What are your opinions on artificial sweeteners?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I totally think they are healthy, all the studies that show that they aren’t just seem like bad studies to me. And stevia seems great.

But I *swear* they increase my appetite. Even stevia. So I avoid them even though studies say they don’t have an impact on appetite. Maybe it’s a placebo thing. I just eat the sugar/honey/maple syrup.

Not placebo. There are studies that artificial sweeteners cause insulin response similar to regular sugar. higher insulins -> lower sugar -> increased appetite

This. Your body recognizes it as sweet and is triggered the same as if it was sugar. At least that's what I've read in several books and the internets.

I've been using erythritol, which is found is in some fruits and other fermented foods like cheese, and is a considered a sugar alcohol. But it doesn't cause an insulin spike because it's quickly absorbed in your intestines and then excreted in your urine and therefore doesn't get into your bloodstream. That's also why it's zero calories.

It seems to cause some digestive issues for some people, gas, bloating, diarrhea. I haven't had any problems, but I use one heaping (HEAPING) tablespoon in coffee when I have it, and occasionally a pinch over some blueberries or something like that if they're too tart. Other than that, I don't use much sugar at all except occasionally when cooking. Anything more than a few tablespoons, I use regular sugar.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I totally think they are healthy, all the studies that show that they aren’t just seem like bad studies to me. And stevia seems great.

But I *swear* they increase my appetite. Even stevia. So I avoid them even though studies say they don’t have an impact on appetite. Maybe it’s a placebo thing. I just eat the sugar/honey/maple syrup.

Not placebo. There are studies that artificial sweeteners cause insulin response similar to regular sugar. higher insulins -> lower sugar -> increased appetite

+1

(Plus, I don't like the taste.)

I just eat less sugar, but if I'm eating something that uses sugar, I use real sugar. It was easier to just cut out soda than drink diet soda, etc. It makes me more thoughtful about what sweet things I eat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Delicious in a Diet Coke!

(Can’t quit you Diet Coke.)

Same here. I’m now rationing myself to one can per day. It’s the only thing with artificial sweetener I consume

[Anonymous]

It definitely makes me more hungry. And not in a "hmm, food sounds good" kind of way. More in the lightheaded, trembly hands, I'm gonna pass out if I don't eat soon kind of way. Even if my stomach objectively feels full from a recent meal, the rest of my body starts demanding food. I guess that is the blood sugar response?

Strong artificial flavors have the same effect, like flavored sparkling water. I've switched to plain club soda with a slice of real lime and it's much better.

[Anonymous]

Isn't stevia a natural plant?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Isn't stevia a natural plant?

So is sugar. “Natural” doesn’t mean totally non-problematic. (And I’m drinking a Mexican coke right now, so I don’t hate sugar, but I’m only going to drink half and this will be the only added sugar I have today).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One question, can your body recognize it as food?
Probably not so I will put it under bad.

Bingo. It is not food. It is not good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Gross and train you to crave sweets.

That's what people say. It's all I use now. 2 equals in my coffee. I don't crave sweets AT ALL.

I’m 2 Splenda in my one cup of coffee per day. Same as you, I don’t crave sweets.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Isn't stevia a natural plant?

So is sugar. “Natural” doesn’t mean totally non-problematic. (And I’m drinking a Mexican coke right now, so I don’t hate sugar, but I’m only going to drink half and this will be the only added sugar I have today).

Ok…but the topic is your opinion on artificial sweetener, in which a couple people brought up stevia.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I totally think they are healthy, all the studies that show that they aren’t just seem like bad studies to me. And stevia seems great.

But I *swear* they increase my appetite. Even stevia. So I avoid them even though studies say they don’t have an impact on appetite. Maybe it’s a placebo thing. I just eat the sugar/honey/maple syrup.

At first I thought you were being sarcastic. Healthy???

[Anonymous]

I don't ever eat or drink anything with artificial sweeteners and there's nothing in our household with it. My children are now older teens, but if they have it it's out of the house, not here. I definitely wouldn't want it in their growing bodies when younger (don't want it in them now either, but when they are 18 and 20, you have no control)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't ever eat or drink anything with artificial sweeteners and there's nothing in our household with it. My children are now older teens, but if they have it it's out of the house, not here. I definitely wouldn't want it in their growing bodies when younger (don't want it in them now either, but when they are 18 and 20, you have no control)

I had a diabetic grand-parent and they kept a frog stocked full of
several varieties of diet soda. I spent a lot of time there as a kid and the amount of diet soda my cousins and I drank throughout childhood is alarming! Knock on wood, we are all 35+ and in good health and managed to reproduce healthy kids

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It definitely makes me more hungry. And not in a "hmm, food sounds good" kind of way. More in the lightheaded, trembly hands, I'm gonna pass out if I don't eat soon kind of way. Even if my stomach objectively feels full from a recent meal, the rest of my body starts demanding food. I guess that is the blood sugar response?

Strong artificial flavors have the same effect, like flavored sparkling water. I've switched to plain club soda with a slice of real lime and it's much better.

Sounds like it - all signed of hypoglycemia.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Gross and train you to crave sweets.

That's what people say. It's all I use now. 2 equals in my coffee. I don't crave sweets AT ALL.

I’m 2 Splenda in my one cup of coffee per day. Same as you, I don’t crave sweets.

Same. One stevia in coffee and one diet coke every other day or so. I'm basically repulsed by sugar/deserts and don't touch them. The artificials definitely do not make me crave sweets.

[Anonymous]

I consumed a lot of artificial sweeter products before I finally turned my entire diet around. Now, I consume none of that stuff. Diet sodas were the worst.

At most, I get up super early to knock on some work in the morning and have a few too many coffees with actual sugar. Not too much, but some. Other than that, I have tried to completely eliminate sugar and any other sort of "artificial" food ingredient all together. I feel 10,000,000x better. Though, it took a LONG LONG time (think 3 years of progression), with many dips and off-tracks along the way.