Sugar vs Sugar Substitute??

Roseanna1017
Roseanna1017 Posts: 37 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I am a big time coffee drinker, absolutely, LOVE IT :) I usually just put a couple tsps of sugar per cup of coffee... but I have noticed on my food diary at the end of the day, I'm always over on my sugars :( Sooo... I have decided to eliminate some, and I thought I would start with coffee... I absolutely do not like sweet- n- low... yuck. I seen the agave nectar, truvia, splenda... What are you guys thought on these??

Replies

  • taylor5877
    taylor5877 Posts: 1,792 Member
    I like splenda for the mix of cost, dissolvability (usually in cold beverages for me), and taste.

    Stevia (truvia) products are not bad though, and it is a "natural" artificial sweetner if that matters a lot to you. It doesn't dissolve very well in cold liquids, but may not be a problem in coffee.
  • stylistchik
    stylistchik Posts: 1,436 Member
    You could try cutting back a little each day until you get used to coffee with less sugar. Personally I'm not a fan of unnecessary chemicals but there's nothing wrong with a teaspoon of raw sugar in your coffee each morning.
  • Christine1110
    Christine1110 Posts: 1,786 Member
    I only use Stevia....I eat clean, and don't want to eat, or drink crap. Stevia is natural!
  • KrisMarch2012
    KrisMarch2012 Posts: 6
    I do not like the flavor of any artificial sweeteners including stevia. They all leave a bad aftertaste. I think a little of the real thing is not going to hurt. Look at what you are eating overall. Fresh fruit is high in sugar but it it natural sugar. If your sugar is coming from cookies, cakes, etc you might want to eliminate those. Just try to analyze your diet and see where else you could cut back.
  • linz1125
    linz1125 Posts: 441 Member
    You could try cutting back a little each day until you get used to coffee with less sugar. Personally I'm not a fan of unnecessary chemicals but there's nothing wrong with a teaspoon of raw sugar in your coffee each morning.
    This is what I did. I loooove coffee, but I wanted to get all the creamer and sugar out. I now drink it black.
  • amysuespears
    amysuespears Posts: 127
    I was using splenda, but i have heard that splenda is just as bad as the other artificial sweeteners. here is my advice: either 1) keep the sugar and just cut down on it.... regular sugar is better for you than artificial sweetener. both are actually not great, but if you had to pick one or the other, go with sugar. OR 2) i use stevia. i use 2 packets and it doesn't taste too terrible. my mother uses truvia and loves it. i have heard that stevia and truvia are both natural and don't affect the body like sweeteners do.

    i have cut back on coffee because i am trying to save money to buy my daughter a car next year (every little penny helps)... but I still have a cup as a treat a few days/week. also, artificial creamers are not great for you either. use half n half or regular milk (i use 1%). if i'm really treating myself, i buy the natural bliss sweet cream creamer and it is SO YUMMY!!!! :)
  • kayakinggrrl
    kayakinggrrl Posts: 101 Member
    I use stevia most of the time. The only caution with stevia is that if you add too much to a drink or bowl of cereal, it turns from sweet to bitter. I learned that the hard way by ruining a perfectly good pitcher of freshly brewed iced tea. Stevia is so much sweeter than sugar that a little goes a long way so you don't have to add the same quantity as sugar.
  • digitalodin
    digitalodin Posts: 23 Member
    Whatever type of substitute you choose, ignore anyone who tries to tell you they're not safe, cause sugar spikes, or weight gain. It's a load of bull. A quick google search pulls up these articles from a couple trusted resources:

    http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/comparing-artificial-sweeteners-topic-overview

    http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/artificial-sweeteners/MY00073/

    Here's a quick snipit:
    Are sugar substitutes safe?

    Yes. The FDA regulates the use of artificial sweeteners. At one time, saccharin was thought to increase the risk of bladder cancer in animals. Studies reviewed by the FDA have found no clear evidence of a link between saccharin and cancer in humans.

    People who have phenylketonuria (PKU) should avoid foods and drinks that have aspartame, which contains phenylalanine.1

    Do artificial sweeteners raise blood sugar?

    No. Artificial sweeteners provide no energy, so they won't affect your blood sugar. If you have diabetes, these substitutes are safe to use. But that's not true of sugar alcohols. They don't cause sudden spikes in blood sugar, but the carbohydrate in them can affect your blood sugar.
  • Kerri_is_so_very
    Kerri_is_so_very Posts: 999 Member
    You could try cutting back a little each day until you get used to coffee with less sugar. Personally I'm not a fan of unnecessary chemicals but there's nothing wrong with a teaspoon of raw sugar in your coffee each morning.

