Sugar Substitutes

Hi! I don't know what the deal with splenda is but I like to use agave nectar, real maple syrup, or honey as substitutes. Agave nectar has a very mellow flavor so it can used with almost anything and not affect the flavor. Good luck!

1 packet of sugar is only 20 calories. I wouldn't stress about 20 calories.

As for Splenda, most of it is not absorbed and passes out of the body. Splenda is made from an altered sugar molecule, which basically leaves the "shell" of sugar (the non-nutritive part).

OMG K. !

Watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jn7EMipoDfY
You can find tons more if you just Google it

Try Stevia. Available at Trader Joes or Whole Foods.

Good for you for wanting to investigate this poison! I wouldn't put it in my body for anything. Check out www.truthaboutsplenda.com for more information and if you really want some eye-opening information, log onto Dr. Mercola's website (you do have to register, but the info is free) and search for splenda -- you will be floored that this -- or any other artificial sweetner -- is on the market. www.drmercola.com

Hi K.!
I was shocked at the post that said that aspartame and Splenda are "life saving" to diabetics. Both are DANGEROUS to the human body, whether diabetic or not. My husband, my 3 year old and my 6 year old are all Type 1 diabetics and ALL of the endocrinologists we have seen, STRONGLY discourage use of both products. We even had one Doctor speak about research that indicates that aspartame and Splenda use, TRIGGER diabetes.

Artificial sweeteners are even suspected to be on of the major causes of the obesity epedemic. When you ingest an artificial sweetener, your body thinks there is sugar to be compensated for and insulin is released. After time, when the body ingests calories from sugar, the body no longer compensates for the caloric intake. The result is obesity and blood sugar problems.

My father nearly died from aspartame poisoning. He had seizures directly resulting from ingestion of aspartame. Splenda is made along the same lines and is a chemical.

Stevia, xylitol and even blue agave nectar are suitable sugar substitutes. They are naturally sweet without raising your blood sugar. I have used all three in coffee and I would say that my favorite is blue agave.

Good luck!

Per "The Belly-Fat Cure" which is based on research sanctioned by Dr. Mehmet Oz who wrote "YOU--On a Diet.":

Aspartame and sucralose are bad because they stimulate your insulin/glucose storage system which locks away fat in your fat cells. A better substitute is from the Stevia plant, sold as several brands, the one I just bought is called Tevia. Also better option is drinks sweetened with suger alcohols like erythritol which are not really alcohols per se, but a broken down form of carbs that your body doesn't use/store the same way as sugar.

hope that this helps...I am sure if you look up Stevia on WebMD or other reputable medical web info site, you can get more details.

Have a blessed day! Welcome to the challenge of finding stuff without the bad stuff in it. I have discovered Lifewater is sweetened with erythritol. :) A.

Artificial sweetners - BAD thing for the brain as they are neurotoxins. I am flabergasted at the responses of it being ok. As with the others, do a little research. Places I send people to are www.russellblaylockmd.com (a noted neuroscientist) and www.mercola.com

There is a little controversy about agave but it is so much better tasting and better for you than ANY Splenda or artifical sweetner. I buy honey at the local farmers markets (great for helping with allergies!) and use Stevia along with agave from Wholsome Foods, depending on what I am needing sweet/sugar for.

Be worried about it. Look around at all of the fat people. High Fructose Corn Syrup (hfcs) and artificial sweetners have a huge play in that.

This just came through in my email from Dr. Mercola. What timing! Check it out. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/0...

Use untreated raw honey, like mine! I'm a beekeeper. Aspartame is an excito toxin and causes brain disorders just like MSG. Agave can be processed and not very good either you have to have a good reliable source. If you use sugar get pure CANE sugar. Most are made from beets now which are all genetically modified seeds and that can cause intestinal problems and who knows what else we will find later. Organic cane sugar or honey. You can find raw sugars also. I like Stevia, occasionally, grow and dry some! One leaf or less in you coffee is more than enough.The less processing the better! Honey is the Best because it is very nutrient dense. But only if raw and untreated hives, no extruding(heats and removes nutrients) or pastuerized (all honey in stores).

