Curious about artificial sweeteners
kimmydear
Posts: 298 Member
I'm seeing some folks say that they trigger the same response in your body as real sugar, and other folks are saying they use sugar free syrups for coffee, sugar free gums, jello etc. So what is the news on artificial sweeteners? I am only in my second week of low carb. So far I've found that I can definitely sustain myself on less than the 50 carbs I had given myself per day...more in the 30-35 range is doable if I am prepared. BUT... I still feel like I'm craving diet coke and other things artificially sweetened. Is this a bad thing?
0
Replies
-
I have read that they trigger that response, but for me they don't seem to trigger cravings, stall weight loss, etc. (though they might if I over-indulge). I do use SF syrup in my coffee twice a day for the most part and have other artificially sweetened stuff several times a week (SF Jell-O at times, Breyers' carb smart ice cream occasionally, Splenda-sweetened fat bombs, etc.).0
-
I'll add, on previous low carb diets I would often have diet A&W or other diet sodas when I had a sweet craving. This time around I haven't had diet sodas very often. I've shifted my tastes somewhat to salty, savory or spicy snacks instead.0
-
Thank you for that perspective. I will just wait and see how things progress.0
-
Everyone is different. I don't seem to have issues with them, and as crazy as it sounds I really miss the aspartame aftertaste from diet pepsi
You'll have to see for yourself if it affects you as many have reported having problems with them. I eat some of the sugar free candies and syrups and stay in ketosis and no cravings.0 -
I have an imbalance in my gut (good v bad bacteria) thus am using a low sugar diet to help the good guys have a gut climate that is more favorable to them. Bonus: lost 7kg in 3.5 mths.
Dr/nutritionist advised for me, given I need to get that balance back, that the body has a chemical response when saliva gets the taste of sweet which fires up the gut to expect to deal with that- which the bad dudes love. I am para phrasing n skipping steps but my take away was Samanda needs to dodge sweet for at least 4 to 6 months. Given how amazing I feel, I will be sticking low carb.0 -
PS i love the idea of maple syrup on a low carb pancake so that will be something I want to try if there is a good artificial sweetened one.0
-
Hello Kim,
Have been using Splenda and flavoured Splenda products in very limited amounts since returning to LC on 1/5/16--- am down 4.6 pounds but super concerned that Splenda is not safe or something ppl should be ingesting.
Have never been a soda drinker but there are times when I want a little sweetener in decaf tea/coffee.
Am hoping soon to find and purchase a Stevia that isn't over processed , would appreciate any suggestions that might perhaps help others.0 -
Everyone seems to be different. I've been doing LCHF for a year and have found that I drink more diet coke now than before.... it really helps me get through the day, caffeine-wise. It may be bad for me but it hasn't stopped me losing weight. Coming up on 50 lbs lost (again!).1
-
SamandaIndia wrote: »PS i love the idea of maple syrup on a low carb pancake so that will be something I want to try if there is a good artificial sweetened one.
If you can find Cary's Sugar Free Maple Syrup where you are, it is wonderful- best one we've found so far and it's great with those egg and cream cheese pancakes and butter.
0 -
To OP, I started out my first month as a purist with no artificial sweeteners but as I've added them back in I haven't noticed any change in weight loss or cravings. So maybe throw a Diet Coke in here or there and see how it affects you. I have no more than one can a day and other artificially sweetened items once or twice a week.0
-
SamandaIndia wrote: »PS i love the idea of maple syrup on a low carb pancake so that will be something I want to try if there is a good artificial sweetened one.
If you can find Cary's Sugar Free Maple Syrup where you are, it is wonderful- best one we've found so far and it's great with those egg and cream cheese pancakes and butter.
