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Artificial Sweeteners
Replies
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Aaron_K123 wrote: »comptonelizabeth wrote: »Aaron_K123 wrote: »KrazyKrissyy wrote: »I used to until I got horrible stomach pains, gas, cramps, bloat, etc. Now I either consume pure stevia or regular sugar. Artificial sweeteners wreak havoc on my intestines.
All artificial sweeteners? Just asking because the only thing that the artificial sweeteners currently on the market have in common is that they are sweet. Hard to picture the mechanism by which all of them would have the same effect despite their chemical disparity.
I suffer from ibd and was referred to a dietician who put me on the fodmap diet. *Some * sweeteners are high fodmap, meaning they cause gastrointestinal symptoms in some individuals. As a rule of thumb I was advised to avoid those ending in OL (eg sorbitol) It doesn't necessarily apply to all sweeteners and most people are OK with them
Since you are answering my post to KrazyKrissy like it is you I assume this is an alternate account for you.
All molecules containing alcohol -OH groups end in -ol, that includes a ton of things not related to artificial sweeteners. Plus the most common artificial sweeeteners, aspartame and sucralose, do not end in -ol. Sorbitol isn't an artificial sweetner it is a sugar alcohol that is naturally occurring. So it is a bit misleading to suggest that you were told to avoid artificial sweeteners because they wreaked havoc on your gut especially if you have gastrointestinal issues anyways.
Ironically you said you switched to Stevia which is the only commonly used substitute sweetener I am aware of baring sugar-alcohols like sorbitol or erythritol that does end in -ol....its active ingredient of Stevia is steviol. So if you were told to avoid things that end in -ol why would you choose the one sweetener that ends in -ol? Packaging probably says something like "Stevia Leaf Extract" but it is steviol....it would be like saying "Cane extract" instead of glucose.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steviol
If the issue is with the -ol somehow you'd be better off with sucralose or aspartame.
In my family we had to go through the FODMAP protocol and working with two doctors we were never told to cut out all artificial sweetners, there's was one or two on the list if I remember correctly, but we were still able to drink diet Coke etc.
I wasn't told that, either, I think it was only a few specific ones0 -
Eden_Goldie wrote: »Sometimes that artificial sweetener is what it takes to stop you going on a full-on sugar binge, and although neither are great for your body, I do think the odd "sugar free" item is a necessity. I do try to stay away from them as my body has no idea how to process them, and I am sure in most cases it would just prefer the sugar as it at least knows how to digest it...but once I have sugar I can't stop. In most cases I use xylitol, a natural sweetener which is amazing for your oral health and tastes identical to sugar when in hot drinks or baking.
Just an FYI - if you have a dog be careful with xylitol. It’s amazingly poisonous for dogs... it really doesn’t take much and if you don’t catch it almost immediately there is nothing a vet can really do. We almost lost one last year and I’ve banned it from our house.8 -
jseams1234 wrote: »Eden_Goldie wrote: »Sometimes that artificial sweetener is what it takes to stop you going on a full-on sugar binge, and although neither are great for your body, I do think the odd "sugar free" item is a necessity. I do try to stay away from them as my body has no idea how to process them, and I am sure in most cases it would just prefer the sugar as it at least knows how to digest it...but once I have sugar I can't stop. In most cases I use xylitol, a natural sweetener which is amazing for your oral health and tastes identical to sugar when in hot drinks or baking.
Just an FYI - if you have a dog be careful with xylitol. It’s amazingly poisonous for dogs... it really doesn’t take much and if you don’t catch it almost immediately there is nothing a vet can really do. We almost lost one last year and I’ve banned it from our house.
Did not know this, so googled.
First site
https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/xylitol-toxicity-in-dogs
So thank you for pointing this out.4 -
I discovered long ago that most artificial sweeteners just do not agree with me (I wouldn't want to be in an elevator trapped with me - LOL)! In my weight loss and maintenance journey, I just make allowances for sugars. I mostly use monk fruit but also coconut sugar in hot coffee and teas. I also use SugaVida (palmyra jaggery) which has a lot of vitamins and minerals as well in my coffee as it has a lovely back flavor of burnt sugar and caramel ... yum! As for sodas, I quit them all several years ago.
Artificial sweeteners affect everyone differently but I don't believe they are necessarily cancer causing. Make the choice that best suits your health and lifestyle. I think they taste like crap while others love it ... I could never get accustomed to the taste and it made my gut percolate so I abstained - no harm, no foul to anyone else!0 -
comptonelizabeth wrote: »Aaron_K123 wrote: »comptonelizabeth wrote: »Aaron_K123 wrote: »KrazyKrissyy wrote: »I used to until I got horrible stomach pains, gas, cramps, bloat, etc. Now I either consume pure stevia or regular sugar. Artificial sweeteners wreak havoc on my intestines.
