Those That Use Sugar Alternatives

[BettieC]

I am a splenda girl myself but I just brought stevia. It's pretty good, but I still like splenda more.

I'm curious what others like.

 

[raebates]

I chose Splenda in the poll because it's what I use most. However, I also like Agave Nectar. I don't care for Stevia. It has an aftertaste to me. But, I'm weird.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

I don't care for Stevia either.

I don't use artificial sweeteners.

I chose other, because I use Agave Nectar. My little guy and I are both borderline hypoglycemic, and this is a natural sweetener that tastes absolutely wonderful, and has a very low glycemic load, so it doesn't affect blood sugar levels like sugar and other natural sweeteners (honey, maple syrup, etc..) do.

I use it in baking and cooking, and to sweeten hot cereals, and on pancakes and waffles, in coffee and tea......LOVE:love: this stuff!

 

[AnnieBee]

I cannot stand ANY artificial sweeteners, all taste way too sweet and disgusting to me... I might have to try the agave nectar, I'd never heard of it before. Where do you get it Becky?

 

[BettieC]

I want to try it too Annie

 

[ChefBeckyD]

I cannot stand ANY artificial sweeteners, all taste way too sweet and disgusting to me... I might have to try the agave nectar, I'd never heard of it before. Where do you get it Becky?

They have it at Meijers - in the baking aisle, along with the organic stuff. (although not all Agave Nectar is organic)
I usually get mine at Harvest Health Foods though, because it's cheaper, and they have a better selection of types and sizes.

Agave Nectar - Madhava Honey - Fine Colorado & Rocky Mountain Honey Products

 

[candiejayne]

I'm a sweet n low kinda girl. I ran out here at work, so I've been using a co-workers splenda, and it doesnt taste like its making a difference in my tea. I'm not tasting any sweetness at all. I love really sweet tea though.

 

[chefsteph07]

I had gestational diabetes when I was pregnant and I used the Splenda, it was the one that tasted less gross! Since then I went back to real sugar, nothing can replace that!

 

[Jessie Jolly]

I like Splenda!

 

[pamperedtraci]

I can't eat or drink anything with aspartame (sweet n' low) in it. I used to use Splenda, but the Wal-Mart brand (Altern) tastes just like it, but cheaper, so I chose other. I think I'll look for Agave Nectar though!

 

[esavvymom]

Sweetener alternatives usually trigger migraines or just weird feelings in my system. I can't explain it, but often times, I will have eaten something and then just feel strange- like weird electrical pulses or migraine symptoms, and then I'll check the label- only to see it had Aspartame or Sucralose (Splenda). So I use honey in some things, real sugar (in moderation), and Stevia. I use the Sweet Leaf brand and have not noticed an after taste. Some brands do have the aftertaste...others do not.I've read too many scary articles about Splenda and the side effects it has had in the labs, and same for aspartame. So I avoid as much as I can. And I avoid like the plague the sugar alcohols! They will torture you! (they are the ones in those 100-calorie type candies or no-sugar candies and such...OH MY GOSH!!! Two pieces of a mini-candy about killed me! Even my doctor said stay away from those. anything that ended in -tol I think...like maltitol!)

 

[SpiritdancerIA]

I had gestational diabetes when I was pregnant and I used the Splenda, it was the one that tasted less gross! Since then I went back to real sugar, nothing can replace that!

When I had GD, I ended up using Stevia - I got an aftertaste with Splenda (and the aftertaste went away after delivery, go figure!)

 

[Stampaholic1961]

The only "sugar alternative" that I can use is Stevia. All others cause migraines. Splenda is the absolute worst. It just about killed me. It is another case of the government approving something as safe without proper testing. I haven't heard the results yet but there was a lawsuit against Splenda about their false advertising.

 

[raebates]

I thought of this thread when I received the following information from RealAge.

True or False: Agave’s the Healthiest Sweetener Out There

Could it be true? Is there really an all-natural, low-calorie sweetener -- with no aftertaste -- that doesn’t send your blood sugar into the stratosphere? Fans say agave (ah-GAH-vay) nectar fits that description. And to judge by the flood of agave-sweetened foods and drinks on supermarket shelves -- hundreds have been introduced in the last 2 years -- the new sweet stuff has a lot of believers. It’s even showing up in cocktails at trendy bars. So, is it true? Or too good to be?

T or F: Agave is super sweet.
True indeed! It’s four times sweeter than white sugar. Just 1/4 teaspoon of agave nectar/syrup approximates the sweetness of 1 teaspoon of sugar, costing you just 4 calories instead of 16.

