artificial sweeteners

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Just curious if anyone has seen health benefits after removing artificial sweeteners from their diet? I haven't had any artificial sweeteners in one week and I feel like my sweet cravings have gone down tremendously. I'm not sure if this is related, but my stomach has also become a lot flatter.

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  • Kyliechristie
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    I've been meaning to try this. Sounds like you are having good results. I have heard they can increase cravings. Will be interested to see what others say. Just out of curiosity - how much artificial sweetener did you have before?
  • beastmode_kitty
    beastmode_kitty Posts: 844 Member
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    I'm having problems staying away from diet pop. Other than that I never use artifical sweetners.
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
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    I skipped artificial sweeteners for a month. Other than the inconvenience factor of not having diet soda for caffeine, or an artificial sweetener for coffee, I didn't feel any different. Unless you have an allergy, in moderation it won't make much difference.
  • HMonsterX
    HMonsterX Posts: 3,000 Member
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    I've seen a huge benefit after including them in my tea, as opposed to sugar. It's one of the biggest things that made this easy for me, and knowing that are safe in moderate doses is the icing on the cake! :D
  • DawnDawn2011
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    I stopped using Sweet and Low and my migraine headaches went away! I will never put that junk in my coffee or tea again. Of course my coffee tastes like crap now, but at least I am pain free! : )
  • fitfoodeeee
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    I had about 8 Splenda packets a day, maybe a protein bar w/ sugar alcohols, sugar free/fat free Jell-O, 1 or 2 sticks of gum, 1 or 2 cans of diet soda
  • batgirlmama
    batgirlmama Posts: 99 Member
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    Please research aspartame. It is actually a poison and they use it in rat poisoning. I simply refuse to use any artificial sweetneers. If its not natural, than I want no part of it!
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
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    Yes, you should research aspartame, as it's not a poison. It was developed as an anti-ulcer medication. It's a combination of 2 amino acids that your body already makes. If aspartame is poison, well then I guess your body is poisoning you every second of every day. icon_rolleyes.gif

    Yes, it is used in rat poison, but not because it's poison. It's used because it's sweet, and the sweetness attracts the rats to eat the actual poison. Seriously, try some critical thinking, rather than blindly believing random scaremongering email #3445 or aspartameispoison.com.
  • Kyliechristie
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    Yes, you should research aspartame, as it's not a poison. It was developed as an anti-ulcer medication. It's a combination of 2 amino acids that your body already makes. If aspartame is poison, well then I guess your body is poisoning you every second of every day. icon_rolleyes.gif

    Yes, it is used in rat poison, but not because it's poison. It's used because it's sweet, and the sweetness attracts the rats to eat the actual poison. Seriously, try some critical thinking, rather than blindly believing random scaremongering email #3445 or aspartameispoison.com.

    Good summary. I always need something quick to throw back at the anti-aspartame army!
  • Rayman79
    Rayman79 Posts: 2,009 Member
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    Oh oh, do we have to bring back the chemical panic turkey? :P
  • batgirlmama
    batgirlmama Posts: 99 Member
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    sorry about saying that it was an actual poison. However, You will never convince me that its not a terrible ingredient. I honestly had no idea there was a anti-asp. army. I have a good friend who literally thought he was dying for weeks. He had started drinking an asp. drink in high quantities when it started happening. He barely slept for weeks, large buzzing noises in his ears and intense migrains. He was in such pain all the time and this was from a healthy guy. His wife had found the drink on sale and they were really enjoying it. Anyway, after numerous trips to the doc. and discovering what it was all symptoms went away.

    This is from a website about side effects about various medicines and food additives:


    Common Aspartame Side Effects
    Although there is much controversy around the side effects of aspartame, some of the more common side effects that have been reported after consumption of aspartame are:

    Headache
    Dizziness
    Sudden, unexplainable mood swings
    Vomiting and Nausea
    Abdominal cramps
    Vision problems
    Diarrhea
    Memory loss
    Fatigue
    Rash or hives
    Sleep disturbances
    Changes in heart rate
    There are also many websites on the internet that report a lot of Aspartame side effects, but the above are the ones that have actually been identified by the FDA.

    Less Common Aspartame Side Effects

    There have also been reports of less common Aspartame side effects. One woman in particular was experiencing these symptoms, and was diagnosed with vestibular neuronitis, which is an inner ear infection that can cause vertigo. The women decided cut aspartame from her diet, and these side effects disappeared instantly. Fifteen years after she did this, her brother started experiencing the same symptoms, he too cut out aspartame of his diet and the symptoms disappeared as quickly as they had begun. Some researchers also believe that the following chronic illnesses can be worsened or triggered by aspartame.