The thing about ANY new chemical... is that it takes a long time to figure out side effects.

My mum helped develop aspartame. Innocuous background... the chemist in her lab was curious about the synergistic effect of bananas and milk. AKA why they taste sweeter together than either alone. Aspartame is the synthetic version of the chemical they make when bananas and milk are added together. Throughout copious testing aspartame was pronounced safe.

FF several decades. Aspartame is still safe, but it has an "interesting" side effect. It makes cell membranes LESS permeable. So the irony is that a person eating aspartame is hungrier than if they'd eaten/drunk nothing, and has a harder time losing weight. MUCH harder. (Because cells that have less permeable membranes aren't getting the nutrients they need as easily as they should, can't release their wastes as easily, and fat cells can't release stored energy as easily.)

Splenda is still relatively new. The chloride doesn't mean much (sodium chloride is table salt, btw)... the same molecule can be beneficial, inert, or deadly depending on what other molecules it's bound to. The newness means that the next 50 years or so of any non-deadly substance the public is doing the longterm testing on. Quite frankly, unless anything really out there happens (which usually does in the 1st 5-10 years) we won't really know long term side effects until then.

Splenda is life saving (as is aspartame) for diabetics... and any 'minor' side effects are well worth the whole not dieing / organ damage thing. For regular people though, it's better to switch to something that's been around several hunderd + years.

Our body is more than equipped to handle natural sweeteners. Personally I tend to stick with sugar. But there is honey, molassas, agave nectar, & fructose (fruit sugar) as 4 easily obtainable alternatives if you're concerned.

Even deadly substances, taken sparingly have little effect on us. Arsenic is actually amazingly good for the skin/hair, the sheer number of hallucinogens and nerve poisons in Hylands teething tablets is terrifying (try taking the same ratio to body weight a baby does ... essentially 1-2 tablets for every 10-15 pounds... and get ready to be really really high), the average person smokes at *least* 1 pack a day purely by breathing the air (car exhaust & other pollution), etc. Our bodies are pretty good filterers. Aspartame, like cigarettes, is more noticeable than most... because people who use either tend to be exposing themselves 24/7. Splenda isn't deadly. Having 1-2 packets in your daily coffee will no effect on you long term. Using it as a sugar substitute for everything sweet... well... we'll see in 30 years.

:)
R

Hey Kristen

This is per Dr. Richards of Richards Family Health Center in Glendora.

The Dangers of Splenda

Have you ever wondered exactly what Splenda is made of? I know I have; and when I went looking out on the Web, the information wasn't readily available. Now, the news is out!

This week an article appeared under the headline "Lawsuits Over Splenda Marketing Campaign" through Reuters, a large news agency. The issue is misleading advertising. Johnson & Johnson's (J&J) marketing line is: "Splenda No Calorie Sweetener is made from sugar, so it tastes like sugar." Doesn't that make you think the product is like sugar?

The reality is that Splenda is an artificial chemical sweetener that is actually chlorinated. J&J's patented process replaces three hydrogen-oxygen groups with 3 chlorine atoms. In the process, a food is converted into a non-food. And, a toxic, non-food at that! Chlorine is one of the strongest oxidating agents. It forms free-radicals in the body and damages the mitochondria -- your intracellular energy factories. Remember, chlorine is used to sterilize water supplies!

Don't be misled: Splenda is not a natural, healthful product. But then, none of the artificial sweeteners on the market are.

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You could try Stevia instead. It's really strong though so use a tiny amount and adjust.

There's been a lot of recent debate over Splenda.

It's chemical name is sucralose and was discovered by modifying the sucrose (table sugar) molecule. There really isn't any concrete scientific evidence to support it is any worse for you than any other sugar substitute.

Most dieticians (I worked with them for over 8 years) recommend Splenda as their first line substitute to patients with Diabetes.

Recently, many products have hit the market based upon the stevia plant (including Truvia - another one I really like despite being very expensive).