T or F: Agave is all natural.
True, sort of. But “all natural” doesn’t mean “not processed.” Agave comes from the desert-dwelling succulent Agave tequilana, which is also the source of tequila. However, turning the plant’s juicy sap into a syrupy nectar you can drizzle on yogurt or stir into tea takes some doing. Some manufacturers heat the sap; others use enzymes to convert it into table-ready syrup.

T or F: Agave has no flavor.
True and false. It depends on whether the syrup is light or dark. The lightest types are virtually flavorless, but darker varieties have a maple- or caramel-like taste that you may take to . . . or not.

T or F: Agave has a low glycemic index (GI).
True. Because agave nectar is mostly fructose, it makes a pit stop for processing in the liver, which lowers its glycemic index (GI) -- a measurement of how quickly a food makes blood sugar rise. Table sugar is about half glucose, which goes straight to the bloodstream and sends blood sugar zooming in minutes.

T or F: Agave is a healthy sweetener.
More false than true. The major health benefit is that you may use less agave than sugar to get the same sweetness. But that’s about where the health-buck stops. People who’ve heard all the bad press about high-fructose corn syrup -- and avoid it like the plague -- need to realize that agave nectar is a high-fructose syrup (at least 75% fructose). Many health experts believe high-fructose foods are not good for you. “Perhaps most worrisome is that excessive fructose may increase the risk of metabolic syndrome and diabetes,” says Richard Johnson, MD, author of The Sugar Fix: The High-Fructose Fallout That is Making You Fat and Sick (2008). It also triggers a combination of unhealthy effects that can eventually lead to a host of troubles, including heart disease and stroke, according to Johnson and others.

Bottom line: If you’ve got a serious sweet tooth, a little agave syrup now and then may help you control calories and blood sugar spikes. But that’s as far as it goes -- and the trade-offs aren’t great. Sorry about that.

Need more incentive to harness your sweet tooth? Learning to read labels and avoiding foods with saturated and trans fats, simple sugars, or processed grains listed as one of the first five ingredients can make your RealAge 3.6 years younger.

 

[DessertDivaFL]

I love Sweet 'n Low ....I am actually addicted to it! I am a bad girl!

 

[KellyTheChef]

I prefer the taste of Equal (that's what I voted for) but I use the Walmart generic of the scoopable Splenda (called Altern) since we go through so much iced tea with sweetener. My frugal side wins out!

But, my FAVORITE drink is McDonald's unsweetened tea with Equal added!

 

[ChefBeckyD]

I thought of this thread when I received the following information from RealAge.

I've seen this info posted on sites, too. I've read through it before, and here was the decision I came up with for my family:

The key, as in everything, is moderation. Artificial sweeteners have been proven to not help people lose weight, and there are many health risks that have been linked to them - and many studies to back that up. I guess I'd rather use something that I know comes from a natural source in moderation than something that may be dangerous to my health or the health of my family. My son was diagnosed as borderline hypoglycemic last year (and there is no way I'd give him artificial sweeteners!) , and I am also hypoglycemic. Because of the low GI of Agave Nectar, and the fact that it doesn't cause our blood sugar to spike - it's still the best choice for us. Oh - and it tastes good too.

 

[baychef]

I am a Sugarholic....no joke...it is beyond a sweet tooth! I had to stop drinking diet sodas because it just fed my cravings for sweets. I managed to cut most sugar completely out of my diet for about 5 years. When I started eating more things higher in sugar, I finally realized what people meant by too sweet and too rich. Now that I have fallen off the wagon and it has not only run over me, but is dragging me:yuck:, I no longer feel that anything is too sweet.

My fear is that my Mother's family's history of diabetes will become a problem in the future. It is sort of strange because only certain family members on her side of the family get it.

 

[heather223]

I am a Sugarholic....no joke...it is beyond a sweet tooth! I had to stop drinking diet sodas because it just fed my cravings for sweets. I managed to cut most sugar completely out of my diet for about 5 years. When I started eating more things higher in sugar, I finally realized what people meant by too sweet and too rich. Now that I have fallen off the wagon and it has not only run over me, but is dragging me:yuck:, I no longer feel that anything is too sweet.

My fear is that my Mother's family's history of diabetes will become a problem in the future. It is sort of strange because only certain family members on her side of the family get it.