    Brain tumors
    Epilepsy
    Chronic fatigue syndrome
    Multiple sclerosis
    Epilepsy
    Parkinson’s disease
    Alzheimer’s
    Mental retardation
    Lymphoma
    Birth defects
    Fibromyalgia
    Diabetes
    Aspartame Side Effects in people with Phenylketonuria

    Although the FDA has approved aspartame at a maximum consumption of 40mg/kg, there are still some people who should not consume aspartame as it can have very adverse side effects. One group of people in particular who should avoid aspartame at all cost are those with the genetic disorder Phenylketonuria. These people have high levels of the amino acid phenylalanine, and consuming aspartame can also increase these levels, while consequently increasing the possibility of causing brain damage which could eventually lead to intellectual disabilities.

    Aspartame Side Effects Controversy

    Aspartame is probably one of the most controversial subjects when it comes to its side effects. An acceptable daily intake of 40mg/kg has been approved by not only the FDA, but also by over 100 regulatory systems in various countries. Most people only consume about 10mg/kg. That being said, some researchers continue to insist that there are side effects such as, depression and cancer (more specifically brain tumors). The most common link lately is with cancer, however FDA officials want to ensure the public that it is safe by quoting it as “one of the most thoroughly tested and studied food additives the agency has ever approved”.

    In many cases, as it has been proven many times by the FDA, the amount of aspartame being consumed by most people is a safe level that should not have any serious side effects. However as with anything, it should be used in moderation. Additionally, if certain ailments are experienced and are found to be caused by aspartame, cease using it immediately. If you have any questions at all about aspartame or its affects, consult with a physician



    Source: Aspartame Side Effects (AminoSweet) - SideEffectsHub.com http://sideeffectshub.com/aspartame-side-effects/#ixzz1iEL5WBlq
    Content protected by DMCA.com. If copied we require that the source information above be left intact.
  • Amber82479
    Amber82479 Posts: 629 Member
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    YES!!! No more migraines, no more swollen glands in my underarms and fewer sweet cravings!!! Personally, I believe it poisons the body, though that's just based on my own personal experiences with the stuff :)
  • mtrible
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    My physician told me that artificial sweeteners are just as bad at making our bodies crave sweets. I completely removed all sugar, corn sweeteners and artificial sweeteners from my diet since Thanksgiving and have not craved sweets at all after that initial first few days of withdrawl. In addition, the migraine headaches that I was having have completely gone away. Switch to iced and hot tea instead, your body will thank you. By the way, dropping the sugar cravings also helped me lose 20 pounds in the last 5 weeks.
  • YES!!! No more migraines, no more swollen glands in my underarms and fewer sweet cravings!!! Personally, I believe it poisons the body, though that's just based on my own personal experiences with the stuff :)

    Many things poison the body if used in excess: sodium, sugar, protien, carbs, and if you think about it, any food in excess will kill you if you over eat because it causes obesity!! Sometimes we want to isolate one single thing but it's more than that if we want to be honest and clear about it!
  • Suziq2you
    Suziq2you Posts: 396 Member
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    I have artificial sweeteners every day, several times a day, with zero adverse effects.
  • vs1023
    vs1023 Posts: 417 Member
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    The only sweetener I use is stevia extract and organic sugar. Previously before I read up on it and changed to stevia I was getting bad anxiety and craving more sweets when using Splenda and I read not to good things about it. I wanted to change to the most natural diet I could. I definitely avoid them. I dont like how they make me feel.
  • vs1023
    vs1023 Posts: 417 Member
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    YES!!! No more migraines, no more swollen glands in my underarms and fewer sweet cravings!!! Personally, I believe it poisons the body, though that's just based on my own personal experiences with the stuff :)

    Many things poison the body if used in excess: sodium, sugar, protien, carbs, and if you think about it, any food in excess will kill you if you over eat because it causes obesity!! Sometimes we want to isolate one single thing but it's more than that if we want to be honest and clear about it!


    This is true however pretty much all low fat foods have artificial sweetener in it and if you think of the people trying to lose weight they probably consume a lot of low fat items, then add in any artificial sweeteners they add in addition to what is already in food. It can be too much and many people don't realize it. I prefer not to eat anything that was made in a lab somewhere, but if it doesn't bother you that's your choice.
  • Debbe2
    Debbe2 Posts: 2,071 Member
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    Just curious if anyone has seen health benefits after removing artificial sweeteners from their diet? I haven't had any artificial sweeteners in one week and I feel like my sweet cravings have gone down tremendously. I'm not sure if this is related, but my stomach has also become a lot flatter.


    Could not lose a significant amount nor was I able to put food cravings into a manageable "cubicle" until I did two things; give up diet soda and limit artificial sweeteners And begin to log my food intake and look at the make up and macro content of the foods I eat. Wow, did that change my food choices! But I will only speak to what I personally found and am not making any recommendations for anyone else by any means :-)
  • cal1973
    cal1973 Posts: 306 Member
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    I have artificial sweeteners every day, several times a day, with zero adverse effects.

    same
  • danagisana
    danagisana Posts: 42 Member
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    I stay away from chemical sweeteners, although the odd time I will give in and have a diet coke.
    Adding any unnecessary chemical to my body just does not make sense to me. There is too much evidence out there that it just isn't safe.