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I hear so many different views and studies about sugar free sweeteners.
 
What are your thoughts about splenda, crystal light, diet sodas, aspartame  and other sugar free substitutes?
 
What side effects have you witnessed? 
 
I replace many artificial sweetners with stevia, however i sometime hear stevia has side effect as well, especially women having trouble getting pregnent  ect??
 
What are your thougths?

There’s a lot of controversial info and research about sweeteners. Obviously there are all those studies you have heard of involving Sweet n low causing cancer in rats, and there is a bunch going on right now points toward other sweeteners causing problems as well. I try to steer people/clients away from using sweeteners in the first place and instead trying to change their palette to not craving the sweet stuff.

Nuwanee …I agree with you about changing people’s palette to crave more savory healthy foods rather then sweet sugary foods. 
 
When I like a particular food I literally get obsessed with it.  I feel like I NEED to eat it everyday and I can’t live without it because I would crave it.
 
 However when I find my self getting attached to a particular food, I eliminate it from my diet for about a week or two.  I find that my cravings go away!!!
 
People that are starting a new healthy lifestyle diet should be aware of this.  For the first couple weeks they may crave their old bad habits (high sugar, fat, and carb processed junk) however, they will be surprised how they palette and taste buds change…
 
I used to love Wendy’s, Mc Donald’s, and nasty fried foods.  The thought of eating those foods makes me sick.  I crave fresh whole foods such as fruits, fresh veggies, low fat yogurt, cottage cheese, oatmeal, fish, and other flavorful proteins.    I am so amazed by how my palette changed…
 
 
Nuwanne, what are your thoughts about stevia.. I am not ready to give up my sweet tooth!! I like healthy alternatives to satisfy my “chocolate sweet tooth”

Read this study!!!


Splenda Causes Weight Gain “Study”
Written by Scott Welch
 
A few weeks back we posted the results of a new study on Splenda that showed that the sweetener may cause weight gain in users (click HERE to see our original post).  This study has got everyone in the fitness industry talking because of it’s wide inclusion in many of the protein powders, bars and sugar-free drinks we live off.
 
How Does Splenda Cause Weight Gain?
Previous studies have determined that between 60 and 95 percent of the sweetener stays unabsorbed in the gut. In this most recent study, Duke University researcher Mohamed Abou-Donia, Ph.D., professor of pharmacology, cancer biology and neurobiology (yup that’s one solid resume), discovered that the unabsorbed Splenda also lowers levels of beneficial gut flora.
 
 “I think, even more important than the weight gain, is the fact that it decreases the number of good bacteria in the system,” said Abou-Donia. “Splenda is not made from sugar at all … it is not absorbed in the gut. The high concentrations of unabsorbed Splenda are what kill off the good bacteria … Its presence in the digestive system also prevents the absorption of nutrients and prescription drugs…which could be a concern for individuals on medication, such as elderly taking blood pressure or other medication.”
 
While this research was conducted in rats, not humans, Abou-Donia said his findings are still very applicable to Splenda users.

Personally, aspartame scares the hell out of me.  I avoid it even in gum.  When I read about how it was made I gave up the stuff about 12 years ago. It was hard at first because I drank a lot of diet sodas.

I’ll use sweet-n-low sparingly as the cancer warning has been removed. I can understand why because the dosage they injected in the lab rats to get sick was so high that even a human couldn’t consume that amount in a lifetime. I heard about this test from my teacher whilst in grade school and I remember thinking to that if a human consumes copious amounts of anything they can die…including water. At the time, the warning label was still on the packet. When it was removed years later, I wasn’t surprised. Still it’s an artificial sweetener. I prefer not to use anything artificial.

As Splenda hasn’t been around for long, I tend to avoid it. For baking I use erythritol. It has no after taste and makes me not even know I’m eating a sugar-free product!

I can totally relate to what you said about cravings. I tend to crave salty snacks. When I lived in New Zealand, I was addicted to these rice crackers…which were light on calories. Trouble is I could easily go through a whole pack! I decided to step away from them. THe craving soon vanished. These type of reactions tend to happen with processed foods. I really suspect hidden MSG as being the culprit in my case. Lucky I got over my rice cracker craving as there’s a high Asian population here in Hawaii. I found the same cracker here…in plenty supply! Each time I pass that aisle in the supermarket, I hear that voice in my head say…”don’t even think about it, Demi.” LOL.

Ha-ha… it’s the devil in you…  

I just eliminated most artificial sweaters from my diet and I feel fantastic.  I recently eliminated all sugar free carbonated drinks, crystal light, splenda, and all processed sugar free desserts.  I am less bloated and actually lost 1-2 pounds.   

What are your thoughts about stevia?  I use stevia like its going out of style? 
 

I love stevia.  I buy the individual packets to sweeten my oatmeal, yogurt and whey concoctions.  

I have been using liquid Stevia in my coffee and oatmeal every day for years now.  I love it!

Is there a difference in taste with the liquid vs powder??
 
I love the trader joes brand of stevia.. there are different brands and some taste funny. I add stevia powder to my oatmeal, coffee, tea, fage greek yogurt, lemon water, and sometime  protein drinks.. I could not live without it!

 
 
I was reading about studies on splenda and artificial sweeteners…
 
I can across a very interesting comment… read bellow
 
“I am not a nutritional researcher, but I am a researcher. I know there are certain entities that you do not piss off if you want to keep your job.
The several facets of Food Inc. are doubtlessly one such entity. So, yes, there are no bad studies about Splenda and there will not be in the future because researchers know how to keep their jobs.”
 