When I was pregnant, I asked my OB/GYN about aspartame (used in most diet sodas). He said you'd have to have a truck load for it to affect the average person. As a cancer survivor, I'm concerned about anything I put in my body these days. I still use Splenda and let my kids have products with it in there.

If you're only using it for 1 cup of coffee daily, you're probably better using real sugar. One packet won't pack that many more calories on, and if you're concerned about modified chemicals, sugar is natural.

I'd ask your doctor if you're really concerned to see if they can find any scientifically based evidence. I wouldn't take any advice unless you can reproduce it scientifically (including mine)

K.,
I have a trainer at my gym that told me his reaction to Splenda. He also thought is was great when it came on the market. It caused in him to have a reaction like he thought he was having a stroke. It started to affect his nervous system. He had heart palpitations with it also. It was such a severe reaction, then he went on the web to look at side effects, and he had most of them. It was crazy, once off the Splenda he recovered quickly. If there is a page on the web about "possible side effects" then it is a chemically based product not a natural one. That's just my two cents! Have a great day.

When you eat something sweet, your body responds by preparing for some calories - generating insulin, for one. When those calories don't come, your hormones are out of balance. If you habitually confuse your body this way, it stops responding to sweets, including real sugars.

One teaspoon of refined sugar is much less harmful than any artificial sweeteners, but if you prefer to avoid it, try honey or even maple syrup.

there is honey.

I do wonder why you dont just use sugar. 1 cup of coffee-is that 20 cals in a teaspoon of sugar? natural foods are always better than what ever substitutes.

WOW! You got some great advice.

This is a great article that showed up just this morning:
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/0... I am not sure if you have to subscribe to mercola.com or not, but it's free if you do.

K., the tell my clients, PLEASE STAY AWAY from the pink, blue and yellow poison. Your body will thank you.

B.
Family Success Coach

If your concern is just staying away from "sugar"... not all "sugars" are digested in the body the same way, and not all sugars are exactly the same. It is the glycemic index of foods that affect our blood glucose levels, for example.

Try and do a Google search on the "glycemic index" of sugars and carbs/foods.

All the best,
Susan

Personally, I LOVE Splenda...use it everyday...NO, I am not over-weight, but probably would be if I used pure sugar in the same way that I use Splenda. I used to use Aspartame (Equal) as I drank LOTS of diet soda...for years and years, and I had migraines for years and years. I CUT-OUT the aspartame and my migraines literally dropped by 80 - 90%. It was amazing. Reading the others advice, scientifically it sounds like NO sugar substitutes would be the right answer. I am not willing to cut-out Splenda. But I drink one cup of decaf per WEEK (w/Splenda),(I do drink tea) NO soda of any kind, I try to eat healthy and workout at the gym 5 times a week. There has to be a balance in our lives that we eventually figure out as we grow older...at 51 I am still learning. Since I switched from Aspartame to Splenda I have had NO ill health problems...breezed through menopause at 40...taking NO hormones still to this day. Balance is key in life! Good luck on your decision to take care of yourself.

Agave is not a healthier substitute - http://www.westonaprice.org/Agave-Nectar-Worse-Than-We-Th...

But, Truvia is - Truvia comes from the stevia plant, which has known to produce extracts over 300 times as sweet as sugar. The goodness of Truvia (and stevia) is the fact that it is low in carbohydrates, and therefore low in calories. Additionally, it comes from a natural substance. - http://truvia.com/about/default.aspx

I believe Stevia is safe. Don't know what is so bad about splenda, but one time I used it I got so bloated I thought I was going to pop!

Try stevia or agave. We use agave, I have heard stevia tastes funny in coffee, in particular.

I used to use it because my mom is diabetic, but I never had a good feeling about it.
I don't use it anymore because I'm trying to stay away from all chemically altered substances. You know, all natural diet!
the thing about sugar is, if you are only using a little then just use plain raw sugar, it's better for you than any substitute, even if you're diabetic. Moderation and self control is the key to keeping healthy eating habits.
that whole cup of coffe is worse for you than eating a teaspoon of raw sugar plain!
gotta choose your battles though.
good luck!