All artificial sweeteners? Just asking because the only thing that the artificial sweeteners currently on the market have in common is that they are sweet. Hard to picture the mechanism by which all of them would have the same effect despite their chemical disparity.
I suffer from ibd and was referred to a dietician who put me on the fodmap diet. *Some * sweeteners are high fodmap, meaning they cause gastrointestinal symptoms in some individuals. As a rule of thumb I was advised to avoid those ending in OL (eg sorbitol) It doesn't necessarily apply to all sweeteners and most people are OK with them
Since you are answering my post to KrazyKrissy like it is you I assume this is an alternate account for you.
All molecules containing alcohol -OH groups end in -ol, that includes a ton of things not related to artificial sweeteners. Plus the most common artificial sweeeteners, aspartame and sucralose, do not end in -ol. Sorbitol isn't an artificial sweetner it is a sugar alcohol that is naturally occurring. So it is a bit misleading to suggest that you were told to avoid artificial sweeteners because they wreaked havoc on your gut especially if you have gastrointestinal issues anyways.
Ironically you said you switched to Stevia which is the only commonly used substitute sweetener I am aware of baring sugar-alcohols like sorbitol or erythritol that does end in -ol....its active ingredient of Stevia is steviol. So if you were told to avoid things that end in -ol why would you choose the one sweetener that ends in -ol? Packaging probably says something like "Stevia Leaf Extract" but it is steviol....it would be like saying "Cane extract" instead of glucose.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steviol
If the issue is with the -ol somehow you'd be better off with sucralose or aspartame.
Sorry, I have absolutely NO idea what you are talking about.
I'm not using an alternate account! And nowhere did I say I have switched to Stevia. Neither did I say that sweeteners play havoc with my gut?
I think you are confusing me with someone else. I was answering your comment in which you questioned whether it is "all sweeteners" I was advised to avoid those which, as a general rule, end in ol.
I have no argument with you! And yes, sorry, sorbitol is a sugar alcohol, apologies for the inaccuracy
I'm confusing you with someone else because I felt like you answered my post to someone else as if I was talking to you directly so it was a bit confusing...I assumed incorrectly that you were the person I had responded to. Apologies for the misunderstanding sounds like we don't have a disagreement.3 -
rhtexasgal wrote: »I discovered long ago that most artificial sweeteners just do not agree with me (I wouldn't want to be in an elevator trapped with me - LOL)! In my weight loss and maintenance journey, I just make allowances for sugars. I mostly use monk fruit but also coconut sugar in hot coffee and teas. I also use SugaVida (palmyra jaggery) which has a lot of vitamins and minerals as well in my coffee as it has a lovely back flavor of burnt sugar and caramel ... yum! As for sodas, I quit them all several years ago.
Artificial sweeteners affect everyone differently but I don't believe they are necessarily cancer causing. Make the choice that best suits your health and lifestyle. I think they taste like crap while others love it ... I could never get accustomed to the taste and it made my gut percolate so I abstained - no harm, no foul to anyone else!
I don't necessarily doubt you had affects however I'll admit I am very skeptical when people just lump all artificial sweeteners together in one bucket as if they are all the same....they most definately are not. It would be very weird for any artificial sweetner to cause you symptoms given that the different artificial sweeteners out there are all very different from each other with their only unifying characteristic being sweetness. I find it hard to believe that sweetness itself would cause gastrointestinal distress especially if other sweet things like sugars do not.5 -
So I am 33 years old and was diagnosed with bladder cancer last year. My urologist told me to avoid artificial sweeteners as they are linked to bladder cancer. He said I can use stevia but avoid anything else.
(For the record, it’s believed that my bladder cancer was caused by endometriosis on my bladder causing my bladder to have chronic inflammation leading to cell changes that caused cancer).5 -
Aaron_K123 wrote: »comptonelizabeth wrote: »Aaron_K123 wrote: »comptonelizabeth wrote: »Aaron_K123 wrote: »KrazyKrissyy wrote: »I used to until I got horrible stomach pains, gas, cramps, bloat, etc. Now I either consume pure stevia or regular sugar. Artificial sweeteners wreak havoc on my intestines.