This is really scary because it makes sense.
 
What are your thoughts…?
 
Do you really think we could be taking in harmful substances because the food industry manufactures involvements?

omg! check this quote from a female fintess enthusiast experience with artificial sweetners
 
 
 
“I used to not care at all…. I was a Splenda “addict”, opening 50+ packets per day (not exaggerating). I put it in EVERYTHING and in huge amounts… 10pkts in my oatmeal, 6 in my coffee… thennnnnn I was diagnosed with Leaky Gut syndrome caused by systemic yeast overgrowth. When yeast overgrows in your body, it turns into an organism with rhizomes, or roots, that burrow into your intestinal lining, causing small holes. Toxins, bacteria and yeasts that normally are unable to escape from your digestive tract are now able to leak through these holes and infiltrate other tissues in the body, causing a myriad of problems. It is a very widely misdiagnosed issue that more people have than they think. I was getting tired and run down easily, had poor exercise tolerance (couldn’t do a week of a normal cardio schedule without catching a cold), got sick often and craved sugars to a fault. What caused the yeast to overgrow? The good bacteria that normally keeps the yeast in control was killed off. How? By overuse of Splenda.
To cure this, I have been on a “yeast-free” or “anti-candida” diet for the past 2 months and am still not all better. I will probably have to be on this diet for another couple of months before I can introduce normal foods back in. I can’t have ANY refined sugars, gluten products, anything fermented (mustard, vinegar..). No alcohol, no caffeine, nothing that feeds the yeast. I can eat only proteins, most vegetables, and certain whole grains such as quinoa and bulgar. And NO PEANUT BUTTER or cheeses. It’s rough, but I am finally getting better and am feeling like myself again.
Needless to say, I stay away from the fake stuff now. Far away!
And have gotten much leaner”
 
 
 
 
 
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS?

hey laura—check out this blog i posted the other day about sugar / artificial sweeteners:

 
http://www.muscledog.com/blog/view/353/SUGAR_REDUCES_ANGER.html

Here’s an exerpt from it you may find interesting:

“Others believe that artificial sweeteners may cause damage to brain
cells or inhibit connections between the nerve cells of the brain,
including the limbic system, which is involved in emotions.  Even though sugar can cause rapid spikes and drops in blood sugar,
leading to mood swings, the effect of substitute sweeteners is even
worse.”

Tip by Charles Poliquin 
  
AVIOD ASPARTAME 
  
  ï»¿
Aspartame is an artificial sweetener that is about 200 times sweeter than sugar. It contains methanol and two amino acids: aspartic acid and phenylalanine.
 
Phenylalanine can depress serotonin (a chemical released from a nerve cell) that has many benefits, such as helping you sleep.
 
 
Aspartic acid is an excitotoxin that can overstimulate neurons in the brain, causing them to die. (For more information about excitotoxins, consult neurologist Russell L. Blaylock’s excellent book Excitotoxins: The Taste That Kills). And then there is methanol, more commonly known as wood alcohol. Although methanol works great for relieving the pain of cuts and for cleaning your windshield, it’s probably not a good idea to be putting it in your body.
 
Aspartame has been associated with 92 different health side effects, including vision damage, depression, high blood pressure, insomnia and PMS. If these facts are not enough to convince you, consider that aspartame is often made with genetically modified organisms, which are associated with a laundry list of health problems.
 
http://www.charlespoliquin.com/Blog/tabid/130/EntryId/383/Tip-86-Avoid-Aspartame.aspx-
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I hate artificial sweetners, i wont even use 99% of the protein products out their because they contain A: either Aspartame or B: Sucralose (Splenda) I Have heard of many problems from these products i myself have seen problems, my mom has Degenerative disc disease and narrowing of the bones she used to work construction so yes that caused 90% of it, but also we also thing diet drinks attributed as she would go through about a 2 liter every day of diet pepsi. I love stevia, havent had any side effects from it, and i believe the only reason the FDA says stevia caused bad effects is because they are afraid of the natural market taking over, its funny how the FDA found nothing wrong with Splenda and Aspartame, but yet countless Independant studies not funded by the FDA Found Numerous problems with those products, now today, the FDA Finds numeroums problems with Stevia yet Independant non-funded studies show nothing at all…… Just something to thing about. 

Great post… I love love love stevia.. I agree with you 100% about these false studies.
 
It’s a shame that FDA would follow these money making protocols… what about America’s health??
 
 
 
I do have at least 2-3 splenda packets a day and chew gum which is not great but better then drinking 2 cans of diet coke a day…
 
I use stevia in everything though… oatmeal, coffee, tea, protein pudding ect…
 
I wish more protein companies used stevia… i love isopure but they use some artificial sweetener
 
I guess you are true to your beliefs…
 
This is my biggest down fall… I wish i could limit the gum, protein powers, splenda and stevia… I have a sweet TOOTH!!
 

For Protein Powders, MuscleFeast is ONLY Made with stevia, for Gum i found some called Richochet? i believe. at my local Giant market. but im not sure if its sold everywhere

thanks sooo much..  i will look into both!! i ant  beleive you found a stevia gum lol… Does the flavor last long??
 

Sorry for such a late reply! Yes the flavor lastes pretty long, especially the cinnamon flavor. 

I willl have to look for this in the store! so excited!!
 
does it prevent bloating?
 

i have actually heard it could prevent bloating as Xylitol has great effects on the digestive track and even has an awesome effect on the teeth as well, it stimulates the saliva in the mouth, giving it a cleaning effect, i actually use toothpaste made with Xylitol, it is called “Toms”