Beware of Nutrasweet and Equal

My kids get the 'Flintstone' vitamins and I am feeling guilty everyday that I am giving them the sweetener. They do not like the stuff from the health food store. But hopefully, since it's only a trace amount it won't matter. My kids are some of the few who do not have any chronic illnesses, allergies, behavior problems etc.

But there are more dangers in everyday life than sweeteners. There are microwaves, electric blankets, batterie operated stuff etc.
 
Splenda

I appreciate having the benefit of your research. Because of that, I would like to know what your take on Splenda is? I understand it to be a highly concentrated sugar type product. Is that accurate?

Thanks for any input and information (anyone?) has on this product.

I gave up Equal because it resulted in headaches along with IBS. Stopped the Equal, headaches and IBS went away. A coincidence (sp?)? IMHO, I don't think so.

I would like to hear from you on this...

Thanks.
 
Thanks so much for all the info. That is just down right scary. I have started having migraines and the beginnings of arthritis, so it will be interesting to see if some of this disappears. I do know the arthritis is hereditary, too, but I sure don't want to speed the process up.

Lee Anne
 
Hi Catwoman:

Thanks for sharing all of the interesting (and scary) information about Aspartame.

I was wondering if you had any sources you could possibly cite for me in regard to the claims your father has gathered. I work for a food manufacturer of powdered dessert mixes and we do many artificial sweeteners in our sugar free mixes (incl. nutrasweet) and would love to show your info to my R & D staff.

I don't doubt there are health issues concerning Aspartame whatsoever. I know several people that get horrible migraines whenever they ingest a nutrasweet product. But, it would be very helpful to know what studies the claims have come from, so that the "doubting Thomases" of the world can be assured that the studies done that make these claims were done correctly and from reputable sources.

Thanks in advance for your help. I am really looking forward to sharing this info w/ my company so that we may be able to make some changes in how we formulate our sugar free products.

Take care, Lynn M.
 
>6. Diabetics should not ingest aspartame, as it leads to
>increased diabetic complications in regard to insulin levels
>and possible convulsions. (I always wondered why my blood
>sugar got all screwed up after I drank a diet soda...and I'm
>not even diabetic)
>

Does fake sugar still create an an insulin spike in the body? I've finally kicked sugar, 1)to avoid the calories, and 2)to avoid the insulin spike. But, I am afraid I have switched it for sweet and low. Your post has freaked me out, and I am now rethinking my new habits. Ugh! Just when you think you've got your bad habits worked out.
Heather
 
Hi
I use splenda but I keep forgetting to make a trip to the health food store to try stevia. I am no expert but I think it simply is a natural plant extract that is sweet and lo cal. (I think 600x sweeter than sugar so you only use a small amount) It's only approved as a nutritional supplement and not as a sweetener in the US. People in Europe use it as a sugar substitute. I don't know about how good it tastes though. HTH /karen (maybe someone w/ more knowledge could contribute more info)
 
>Splenda isn't all that great for you, either, if early
>testing is an indication. Preliminarily, it doesn't look as
>bad as aspartame, but it still shows signs of toxicity and
>organ problems.

Every time I tried Splenda I'd wake up the next morning with a pounding headache. It happened to me at least 5 times. There is definitely something not right about Splenda too!
 
Like I posted above. I'm using my own experience as research for this Splenda stuff. I wake up with pounding headahces every single time I use Splenda. That cannot be a good sign.

Thank you for posting this catwoman!
 
I tried to post this earlier, but it didn't show up. ???

You can learn more about Stevia here:

www.stevia.net

I do have a small bottle of the powdered variety of Stevia. It's extremely sweet -- you really only use a tiny amount. I think you can get in in liquid form, too.

Marla G.
 
>I've finally kicked sugar, 1)to avoid the calories, and 2)to
>avoid the insulin spike. But, I am afraid I have switched it
>for sweet and low. Your post has freaked me out, and I am now
>rethinking my new habits. Ugh! Just when you think you've got
>your bad habits worked out.
>Heather
>

Some natural sweeteners that are low glycemic (and won't cause a spike in blood sugar):
Stevia, from a plant. Used in Japan for decades to sweeten sugar-free products. Used in South America for centuries. Legally only approved as a "supplement" by the FDA, but easy to find in a health food store. A litle goes a long way!