@BalmyD thanks. Shortly heading to Houston so I will look for it there
0 -
Ive had similar concerns and started a thread that produced some good feedback. Sadly, I don't know how to find and bump that discussion. I too worry about the confusing and varied reports of how AS products might be as bad or worse than natural sweetners. I totally stopped drinking all pop back in October and now I don't really miss it, but once in awhile I will have a sip of my wife's coke zero. I can def tell how it might be a slippery slope for me. The sweet flavour is so strong to me now that it is a bit worrisome. I have started to use a stevia based water sweetner called "stur". I can control how much I use and I add it to soda water. That way it is some flavour but not too much. I have not noticed any change in my ketosis as a result of using that small amount.0
-
@LINIA, for what it's worth, I have a friend who researches (professionally, not on the Internet
She has a PhD) diabetes/insulin resistance and she's very familiar with artificial sweeteners and the research on them. She said she is not concerned about Splenda's safety. Now, as to whether the other mechanism happens in terms of your body responding to it the same as sugar, she didn't comment on that but she did assure me that from all the research she's seen she was not concerned about it causing cancer or other health risks and she's comfortable using it herself. 0 -
I'll also add that when I had a really bad cold and bronchitis in December, I would put a tsp of local honey in my tea a couple times a day for a week or so and even though it bumped up my total carbs for the day, it didn't seem to have any negative effects for me in terms of weight loss. (This is even compared to when I had higher total carbs from other sources, which seemed to cause a stall.) I might experiment some more but I have a theory that incorporating small amounts of honey might be OK for me vs artificial sweeteners. The Wahls Diet for MS which I sort of refer to allows 1 tsp/day of honey or real maple syrup in the moderately strict version.0
-
I have had a slowing down in my weight loss doctor told me prob related to my Diet Coke that I hang every day or other day. Trying to go two weeks without pop to see if it works. Let me tell you in miss it a ton ! I do chew gum daily I didn't even think that maybe that makes a difference too.... Oh man don't want to have to give that up too!0
-
@vilenski193 I don't drink diet soda, but will occasionally toss some stevia in my tea or coffee if I fancy something sweet, which doesn't affect me at all in terms of cravings. However, chewing sugar free gum leaves me feeling famished, I could eat everything in sight. So needless to say I avoid it. Funny how things can affect us all so differently.0
-
I went from january to June last year without any artificial sweeteners. On June first I began adding sf syrup to my coffee (that I had also not been consuming). Did not create any cravings. Did not lead to changes in food intake. But, Apparently splenda creates an inflammatory response in me, and I had a 22 pound increase over the next month and a half (from a new low at the time of 193 back up to 215!) from it! I didn't want to believe it was the sf syrup! I didn't want to give it up to find out either! I almost gave up on this woe when I began to have the old thoughts that my efforts just weren't going to work, but am so glad I didnt! This is not common, but does happen. I still miss my sf syrup! The barista at my coffee shop accidentally put it in my coffee (I am a regular customer and always got it before) a few weeks back, and one sip made me feel a warm sensation spreading through my chest (immediate inflammation? My guess!)! Took me forever to relose that weight too! But here I am!
0 -
Thank you all for the input. I have always felt like sugars made my heart race a little or at least speed up. I haven't noticed that with drinking diet coke. I am a little discouraged though as I had given that up, but alas, I am needing that afternoon "thing to look forward to" besides meat, veggies, etc. ;-) Appreciate the info!0
-
For me it makes me so hungry the next 2 days that I won't allow it in my diet.. (I've tried 3 different times) my SIL just got off a month stall and realized it was from her diet drink she's allowed in her diet, yet she has no hunger pangs like I do. So I agree everyone's different and you would have to just give it up for awhile then try to add back to see if you have any ill effects to it. Good luck!0
-
Anecdotally speaking, it doesn't seem to affect me on LCHF. When I did WW or ate CICO (not watching carbs), I noticed that it seemed to make me hungrier and I craved sweet things after drinking artificially sweetened beverages. However, I was already eating sweet things.
I consume them daily now in small amounts. They don't have the same effect on cravings/hunger that they did on the CICO way of eating. I think it is because my BS fluctuates so little, that there is nothing to fuel it.0 -
And I agree with @totaloblivia. They have helped me get through the day at times and stay on course.0
-
My treat of last week.... diet grapefruit pop mixed with Skyy Blood Orange Vodka. Yes, it was good. Normally I drink diet pop about once a week if I am at a chain restaurant and am tired of herb tea or coffee. My husband uses stevia in his 2 cups of morning coffee and that's about all the sweet stuff that gets used in our house. We have a bag of Organic Traditions Stevia Leaf Powder sitting in our pantry, and yes, it is just crumbled brown stevia leaf dust. It only works in baking/cooking because it is not processed to dissolve in any way. Super disgusting to see it floating on top of my hubby's coffee when we first bought it - that was a big mistake to buy since I don't bake. I'm still trying to figure out what to do with it. Maybe in a smoothie or something....
Any ideas?0 -
@daylitemag "STUR"..ok i see it on AMAZON, may order--like a couple posters above, just can't go w/o any sweeteners at all right now.
@macchiatto Thanks for Splenda update, it really has a nice taste.0