I had this same thing happen to me- but I only cut sweets for 3 weeks and then my dad passed and well you get the points. Now nothing is too sweet. Starting Monday I am going back on the no sweets. I lost 4 lbs. really quick doing it too.

 

[raebates]

I agree, Becky. I just found it interesting that RealAge sent that to me just after this discussion. Balance and moderation are the hallmarks of good health. Anything taken to an extreme can cause problems. I've heard of people having health problems from eating too many carrots. Beyond making sure that you're eating a balanced diet and exercising regularly, the best thing people can do is learn the difference among foods that are regularly part of a nutritious diet, sometimes fun foods, and occasional treats.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

I agree, Becky. I just found it interesting that RealAge sent that to me just after this discussion. Balance and moderation are the hallmarks of good health. Anything taken to an extreme can cause problems. I've heard of people having health problems from eating too many carrots. Beyond making sure that you're eating a balanced diet and exercising regularly, the best thing people can do is learn the difference among foods that are regularly part of a nutritious diet, sometimes fun foods, and occasional treats.

I get the RealAge emails too. I keep trying to make myself younger and younger!

My son said something one day about sugar being bad. I told him sugar wasn't bad, it just wasn't meant to be eaten all the time. God gave us everyday foods, sometimes foods, and celebration foods. Chocolate Cake is a celebration food.:chef:

 

[Kitchen Diva]

I don't care for Stevia either.

I don't use artificial sweeteners.

I chose other, because I use Agave Nectar. My little guy and I are both borderline hypoglycemic, and this is a natural sweetener that tastes absolutely wonderful, and has a very low glycemic load, so it doesn't affect blood sugar levels like sugar and other natural sweeteners (honey, maple syrup, etc..) do.

I use it in baking and cooking, and to sweeten hot cereals, and on pancakes and waffles, in coffee and tea......LOVE:love: this stuff!

Ditto- Ditto- Ditto to what Becky said. Except I'm not borderline hypoglycemic- but I am healing from being insulin resistant. Cutting out sugars has helped me lose 10 pounds so far!

 

[Kitchen Diva]

Sweetener alternatives usually trigger migraines or just weird feelings in my system. I can't explain it, but often times, I will have eaten something and then just feel strange- like weird electrical pulses or migraine symptoms, and then I'll check the label- only to see it had Aspartame or Sucralose (Splenda). So I use honey in some things, real sugar (in moderation), and Stevia. I use the Sweet Leaf brand and have not noticed an after taste. Some brands do have the aftertaste...others do not.

I've read too many scary articles about Splenda and the side effects it has had in the labs, and same for aspartame. So I avoid as much as I can.

And I avoid like the plague the sugar alcohols! They will torture you! (they are the ones in those 100-calorie type candies or no-sugar candies and such...OH MY GOSH!!! Two pieces of a mini-candy about killed me! Even my doctor said stay away from those. anything that ended in -tol I think...like maltitol!)

AMEN Sister! Can you say intestinal chaos?!? I cannot eat anything with sugar alcohols or I am in major pain, and my intestines are on the fast track to quality time with Mr. Toilet... I know- TMI...

 

[raebates]

This talk of sugar alcohols reminds me of the Sugar-Free Moose Trax Ice Cream incident. My buddy had been frequenting the local really good ice cream place. They always have a good selection of sugar-free ice creams, so I decided to stop in for a sweet treat during my lunch break before heading back to the office. They had sugar-free Moose Trax. It's got ribbons of caramel and chocolate with mini peanut butter cups. Delicious. I called my buddy and told her that sugar-free Moose Trax ice cream was a gift from God. I scolded her for not being a good friend. A good friend would have told me they had this. Shame on her.Two hours later I called her back and told her that sugar-free Moose Trax ice cream is a trick of Satan. I didn't think about the fact that those sugar-free mini peanut butter cups would most likely contain sorbitol. I made many, many trips to the ladies room that afternoon. I called my buddy and told her she had failed me as a friend. A good friend would have warned me. Then I pointed out that a good friend wouldn't be laughing so hard at my discomfort that she couldn't catch her breath.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

So, is there anyone out there who can eat sugar alcohols without misery?

I mean, who buys and eats that stuff? I know that one piece of the sugar-free candy, and I pay for it the rest of the day.

Someone must be buying it, because they keep making it - anyone want to confess to being able to eat the stuff?

 

[raebates]

I'm actually okay with one or two pieces. It's when I eat a whole scoop of ice cream packed with them or half a dozen pieces out of a box of goodies that I get in trouble. I tell people if it ends in "itol" don't eat it all.