indicate this
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    weblucas wrote: »
    Use steviol. The others are harmful to our body. There are plenty of Studies that indicate this

    To the contrary; there are plenty of studies which prove it's completely safe:

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1308408/why-aspartame-isnt-scary/p1

    As to the OP - I have no issues/reservations about artificial sweeteners and nearly always choose them over regular sugar simply for the calorie count.
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    I would choose sugar, but I don't like the aftertaste of any of the artificial sweeteners I have tried. I would work on reducing the amount I used though, because of the number of calories it could be adding.
  • kgirlhart
    kgirlhart Posts: 5,152 Member
    I use sugar. At 15 calories per teaspoon I can easily fit it in. I drink two cups every morning with 2 tsp sugar and 2 tbsp half and half. I don't like artificial sweeteners. I don't think they taste good and they give me a headache. I don't drink sweet tea and I rarely drink soft drinks so I don't think a little sugar in my coffee is going to derail my weight loss. I would cut down to one cup a day or even completely cut out my coffee if I was worried about it. I would rather not drink coffee than use artificial sweeteners.
  • tomteboda
    tomteboda Posts: 2,171 Member
    kgirlhart wrote: »
    I use sugar. At 15 calories per teaspoon I can easily fit it in.

    If you're only having a couple teaspoons with your coffee, its not many calories at all! I drink diet soda, but if I don't like artificial sweeteners in baked goods or coffee.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    Your preference really.
    I choose to have unsweetened drinks most of the time. I get headaches when I have artificial sweeteners. I just use regular sugar or honey if I want to sweeten something.
  • Meganthedogmom
    Meganthedogmom Posts: 1,639 Member
    Splenda is my go-to for coffee and tea. If I need my smoothies a little sweeter I'll at Truvia.

    I tried sugar in my coffee for old time's sake, just to see if it tastes better. It didn't. To me it tasted exactly the same as Splenda, only I had to use a lot more of it, and it had calories.
  • Yi5hedr3
    Yi5hedr3 Posts: 2,696 Member
    The ONLY safe sweetener is Stevia - period. The liquid form works best with no bitter aftertaste.
  • girlinahat
    girlinahat Posts: 2,956 Member
    There is some evidence that artificial sweeteners may change gut bacteria in dangerous ways in some people.

    here

    Personally I have full fat and full sugar things if I want, but then I rarely drink soda, and like my tea unsweetened.

    It's up to you, but perhaps fit it into your calorie allowance, or use Stevia, which does not seem to elicit the same response (I dislike the taste but maybe you can learn to like it)

  • QueenofHearts023
    QueenofHearts023 Posts: 421 Member
    I use sweetener for coffee and tea. Depends on the coffee though, 100% dark roast filter coffee tastes better to me black and bitter. While coffee and chicory mix tastes better sweetened. Sugar for baking and all other things :)
  • piersonj
    piersonj Posts: 62 Member
    Lourdesong wrote: »
    I use artificial sweetener. Sugar doesn't have a ton of calories, but it would require a lot of sugar to get the same amount of sweetness of one packet of sweet and low. Sugar also doesn't mix very well making the last 1/4 cup left in my mug undrinkable, but what annoys me most is that sugar coats my teeth with a film and I really dislike that sensation.

    So that's why I prefer artificial sweetener. If you prefer sugar, just log it and fit it into your goals. There's lots of scare-mongering about both sugar and artificial sweetener, it's noise.

    I find it amusing that most of your resones to that you like the artificial sweeteners are my reasons not to. I used to think I liked lot of sweet in my tea but I can't use a small enough amount of the artificial sweeteners to get the level I like. A packet of stevia is good for 6 cups of tea.

  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,626 Member
    use what you like and make wit work with your calorie goals.

    i drink the same creamer, and same amount i always have. its a non negotiable. it is the very first thing i log every day. LOL
  • MorganMoreaux
    MorganMoreaux Posts: 691 Member
    I use raw organic honey if I need additional sweetness. If given the choice between sugar or artificial sweetener, than I would use the sugar. I don't trust artificial sweeteners, I'm not certain how safe they really are (so many conflicting reports) and I think they desensitize people to natural sugar/sweetness so they no longer appreciate the sweetness in items such as fruits. Also, I find artificial sweeteners taste super bitter to me.
  • TRC64
    TRC64 Posts: 22 Member
    There's a lot of different artificial sweeteners out there, with varying tastes/bitterness. I occasionally use a pure stevia powder that's not too bad, but it doesn't blend easily and if I get a clump it is bitter. I also use so little that it's difficult to regulate. I've found that the Sweet Leaf Stevia drops are the easiest to use/control, and they come in various flavors along with plain. A few times a week I'll put 1-2 drops of the English Toffee in a cup of oolong tea. I don't think they give a lot of English Toffee flavor, but the smell is worth it! :)

    The nice thing about using real sugar, though, is that you can gradually decrease the amount you use far more easily than you can with artificial sweeteners. About seven years ago I decided that I didn't want to buy pre-sweetened yogurts anymore, so started with plain yogurt that I added regular sugar to. Every few days I'd cut out 1/4 tsp (I think I started with nearly three teaspoons, lol) until I finally had it plain. Your taste buds do adjust fairly quickly.
  • macnurseapril
    macnurseapril Posts: 53 Member
    Neither. I like honey and maple syrup. Sweetners leave a nasty after taste, and I prefer the flavour.
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    Splenda FTW!!
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    Artificial sweetener tastes nasty to me. I only need 1/2 teaspoon of sugar for one cup of black tea, and I don't worry about those 7.5 calories.

    I have reduced baked goods, which have a lot more sugar (and flour and fat and calories) and am eating more fruit.

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