Hi K.,
If you are only using one a day why no just use regular sugar? One regular sugar won't hurt you (unless you have health reason for not using it). I do Weight Watchers and lose weight but I still use regular sugar on my oatmeal. Another suggestion would be to use Soy Milk in your coffee. It is a little sweet and will make the coffee sweet without the added sugar or Splenda. Vanilla Soy Milk is even sweeter.

Hope this helps. Good luck!

Hi! It is all in the processing. I have been told that it is like dumping a bunch of sugar in a swimming pool, then sticking in a straw and drinking it. I have been told that they use chlorine to process it. But, you will have to do your own research. That is the problem and the food industry knows it. They know that the consumer does not have access to exactly what is going on behind closed doors and we don't understand chemical processes. They are greedy and they lie as well. You can't trust them. Stevia is good, but it has to be processed properly as well. The powder kind is not good. I am a distributor for a company that sells a good stevia. The owner was instrumental in bringing stevia in to the US. Read every label, don't believe the food industry, and stick to whole foods and you will do much better. God Bless! J.

Real quick...
I use Purevia, along the lines of Truevia only cheaper. I use one tiny package and that is plenty for me. Tastes the same as two to three spoon fulls of sugar.
I also love Agave nectar, sweet like honey. I use it in my tea/coffee, baking uses as well. There are many other nectar substitutes that can be used, check out your local health food store, they are all natural and organic so keep that in mind when you see the prices but well worth it.

Splenda like all artificial sweetners is not good for you: See below:

So why is Splenda potentially harmful?

It contains chlorine, which is a carcinogen. The Splenda marketers insure the chlorine is chemically “bound” so it cannot be “released” in the body during digestion. I question that, and wonder if this artificial chemical can safely pass through the human body. Wait until you read what chlorine can do to the body. Bad news.

Sucralose (Splenda) is a chlorocarbon - a chlorine-containing compound. The chlorocarbons have long been known for causing organ, genetic, and reproductive damage. It should be no surprise, then, that testing of sucralose revealed organ, genetic, and reproductive damage. Research on lab rats showed up to forty percent shrinkage of the thymus gland: a gland that is the very foundation of our immune system. The contamination of water supplies by chlorocarbons is a serious problem in most European countries today, making many people very ill and warranting cancer studies. Due to the chlorine content in Splenda, sucralose can inflame swelling of the liver and kidneys, and calcification of the kidney, as shown in animal studies. If you experience kidney pain, cramping, or an irritated bladder after using sucralose, stop using it immediately.

Sucralose is patented as a manmade “chlorinated sucrose sweetener” and it is registered as “chlorinated sucrose.” Chlorinated sucrose is not found anywhere in nature, like real sugar (sucrose) that is extracted from sugar cane and sugar beets. If it were, it would be a carcinogen!

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Bottom line, eat foods found in their natural form if you can. If you are just using a little sugar in your cup of coffee everyday, use sugar! Artificial sweetners still stimulate the sweet receptors of the tongue and may even cause an insulin response since the tongue is the first step in the digestive process.

In case you're curious about agave, I checked around online and it sounds like most doctors are ok with agave. Someone in my mom's group said her doctor told her Agave is really good for you and helps clean out your system a bit. It was one of the ingredients that she was told to use to cleanse her son of toxins from the vaccines he had as an infant. BUT, I did find an article that claims it has been refused into the us from mexico (produces most of agave) due to excessive pesticides. Also, Dr. Weil says that it isn't safe for pregnant mothers since it has steroids that could lead to miscarriage (but he also says he will serve it in his home). I also read somewhere that it is high in fructose that has to be processed through your liver.

http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/QAA400431/Is-Agave-Nectar-Any...

http://www.eatingwell.com/health/qanda/agave_nectar_vs_su...

Personally, I choose to eat a little sugar. I don't trust any of the artificial sweeteners.

agave!

Good Luck
V.