Sugar Substitutes

I just got Stevia for DH, who is a Type II Diabetic. Me, I prefer sugar, just in more moderate amounts than I used to eat.

I take about two tsps of sugar in my coffee. It comes out to about 30ish calories. For me, it's worth it just for the taste. I can burn off those 30 calories with like 5 minutes of exercise.

I use pure stevia most of the time and Truvia when I really need the granulated sugary texture, like on a grapefruit. I'm in love with the little teeny tiny spoon that came with my pure stevia, and the fact that a spice shaker sized container has 2300+ servings!

I used splenda for a long long time, until I recently found out that it really has 3.8 calories per packet, not zero. The fact that foods under 5 calories per serving can be rounded off to zero and labelled that way really ticks me off. I was using it like it was going out of style, and those 3.8 cals can really add up! I mean it alone won't break my diet, but I felt really deceived. It's been a while now and I am still bitter.....:grumble:

Hi Everyone,

I am looking for everyones option here on sugar substitutes. To date I have been using Splenda as my sugar substitute and aspratame in my diet coke. I just read that in addition to not being good for you it can also cause weight gain along with several other side effects. Has anyone here experienced that?

Also what do you use as your sugar substitute? Do you have a healthy low 'sugar" substitute that is good for weight loss?

Please share

There is no factual evidence to any of the side effects linked to artificial sweeteners. Some people may have an allergy to a certain sweetener, and if you do, avoid that one. Otherwise, no reason to stress on it.

I use Stevia, Truvia and walmart has a truvia substitute its cheaper do not use splenda or equal and stay away from
Apartame its a poision!

I use xylitol, there is a brand called Ideal. It is wonderful stuff. Tastes like sugar too, it's a NATURAL product, not a chemical sweetener and tastes a million times better than stevia.

^^^ This too! Xylitol is great for baking as well, where stevia is not. However, I find it to be a lot more expensive than stevia, so I use stevia for most non-baking needs.

I use xylitol, there is a brand called Ideal. It is wonderful stuff. Tastes like sugar too, it's a NATURAL product, not a chemical sweetener and tastes a million times better than stevia.

^^^ This too! Xylitol is great for baking as well, where stevia is not. However, I find it to be a lot more expensive than stevia, so I use stevia for most non-baking needs.

I like xylitol too, it has some interesting benefits, like it's good for your teeth, so there are a lot of great xylitol gums and candies. However, my opinion is that it is mis-marketed as being natural- it's a chemically created sugar cousin. Remember- splenda was once marketed as a natural zero calorie sugar product...Here is an example of one of the xylitol processes:
A search of patents online explains one of the processes for making xylitol, You begin with some source material containing xylan. One commonly used source is corn imported from China.

1. First the xylan needs to be broken down by a process called acid hydrolyzing. This process leaves us with xylose and acetic acid. Then the process of hydrogenation is carried out at higher pressures and temperatures ranging from 158 degrees Fahrenheit and higher. Hydrogenation needs a catalyst, so a substance called Raney nickel can be used which is a powdered nickel-aluminium alloy.

2. The acetic acid needs to be removed as the material safety data sheet (MSDS) describes it as, "Very hazardous in case of skin contact (irritant), of eye contact (irritant), of ingestion, of inhalation. Hazardous in case of skin contact (corrosive, permeator), of eye contact (corrosive)."

3. Then the hydrolyzing acid and organic residues must be removed, this is done by heating the mixture and evaporating it.

4. The resulting syrup, hopefully now free of acetic acid, hydrolyzing acid, nick-aluminum and other residues.

5. The syrup is crystallized by stirring ethanol into it.

6. The crystalline xylitol is now separated in a centrifuge from the ethanol and from the sorbitol remaining in solution.

7. You now have xylitol.

I use Stevia, Truvia and walmart has a truvia substitute its cheaper do not use splenda or equal and stay away from
Apartame its a poision!

"Aspartame" occurs naturally in much higher amounts than soda in chicken breast, nuts, soy, beef, pork, fish, quinoa, eggs, and every other complete protein source out there. If it's a "poison" then every human on Earth poisons themselves on a daily basis.