All artificial sweeteners? Just asking because the only thing that the artificial sweeteners currently on the market have in common is that they are sweet. Hard to picture the mechanism by which all of them would have the same effect despite their chemical disparity.
I suffer from ibd and was referred to a dietician who put me on the fodmap diet. *Some * sweeteners are high fodmap, meaning they cause gastrointestinal symptoms in some individuals. As a rule of thumb I was advised to avoid those ending in OL (eg sorbitol) It doesn't necessarily apply to all sweeteners and most people are OK with them
Since you are answering my post to KrazyKrissy like it is you I assume this is an alternate account for you.
All molecules containing alcohol -OH groups end in -ol, that includes a ton of things not related to artificial sweeteners. Plus the most common artificial sweeeteners, aspartame and sucralose, do not end in -ol. Sorbitol isn't an artificial sweetner it is a sugar alcohol that is naturally occurring. So it is a bit misleading to suggest that you were told to avoid artificial sweeteners because they wreaked havoc on your gut especially if you have gastrointestinal issues anyways.
Ironically you said you switched to Stevia which is the only commonly used substitute sweetener I am aware of baring sugar-alcohols like sorbitol or erythritol that does end in -ol....its active ingredient of Stevia is steviol. So if you were told to avoid things that end in -ol why would you choose the one sweetener that ends in -ol? Packaging probably says something like "Stevia Leaf Extract" but it is steviol....it would be like saying "Cane extract" instead of glucose.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steviol
If the issue is with the -ol somehow you'd be better off with sucralose or aspartame.
Sorry, I have absolutely NO idea what you are talking about.
I'm not using an alternate account! And nowhere did I say I have switched to Stevia. Neither did I say that sweeteners play havoc with my gut?
I think you are confusing me with someone else. I was answering your comment in which you questioned whether it is "all sweeteners" I was advised to avoid those which, as a general rule, end in ol.
I have no argument with you! And yes, sorry, sorbitol is a sugar alcohol, apologies for the inaccuracy
I'm confusing you with someone else because I felt like you answered my post to someone else as if I was talking to you directly so it was a bit confusing...I assumed incorrectly that you were the person I had responded to. Apologies for the misunderstanding sounds like we don't have a disagreement.
No worries, my apologies too. It does get confusing on threads like this where a number of people are addressing different issues!0 -
CharlieICURN wrote: »So I am 33 years old and was diagnosed with bladder cancer last year. My urologist told me to avoid artificial sweeteners as they are linked to bladder cancer. He said I can use stevia but avoid anything else.
(For the record, it’s believed that my bladder cancer was caused by endometriosis on my bladder causing my bladder to have chronic inflammation leading to cell changes that caused cancer).
Interesting. My uro-oncologist wanted me to watch out for carbonated drinks and caffeine in general while I recovered from the surgery to remove my lesions, but never mentioned any such link. Not something the Mayo Clinic considers a factor either: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/bladder-cancer/symptoms-causes/syc-20356104.5 -
It has been my experience, after cutting out 3 to 4 bottles of diet pepsi a day, that after a week or so I noticed that I dont crave sweets as much as before.0
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azzeazsaleh5429 wrote: »It has been my experience, after cutting out 3 to 4 bottles of diet pepsi a day, that after a week or so I noticed that I dont crave sweets as much as before.
Conversely, I find that if I'm craving sweets, a bottle of Diet A&W Root Beer satisfies the craving quite nicely.15 -
Carlos_421 wrote: »azzeazsaleh5429 wrote: »It has been my experience, after cutting out 3 to 4 bottles of diet pepsi a day, that after a week or so I noticed that I dont crave sweets as much as before.
Conversely, I find that if I'm craving sweets, a bottle of Diet A&W Root Beer satisfies the craving quite nicely.
I bought some of this as a low caffeine alternative to coke zero, and was real surprised how much I like it. Tried to buy more and the store was sold out.0 -
Tacklewasher wrote: »Carlos_421 wrote: »azzeazsaleh5429 wrote: »It has been my experience, after cutting out 3 to 4 bottles of diet pepsi a day, that after a week or so I noticed that I dont crave sweets as much as before.
Conversely, I find that if I'm craving sweets, a bottle of Diet A&W Root Beer satisfies the craving quite nicely.
I bought some of this as a low caffeine alternative to coke zero, and was real surprised how much I like it. Tried to buy more and the store was sold out.
That's what I got it for too. I drink Coke Zero if it's before 5pm, Diet A&W after.