    I just switched from coffeemate fat free vanilla to truvia/unsweetened vanilla almond milk, but I wanted a more "natural" sweetener so I switched again to the raw sugar/almond milk. Today however, I forgot my sugar :sad: :sad: :sad: and I am really trying my best to choke it down like this :sick: . I also sprinkle cinnamon over the grounds prior to brewing and that also adds a nice flavor.

    And I quit logging my coffees (I know I should, but its a daily constant and I'm not budging on it). I'm mindful it's there and I'm usually under either way./
  • Spartan_Maker
    Spartan_Maker Posts: 683 Member
    Stevia for sure. All-natural.
  • seardefilip
    seardefilip Posts: 96
    agave nectar- its natural and doesn't increase hunger like the sugar substitutes can- NOTE I SAID CAN- not always does that happen but honey or agave nectar are my top choices- AND a little GOES A LONG WAY
  • jlcl119
    jlcl119 Posts: 51
    I'd stick with sugar and just reduce how much you use.
    For the longest time My coffee had a Tablespoon of sugar and 2 Tablespoons half and half.
    Over a period of a few weeks I reduced the sugar to 1 teaspoon, though I still usually use 2 Tablespoons of half and half.

    The first two weeks I used two teaspoons instead of 3 (a Tablespoon), then I reduced that to 1 teaspoon for a couple of weeks. I tried drinking it without sugar, but it's gross. But, drinking it sugarless for a week made the 1 teaspoon of sugar taste that much sweeter and now it satisfies me.
  • beckajw
    beckajw Posts: 1,728 Member
    Unless you have a medical issue, you should choose whatever tastes best to you. Or, if you want to cut out the calories of sugar, switch to an artifical sweetener. They have all (stevia, aspartame, sugar, etc.) been tested and all have been found to be bad for you. On the other hand, the have all been found not to be bad for you. So, go with what you enjoy.
  • byHISstrength
    byHISstrength Posts: 984 Member
    I use Splenda because I like that the best for coffee. I really only use it in my morning coffee, so I'm not too worried about the fact that it isn't the BEST option.
  • BOLO4Hagtha
    BOLO4Hagtha Posts: 396 Member
    Your body can't tell the difference between real sugar or artificial sugar, to it, sugar is sugar. It all comes down to if you want to sacrifice a few extra calories for the real thing or if you don't mind the taste of the artificial one. Personally, I use splenda, maybe half a packet into my coffee and some milk.
  • autumnk921
    autumnk921 Posts: 1,374 Member
    I used to put at least 8tsps of sugar in my coffee (each cup) but now so I get used to sweeteners (I like Stevia b/c it is natural), I use 2tsp of Stevia and 1tsp of sugar and a splash of milk (1% or 2% on occasion)...I still taste the sugar this way but I don't have to use nearly as much as I used to....Hopefully one day I will just use Stevia but for now I like the taste of it this way...This may help you like it has for me!! :)
  • khartley535
    khartley535 Posts: 151 Member
    Whatever type of substitute you choose, ignore anyone who tries to tell you they're not safe, cause sugar spikes, or weight loss. It's a load of bull. A quick google search pulls up these articles from a couple trusted resources:

    http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/comparing-artificial-sweeteners-topic-overview

    http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/artificial-sweeteners/MY00073/

    Here's a quick snipit:
    Are sugar substitutes safe?

    Yes. The FDA regulates the use of artificial sweeteners. At one time, saccharin was thought to increase the risk of bladder cancer in animals. Studies reviewed by the FDA have found no clear evidence of a link between saccharin and cancer in humans.

    People who have phenylketonuria (PKU) should avoid foods and drinks that have aspartame, which contains phenylalanine.1

    Do artificial sweeteners raise blood sugar?

    No. Artificial sweeteners provide no energy, so they won't affect your blood sugar. If you have diabetes, these substitutes are safe to use. But that's not true of sugar alcohols. They don't cause sudden spikes in blood sugar, but the carbohydrate in them can affect your blood sugar.

    Thanks for these.
  • Kanlassak
    Kanlassak Posts: 101 Member
    I tend to use splenda for coffee and stevia for tea, because I find that stevia (at least the brand I used, dunno about Truvia) has a slight herbal taste to it that can complement teas but I find kinda weird in coffee. It did sweeten the coffee, just wasn't to my personal taste.
  • bodyrocks365
    bodyrocks365 Posts: 81
    I used to tsk tsk at the stevia ppl but yes I am now one of those people saying it. I have read way too much about the horrors of splenda and the like. Or you could use less of raw sugar that would be alloweable in my book (the brown rocks of sugar.)
  • corrinemaus
    corrinemaus Posts: 8
    I use truvia now because my sugar was also too high. i like it but it seems like i have to use 2 packets to get the same strength as one sweet n low..
  • diverdiza
    diverdiza Posts: 82 Member
    I don't get why so few people on this site make mention of xylitol ??

    http://www.livestrong.com/article/440139-xylitol-health-effects/

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