Sugar vs. Splenda

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JAM7791
JAM7791 Posts: 47 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I'm wondering everyone's thoughts on sugar vs. Splenda. I realize sugar has more calories, but I feel like Splenda is a chemically packet of ick that may not be great for me....despite not having calories. I've never tried truvia or anything like that. Thoughts!?
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Replies

  • dls06
    dls06 Posts: 6,774 Member
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    I don't eat any artificial sweetners. I'd rather have nothing then use chemicals. I did try Truvia but it has a bitter taste and hated it.
  • pinuplove
    pinuplove Posts: 12,874 Member
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    Aspartame is a migraine trigger for me. I used to do Splenda, but I've worked hard to cut other junk out of my diet, so I figure why would I add something purely chemical back in on purpose? Now if I need sweet, I just use a small amount of sugar. I've started using raw sugar in my tea and oatmeal. Last night my 11-yr-old made cookies with his dad and you better believe I ate one :happy:

    Having never used stevia I can't comment on that. I'm happy enough to eat the real thing in limited quantity.
  • warmachinejt
    warmachinejt Posts: 2,167 Member
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    If you don't mind the calories, try agave nectar. It's basically sugar with a low glycemic carb index. Meaning your body absorbs it slow and is not like injecting yourself with sugar and going hyper. I think stevia is fine in my smoothies but not in many things.
    If you have money to burn, try zsweet. You can buy it on amazon and apparently it tastes like sugar and has no calories. It is like 22 for 3 small packs though.
  • poponastick302
    poponastick302 Posts: 77 Member
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    I had a Coke Zero for the first time yesterday and it tasted absolutely repulsive. I might as well have gulped down a bottle of chlorine or something.
    Maybe try a ratio of the two, so you don't get as many calories but not as much chemical at the same time.
  • tabi26
    tabi26 Posts: 535 Member
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    I have recently started using splenda as sugar makes me quite sick. It's not the greatest thing in the world for you. It can cause nasty things to happen, but so can sugar. If I had a choice I would use sugar. Also, I only use it in my coffee. I don't bake with it or anything else. I'm not really into giving it to my kids so regular old sugar goes in everything else.
  • 1grammie
    1grammie Posts: 163
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    I use a product called "whey low". It is a combination of natural sugars (lactose, sucrose, frutose). It also has a lower glycemic index and can be used by diabetics. If you can't find it in local stores, do a goggle search.
  • thekarens
    thekarens Posts: 254 Member
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    In our house we do both. I use Splenda for my coffee and tea. My partner uses sugar in the raw for her coffee and nothing in her tea.

    If you prefer using real sugar I don't see a thing wrong with that in moderation. I think moderation is the key for most things.
  • Spinelli2288
    Spinelli2288 Posts: 188 Member
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    I agree with moderation, but I try to cut out as much processed sugar as I can. I use stevia, I HATED it at first, but your body does get acclimated to it.
  • LoraF83
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member
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    I'm not in to the chemical sweeteners.......I just use very small amounts of real sugar (like 1/2 tsp on my shredded wheat for breakfast). I only eat baked goods and sweets in moderation, so that helps me cut down on the amount of sugar I consume.
  • jcpmoore
    jcpmoore Posts: 796 Member
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    I've tried most of the sweeteners out there and here's my take on it.

    I don't like aspertame at all. It's got a bitter aftertaste that I don't like. It gives my sister migraines.
    I do like splenda, but not always. In cold drinks, such as iced tea or unsweetened kool aid it's great. Hot drinks, not always.
    Truvia-I can use one packet in an entire pot of coffee and love it. If I put a whole packet in one cup of coffee it's bitter. I haven't had time to explore beyond that.

    I use splenda when I cook and when I bake. I like it in those ways more than in my hot drinks. I use the splenda brown sugar blend more than the other.

    The real bottom line is this: If you don't like the idea of using artificial sweeteners-don't. Just be fully conscious of how much sugar you use. Know that honey, sugar, agave nectar, and the other natural sweeteners all have calories. However, calories does not equal evil! It means measure and track. As long as you do that, there's nothing in the world wrong with using the real thing.
  • jcpmoore
    jcpmoore Posts: 796 Member
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    I agree with moderation, but I try to cut out as much processed sugar as I can. I use stevia, I HATED it at first, but your body does get acclimated to it.

    I really have found that with Stevia (truvia, whatever name it uses by brand), less really is more. The more you use, the more likely it tastes bitter. If you use less, it tastes better. At least, that's been my experience.

    HTH
  • Jacquibennett
    Jacquibennett Posts: 95 Member
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    I've started using Truvia!
    Don't know anyone elses opinions on this but it's calorie free and made from a leaf. VERY sweet, only need about 1/3 teaspoon to 1 spoon sugar.
    Lovely on strawberries :) x
  • WhittRak
    WhittRak Posts: 572 Member
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    Please do use Splenda. If you need more info let me know.
  • UnderConstructionJ
    UnderConstructionJ Posts: 87 Member
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    Wanted to know the same thing. I'm a big Splenda and Stevia user...and I've heard all of the bad things about it such as migraine inducer, bad chemical, appetite increase...however I have a hard time replacing something calorie free with something 60 calories per tsp.
  • perezke91
    perezke91 Posts: 50 Member
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    I used Stevia and agave nectar (if I have extra calories left). Stevia tastes great!
  • reaolliemama
    reaolliemama Posts: 489 Member
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    Here's a list I found about natural sweeteners. I use some of these, but usually choose not to eat something that has to have sweetener of any kind added, I'll just choose something else, like fruit! http://www.livrite.com/sweeten.htm
  • formersec
    formersec Posts: 233 Member
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    Sugar is 16 calories in a teaspoondul. Unless you dump a pile of sugar in your coffee or tea, it won't cause you to gain weight.
  • littlemsmuffet
    littlemsmuffet Posts: 84
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    I've wondered about this too - Sugar vs Sweeteners (not just Splenda). I use sweeteners b/c of calories but I don't know anything about the chemical composition of sweeteners :/
  • becky2967
    becky2967 Posts: 124
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    i use sugar. thats one area of my diet im not changing, i have indeed cut back though (in my tea i have 2/4 of one small; spoon rather than 2,.
  • jrodx2
    jrodx2 Posts: 203 Member
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    My personal take is that splenda is like a poison to your system. Besides the nasty after taste, it is known to give many people migraines. If the options were only regular sugar or splenda, I'd suggest small amounts of regular sugar over any amount of splenda.

    At my house, we only have agave nectar or stevia as options. I would suggest giving at least one of them a try. They can be expensive but it only takes a small amount to give the sweet taste you are looking for.

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