advice on sweetners please

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gixy72
gixy72 Posts: 176 Member
in Food and Nutrition
having come from a family with both mam and dad where overweight, i was brought up to use sweetners in my coffee and not to use sugar,(mam was also diabetic, who never took sugar, and dad was diagnosed a few years ago who di take 3 sugars but went on to using sweetners about 30 years ago.)

Having read the posts about coke/soda, made me wonder if i should try and drinking my coffee without this ..

Replies

  • rodegghero
    rodegghero Posts: 212 Member
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    If you can do without it, try to. I use stevia in very small amounts, or use real sugar. I think sweeteners can be a great tool, but long term are not a healthful solution
  • Kelly_Wilson1990
    Kelly_Wilson1990 Posts: 3,245 Member
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    I use Stevia. Taste great and none of issues with sugar.
  • smashatoms
    smashatoms Posts: 144 Member
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    Try something like Stevia (which is an herb, actually) or something like raw sugar (turbinado sugar).
    Or even agave syrup.
    They are all natural. The turbinado and agave will effect your blood sugar, but they aren't artificial. The Stevia shouldn't effect it, I don't think.
  • staceyb00
    staceyb00 Posts: 43 Member
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    I know for me, the artificial sweeteners were making me sick. I had used them for 20 years and within the last few years I started having health issues that no doctor or lab test could figure out and my sugar levels were in the 300's on two insulin's and three different types of pills. It got so bad that I was sick to my stomach every day and vomiting most days. In July I decided to try and experiment and not use any artificial sweeteners at all. Within a week my symptoms were gone and my blood sugar levels dropped to below 100. I am now on only 5 units of one insulin - where I was taking 80 before and on only one pill. I believe I will be off of those soon. I also started losing weight - where before even on a 1200 calorie diet I wasn't.
    I now use stevia to sweeten anything and if I want a soda I will use the Virgil's natural root beer or by Zevia which uses stevia. I have more energy and have felt better than I have in years.
    I know it was the artificial sweeteners because unknowingly I started eating mixed fruit -with no sugar added- that had splenda in it. I started getting the symptoms back w/in a week. When I realized what I was eating and stopped the symptoms went away.
    Not every body is the same, but I would steer clear of anything artificial. You might be surprised at what it was doing to your body.
  • RhonndaJ
    RhonndaJ Posts: 1,615 Member
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    When it comes to sweeteners, there is no clinical data that supports the belief that they are bad for you. There is, however, anecdotal data which suggests that some people are sensitive to artificial sweeteners. The key is to make an informed decision for yourself, based on your desires and how your body responds to artificial sweeteners.

    I happen to like diet coke, it does me no harm to have an occasional one. When I want to use a sweetener on something, I use splenda which, again, does me no harm.

    When it comes to coffee and tea, I happen to drink it whatever way suits me at the time, though I'm a strong believer that good coffee needs nothing in it, but it's hard as heck to get one's hand on a good cup of coffee.

    Now, that said, if you're concerned about using sweeteners, try drinking you coffee without for a week, you may find that you won't want the sweet back.
  • gixy72
    gixy72 Posts: 176 Member
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    what is stevia and where can i get it i have never heard of this
  • Primalgal
    Primalgal Posts: 641 Member
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    It is sold in grocery stores as a product called Truvia. I'm sure you can also buy Stevia at health food stores.

    Hope this helps!
  • spottedlee
    spottedlee Posts: 372
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    When it comes to sweeteners, there is no clinical data that supports the belief that they are bad for you. There is, however, anecdotal data which suggests that some people are sensitive to artificial sweeteners. The key is to make an informed decision for yourself, based on your desires and how your body responds to artificial sweeteners.

    Familiar is right,, back in 1976, there was a panic because lab rats deloped cancer. It was proven that it would take about 10 cans of diet soda daily for about 20 years to get the cancer. Who drink 10 cans a day? If there was cause for alarm, the FDA would have remove it years and years ago.

    Personally, I use Splenda.
  • teagin2002
    teagin2002 Posts: 1,901 Member
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    it is a root plant that is very low on the glycemic index and has nearly no nutritional value. You can find it for a decent price at http://www.allvitaminsplus.com/ they ship for free.

    If you want pure stevia you should use the sweetleaf brand, other brands mix it with sugar alcohols to make it's taste closer to sugar. I use it in my coffee, in particular the Hazelnut flavor, I don't care for the chocolate flaver it has a bitter after taste. Maybe if you like dark chocolate you would like it.

    When I cook or bake I use stevia in the Raw brand, it is not all stevia it is mixed with a sugar alcohol but it tastes pretty good in baked goods.

    The vanilla and the grape flavors are pretty good too, the grape in sodium free seltzer water is great or even in iced green t ea for the summer months.
  • gixy72
    gixy72 Posts: 176 Member
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    When it comes to sweeteners, there is no clinical data that supports the belief that they are bad for you. There is, however, anecdotal data which suggests that some people are sensitive to artificial sweeteners. The key is to make an informed decision for yourself, based on your desires and how your body responds to artificial sweeteners.

    I happen to like diet coke, it does me no harm to have an occasional one. When I want to use a sweetener on something, I use splenda which, again, does me no harm.

    When it comes to coffee and tea, I happen to drink it whatever way suits me at the time, though I'm a strong believer that good coffee needs nothing in it, but it's hard as heck to get one's hand on a good cup of coffee.

    Now, that said, if you're concerned about using sweeteners, try drinking you coffee without for a week, you may find that you won't want the sweet back.

    thanks for that will give it a try and see how i get on
  • teagin2002
    teagin2002 Posts: 1,901 Member
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    If you want to try stevia you should also try capella flavors, they are calorie free and sugar free flavors, I love the orange mango and the pomegranate water flavor. IT is totally unsweetened so if you want it sweet you will have to add stevia for instance. It give it the flavor and sent of the fruite. I also use these with the sodium free seltzer water.

    you can find the capella flavor drops @ http://capellaflavordrops.com/
    They also have root beer, cola and other flavors.
  • HMonsterX
    HMonsterX Posts: 3,000 Member
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    When it comes to sweeteners, there is no clinical data that supports the belief that they are bad for you. There is, however, anecdotal data which suggests that some people are sensitive to artificial sweeteners. The key is to make an informed decision for yourself, based on your desires and how your body responds to artificial sweeteners.

    One of the best replies I've seen for a while. :)
  • gixy72
    gixy72 Posts: 176 Member
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    well totally forgot that i was not going to use them and had one in my morning coffee.. but when i got to work i said no more sweetners and i have stuck to it..not missed it that much as half the time my work mates forget to put on in anyhow..



    and i have now moved the sweetners to a different cupboard for when my friends come over
  • stefchica
    stefchica Posts: 257 Member
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    i hate artificial sweetners, i just try to find natural sources of sweetners. i use agave nectar, i LOVE it!!! it has a low glycemix index so it wont spike up blood sugar levels 1 tbsp has 60 calories and they come in a variety of flavors, they have a line out now for coffee!! and you can put it in everything , its not as viscous as honey and it wont crystalize in the pantry. its pretty much what tequila is made out of w/o the alcohol, its made from the plant!


    check out madhava's website, they have lots of products, i htink they even have an agave in the raw by that company sugar in the raw, so theyre stuff is good too.
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
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    I use sugar. 1 tsp a cup adds very little calories.

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