I stock up whenever our grocery has it on sale.0 -
Carlos_421 wrote: »Tacklewasher wrote: »Carlos_421 wrote: »azzeazsaleh5429 wrote: »It has been my experience, after cutting out 3 to 4 bottles of diet pepsi a day, that after a week or so I noticed that I dont crave sweets as much as before.
Conversely, I find that if I'm craving sweets, a bottle of Diet A&W Root Beer satisfies the craving quite nicely.
I bought some of this as a low caffeine alternative to coke zero, and was real surprised how much I like it. Tried to buy more and the store was sold out.
That's what I got it for too. I drink Coke Zero if it's before 5pm, Diet A&W after.
I stock up whenever our grocery has it on sale.
If you like Coke Zero, I can't tell any difference between it and Caffeine Free Coke Zero. I sometimes add sugar free vanilla or cherry syrup, too
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I use Splenda for tea and that's about it. I hate diet soda, and at this point I hate non-diet soda. It's too sweet. I had a Dr. Pepper addiction, drinking at least 64oz a day. I think the little bit of Splenda I have a day will be ok. I truly feel these things are fine in moderation. If you drink multiple 2 liters of anything a day it's going to be bad for you.1
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Carlos_421 wrote: »KrazyKrissyy wrote: »I used to until I got horrible stomach pains, gas, cramps, bloat, etc. Now I either consume pure stevia or regular sugar. Artificial sweeteners wreak havoc on my intestines.
It would be helpful to note for proper context that you have an unhealthy digestive tract.
Correct, I do. I'm sure I'm not the only one here who does though (i.e. some of the other commenters who are mentioning their IBS). But really, I've tried everything. Monk fruit extract, sucralose, xylitol, erythritol, aspartame, maltitol, and more that i can't think of at the moment. Only stevia and sugar get along with me. 🤷♂️2 -
Aaron_K123 wrote: »KrazyKrissyy wrote: »I used to until I got horrible stomach pains, gas, cramps, bloat, etc. Now I either consume pure stevia or regular sugar. Artificial sweeteners wreak havoc on my intestines.
All artificial sweeteners? Just asking because the only thing that the artificial sweeteners currently on the market have in common is that they are sweet. Hard to picture the mechanism by which all of them would have the same effect despite their chemical disparity.
Either all or almost all. It was a long list. Many of the suggestions actually came from low carb groups and bowel disorder groups on facebook. Also links, research, diabetic books, IBS books, etc. Lots of reading and experimenting.0 -
I use saccharine in my coffee and tea most of the time. I bought some stevia to try but didn't realize it was mixed with erythritol. Might have to look around for a different brand. Can't do very much sucralose as I end up with stomach cramping, nausea, and lots of gas. Otherwise aspartame and what not in diet soda seems fine. I know it can cause headaches in some individuals but I've not found it to be the case for me. Switching to artificial sweeteners helped me lose extra weight initially.0
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I bought a big bag of sucralose when I started this process 3 years ago. I still have most of it. I use it in my cornbread, but not in my yeast bread and certainly not in my mother's banana pudding. I also use the sucralose for random other sweetening needs, but even so I still have my first bag.0
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KrazyKrissyy wrote: »Carlos_421 wrote: »KrazyKrissyy wrote: »I used to until I got horrible stomach pains, gas, cramps, bloat, etc. Now I either consume pure stevia or regular sugar. Artificial sweeteners wreak havoc on my intestines.
It would be helpful to note for proper context that you have an unhealthy digestive tract.
Correct, I do. I'm sure I'm not the only one here who does though (i.e. some of the other commenters who are mentioning their IBS). But really, I've tried everything. Monk fruit extract, sucralose, xylitol, erythritol, aspartame, maltitol, and more that i can't think of at the moment. Only stevia and sugar get along with me. 🤷♂️
Most people do not have the kinds of problems you do, though. So simply saying "they cause me horrible digestive problems" without any kind of context could (and likely would) lead some to believe that they would experience the same symptoms from eating artificial sweeteners when, in reality, the problem isn't that artificial sweeteners cause cramps, bloating, etc., it's that you have an unhealthy digestive system that can't handle many foods that the vast majority of people have no problem eating.
Projecting the problems you have with certain foods onto others who don't have your health problems is not a good idea.8 -
I have had no problems with any artificial sweeteners and I have some digestive issues. Funny how people react differently.
I take that back, I cannot use xylitol unless I really want to spend a lot of time on the toilet. That stuff really cleans me out!1 -
I have had no problems with any artificial sweeteners and I have some digestive issues. Funny how people react differently.
