Artificial Sweeteners

officerripley

officerripley

Well-known Member
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Porlock, Calif
There is probably already a discussion for this here on SF but I couldn't find it. Anyway, although I haven't had a blood sugar problem diagnosed, I think I feel better eating less (a lot less, probably!) sugar. So any recommendation for a good artificial sweetener? I hear that Truvia and other stevia-based sweeteners are rated pretty good for safety.
 

Sugar is only bad in excess. At only 18 calories/tsp, it's not a weight issue, either.
But, if you can't live without soft drinks, a 12-oz can has 10-12 tsps (40 gms) of sugar. If that's the case, maybe the harmful effects of chemical sweeteners are worth it.
I don't use artificial sweeteners or eat anything that says "Sugar Free" on it. I'm diabetic. I use 1/2 tsp of sugar in my coffee. That little amount makes no difference in my blood sugar. Neither does one hard candy - which has 5 gms sugar. (I said ONE. If you're one of those people who can't stop, maybe sugar free candy would be better.)
I tasted Stevia once. It was awful. I think the only reason artificial sweeteners are sold is because uninformed people want them.
 
officerripley said:
There is probably already a discussion for this here on SF but I couldn't find it. Anyway, although I haven't had a blood sugar problem diagnosed, I think I feel better eating less (a lot less, probably!) sugar. So any recommendation for a good artificial sweetener? I hear that Truvia and other stevia-based sweeteners are rated pretty good for safety.
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JaniceM said:
Never heard of Truvia, but as Stevia is natural it probably wouldn't be much of a problem unless you hate the taste.
I noticed recently it's in these Carnation Essentials I've been drinking for a long time.
As for artificial sweeteners- would not touch that stuff.
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Probably just me, but I seem to be allergic to Stevia.
 
Avoid aspartame completely. In cooking, a mix usually results in the best flavor. A little stevia, sucralose mixed together generally tastes better than one alone and limits your chances of side effects from using one all the time. Sometimes just a tablespoon or two of real sugar in a dessert recipe helps normalize the taste of the substitutes. Avoid using a lot of sugar alcohols such as erythritol or xylitol because they adversely impact a healthy gut microbiome.

The trick to cooking with artificial sweeteners is to stick with the same products since they vary from brand to brand in strength. If you find a recipe that calls for another than your pantry staples, find a conversion chart and make a note on your recipe for next time.
 
officerripley said:
So any recommendation for a good artificial sweetener?
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I like Swerve the best, and someone here on the boards last year mentioned Swerve also has a brown sugar type and I have enjoyed using that now too. I find the confectioners powdered sugar Swerve very useful, more useful for the few recipes I make than the granular.
It is a little concerning that there aren't good studies (that I know of) of whether there are long term bad effects from the various varieties of artificial sugars, but the bad effects of real sugar I have personal experience with, as well as there ARE studies for the bad effects of real sugar.

I switched 13 months ago to limiting myself to approximately 14 grams of real sugar a day (3 1/2 teaspoons I think that is). Without the artificial sweeteners (especially during holiday season) I wouldn't have been successful, but I actually use very little artificial sugar in general because I got used to non-sugary foods. I mostly just consume artificial sugar nowadays from processed foods that I buy (like those fake peanut butter cups that Quest makes). Well, I've used those little blue aspartame packets for a long time, such a long time I don't even think of those as artificial sweetener, ha.

I haven't had a blood test yet this year, but last year my annual test was 3 months after I switched, and my triglycerides had dropped from a bit into the high range down all the way to the middle of the normal range.

This is an interesting YouTube of some people testing their blood sugar after eating each variety of artificial sweetener:
 
I don't add sugar or artificial sweeteners to anything, and try to limit indulging in packaged/processed foods that do have added sugar.

When I was growing up my dad used to add a liquid sweetener to his coffee, saccharin I believe. He jokingly called it "bug-juice", I thought it tasted and smelled more like insecticide. :eek:
 
I have used artificial sweeteners for years and years. First saccharin and now aspartame. I believe them to be safe and offer snippets of info from two respected sources:

From Mayo Clinic:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-...g/in-depth/artificial-sweeteners/art-20046936

Oct. 8, 2020

Artificial sweeteners have been scrutinized intensely for decades.

Critics of artificial sweeteners say that they cause a variety of health problems, including cancer. That's largely because of studies dating to the 1970s that linked the artificial sweetener saccharin to bladder cancer in laboratory rats. Because of those studies, saccharin once carried a label warning that it may be hazardous to your health.