I take that back, I cannot use xylitol unless I really want to spend a lot of time on the toilet. That stuff really cleans me out!
The only time I had a problem was when I chain-chewed a double pack of Sorbitol-sweetened sugarless chewing gum. An hour to finish the pack. And an hour in the ladies' room afterwards discovering that, in my case, too much Sorbitol... is a bit more effective than prunes. A bit TOO effective.
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I have had no problems with any artificial sweeteners and I have some digestive issues. Funny how people react differently.
I take that back, I cannot use xylitol unless I really want to spend a lot of time on the toilet. That stuff really cleans me out!
The only ones I have problems with are sugar alcohols and my GI tract is an *kitten*1 -
azzeazsaleh5429 wrote: »It has been my experience, after cutting out 3 to 4 bottles of diet pepsi a day, that after a week or so I noticed that I dont crave sweets as much as before.
I noticed that many sound weight management programs have a session/module of "reseting your sweet", which entails minimizing sugar for a few weeks to reset your taste buds so you don't crave the alternating salty/sweet response. This is also common when US citizens travel outside the US. They don't notice until they come back how salty and sweet everything is. Not that this is harmful - sugar and salt are incredibly effective preservatives.0 -
Interestingly, a study in the BMJ was just published that showed "most health outcomes did not seem to have differences between the [non-sugar sweetener] exposed and unexposed groups": https://www.bmj.com/content/364/bmj.k4718.
They were careful to point out that they couldn't rule out potential harms, but at least at this point there appears to be nothing significant.0 -
The only artificial sweeteners I use are the ones in diet sodas - which I drink a few of per week.
I have nothing against other artificial sweeteners but I drink coffee unsweetened , I put half tsp of sugar on my cereal and don't add any sweetener, sugar or artificial, to anything else.
I did have a problem once with sugar free candies, I suck a few on take off , landings of plane trips, helps my ears not to pop ( don't ask me how but does work)
One day I did 3 plane trips in a day - suffice to say was very glad to get back to my own bathroom at end of the day
But diet sodas do not cause me any issues.0 -
paperpudding wrote: »The only artificial sweeteners I use are the ones in diet sodas - which I drink a few of per week.
I have nothing against other artificial sweeteners but I drink coffee unsweetened , I put half tsp of sugar on my cereal and don't add any sweetener, sugar or artificial, to anything else.
I did have a problem once with sugar free candies, I suck a few on take off , landings of plane trips, helps my ears not to pop ( don't ask me how but does work)
One day I did 3 plane trips in a day - suffice to say was very glad to get back to my own bathroom at end of the day
But diet sodas do not cause me any issues.
Sugar free candies (gum, suckers, etc.) tend to use sugar alcohols for sweetener. Sugar alcohols are known to cause some intestinal distress in some people (not all).
Diet sodas, on the other hand, typically use aspartame or sucralose.0 -
I personally chose to abandon them. However, this was part of an overall decision to avoid "artificial" foods and most other processed offerings, not just sweeteners. Like another user posted above, I also noticed this helped curb my sweet tooth overall. Even though calorie free, it seemed the large amounts of Diet Mt. Dew I was drinking for the caffeine was also helping drive my carb cravings and subsequent weight gain. I have since lost over 125lbs eating this way and find I greatly prefer savory foods now over sweets. I really have reset my taste buds.3
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azzeazsaleh5429 wrote: »It has been my experience, after cutting out 3 to 4 bottles of diet pepsi a day, that after a week or so I noticed that I dont crave sweets as much as before.
I noticed that many sound weight management programs have a session/module of "reseting your sweet", which entails minimizing sugar for a few weeks to reset your taste buds so you don't crave the alternating salty/sweet response. This is also common when US citizens travel outside the US. They don't notice until they come back how salty and sweet everything is. Not that this is harmful - sugar and salt are incredibly effective preservatives.
My n=1 anecdote will confirm this.
I lived in Germany for three years courtesy of Uncle Sam and recall this.
I went through it again in 2012 when I took a three week vacation in Italy. Two things struck me while there:
1. Many Europeans loved the North American breakfast cereals in our first hotel's breakfast buffet. While my wife and I were eating the fresh fruits, cheeses and breads, I saw people, obviously not North Americans, enjoying the rare treat. I guess novelty on both sides of the equation.
2. I couldn't eat US pizza for about year after coming home from that trip. The ingredients tasted so much more fresh in Italy compared to what I was accustomed to in the US.
Of course, YMMV.2 -
Okay but what about Splenda. They say it does something nefarious to DNA and who wants that?12
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