But according to the National Cancer Institute and other health agencies, there's no sound scientific evidence that any of the artificial sweeteners approved for use in the United States cause cancer or other serious health problems. Numerous studies confirm that artificial sweeteners are generally safe in limited quantities, even for pregnant women. As a result, the warning label for saccharin was dropped.

Artificial sweeteners are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as food additives. They must be reviewed and approved by the FDA before being made available for sale.

Sometimes the FDA declares a substance "generally recognized as safe" (GRAS). Substances receive this designation if they meet either of these criteria:

  • Qualified professionals deem the substance safe for its intended use on the basis of scientific data. Stevia preparations are an example of this type of GRAS designation.
  • The substances have such a lengthy history of common use in food that they're considered generally safe.
The FDA has established an acceptable daily intake (ADI) for each artificial sweetener. ADI is the maximum amount considered safe to consume each day over the course of a lifetime. ADIs are set at very conservative levels.

From the NHS England:

https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/are-sweeteners-safe/

28 February 2019

Both Cancer Research UK and the US National Cancer Institute have said sweeteners do not cause cancer.

"Large studies looking at people have now provided strong evidence that artificial sweeteners are safe for humans," states Cancer Research UK.

All sweeteners in the EU undergo a rigorous safety assessment by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) before they can be used in food and drink.

As part of the evaluation process, the EFSA sets an acceptable daily intake (ADI), which is the maximum amount considered safe to consume each day over the course of your lifetime.

Dietitian Emma Carder states: "Research into sweeteners shows they're perfectly safe to eat or drink on a daily basis as part of a healthy diet."
She also says they're a really useful alternative for people with diabetes who need to watch their blood sugar levels while still enjoying their favourite foods.
"Like sugar, sweeteners provide a sweet taste, but what sets them apart is that, after consumption, they do not increase blood sugar levels," she says.

I think this may be newer research than what a lot of people have heard about.
 
If you don't have a health problem I would continue using small amounts of sugar. Better the Devil you know ...;)

Begin reading labels and try to eliminate products with added sugar. It's amazing the amount of sugar that is added to things like pasta sauce, salad dressing, breakfast cereal, crackers, etc...

As my diabetes has gotten worse I've stopped using sugar.

I use individual packets of sucralose, many commercial products that contain Splenda and alcohol sugars. I'm still experimenting with a few of the new to me sweeteners. The latest is Lakanto Monkfruit sweetener made with only monk fruit sweetener and erythritol.

I've also used Splenda and Swerve in baking, but for me, the best solution is to quit baking in favor of a few artificially sweetened single-serving packaged treats on special occasions.

Good luck finding something that is right for you and your situation.
 
JaniceM said:
Never heard of Truvia, but as Stevia is natural it probably wouldn't be much of a problem unless you hate the taste.
I noticed recently it's in these Carnation Essentials I've been drinking for a long time.
As for artificial sweeteners- would not touch that stuff.
Click to expand...
Totally agree with part i made bold. Most artificial sweeteners were approved for use in sodas based on studies done by the manufacturers. Years later we learned they are more addictive than natural sweeteners. I was never much of a soda drinker and hated the aftertaste of the artificial sweetners. But lots of people ended up drinking much more soda than previously.
.
 
I used sweeteners in place of sugar for many years, but have recently read bad reports
on them so I've gone back to sugar. I only use it in tea/coffee, I don't use on cereals as can
manage without, but can't drink tea/coffee without.
 
officerripley said:
There is probably already a discussion for this here on SF but I couldn't find it. Anyway, although I haven't had a blood sugar problem diagnosed, I think I feel better eating less (a lot less, probably!) sugar. So any recommendation for a good artificial sweetener? I hear that Truvia and other stevia-based sweeteners are rated pretty good for safety.
Click to expand...
What do you want to use the sweetener for? When my wife was first diagnosed she tried truvia, neither of us liked it. We didn't try anything after that since from our experience aspartame was a no to too. Since our use of sweeteners is as an ingredient, not for beverages we were able to find alternatives using fruits that worked really well and we continue using today.
 
I have been advised by my neuro doctor not to use them as they constrict your blood vessels. I had a massive stroke 20 years ago, so I don't use them. All my doctors said to use a little sugar instead. Since I have a history of brain aneurysms, I don't use them. I always drank black coffee and iced tea so I don't keep much sugar around. If I am having family over they know there will not be any sugar for their coffee, so they can do without or bring their own.
 
I dont cook with them ever but I use a bit of a generic aspartame to sweeten coffee or tea. Occasional diet soda. I don’t think they affect my appetite in any way.
I don’t buy any other artificially sweetened products.
 

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