Fructose (NOT high-fructose corn syrup, which really isn't as high in fructose as in some other sugar).

Various sweeteners made from fruit (fruitsource?) that you can find at health food stores.
 
>Hi
>I use splenda but I keep forgetting to make a trip to the
>health food store to try stevia. I am no expert but I think
>it simply is a natural plant extract that is sweet and lo cal.
>(I think 600x sweeter than sugar so you only use a small
>amount) It's only approved as a nutritional supplement and not
>as a sweetener in the US. People in Europe use it as a sugar
>substitute. I don't know about how good it tastes though. HTH
>/karen (maybe someone w/ more knowledge could contribute more
>info)

I didn't read your post before I posted!

I like stevia to sweeten tea or even to put in water in the summer. I think it tastes good, but you have to be careful to not use too much or it starts tasting almost bitter. Just a few (3-4) drops of the liquid are enough for a cup of tea. I haven't used it for baking, but have seen directions on substituting it for sugar.
 
Hi, I was listening to NPR (National Public Radio) about a week ago and I'm not sure who but a company or a group of people are suing Splenda for the quote "It tastes like sugar because it's made from sugar" They are stating that it is a lie. There are some sugars but not regular sugar that are used to make the chemical that tastes like sugar. This chemical which is mostly dextrose is mixed with chlorine...yes chlorine! to make it taste sweeter. It's bad. A scientist (not sure who) took a look under a microscope and they talked about what they found. etc....I have always had a little voice inside my head say don't eat aspartame and Splenda and now I know why. I thought the report on NPR was interesting and unbelievable that these products are everywhere we turn. We need to use judgement and wisdom in all we do. I want to thank the girl who posted the report on aspertame. I follow the 90/10 diet by Joy Bauer (buy the book, it's awesome!). In the diet you are allowed 1 fun food per day. I'll take the fun food and stay away from substitutes.;)

Yolanda
 
Great information!
I have been using Splenda and I also read about the chlorine in it...scary. My best friend grows stevia in her garden. Guess I am going to have to grow some to...ALOT and start using stevia instead. I don't think our little home town grocery stores carry stevia, but will see anyhow.
Have a great day!
Charlotte~~
 
I don't use nutrasweet or equal...can't stand them. Don't drink diet colas...can't stand them either. I was guilty, however of eating the low fat/fat free yogurts and most of them have aspartame in them BUT when I got pregnant the doc adviced me to stay away from the artificial sweetners so I gave up the yogurt. So I think it's safe to say that I am *FREE* of that garbage and hopefully will stay that way. :)

Have a great work out!

~Wendy~

I smoked my last cigarette on March 17, 2004 at 10:00 pm!

http://lilypie.com/days/050519/1/0/1/-5/.png[/img][/url]

http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?WENDYMIN
 
There is another sugar substitute that is frequently used in low-carb products that I haven't heard much about on this site. It is sugar alcohols (maltitol, sorbitol, etc). I know about the SAS (sugar alchol syndrome) of bloating, gas, etc, but has anyone else heard of more serious health problems associated with sugar alcohols?
 
I finally started doing my own research and was all but shocked that aspartame was actually approved by the FDA. Based on my research, there appears to have been a political/greed reason for getting aspartame approved, but we won't go into that here. I want to focus on the health factors since I assume everyone here is into being healthy.

I have to ask the most obvious question of all...

(caps for emphasis not yelling at anyone) WHY WOULD ANYONE BE SHOCKED THAT THE FDA APPROVED THIS GARBAGE? Look at the drugs they approve--drugs that are supposed to be for the well being of the nation but haven't had enough research conducted to find out that they actually kill people? Come one...Listen to the the ads on tv..."may lead to increased risk of infection; may cause stomache cramps; may cause diareah..." And on & on & on. Why on earth would you want to take that stuff????
 
I am so glad that there are other people out there that believe that the sweeteners are so bad for you. I get terrible headaches if I ingest the stuff. My husbands family have been diet coke, sugar-free people for as long as I've known them. My MIL is a diabetic and so everything she eats/drinks is sugar-free. All my SIL drinks is diet soda. Last July we were over at her house for a birthday party and she had bought some of that Minute Maid Lite and asked me if I wanted one and they can't ever remember anything you tell them so AGAIN I said I don't drink or eat anything with sweeteners because of the headaches I get and then I started telling them about all the findings on this stuff and how bad it is for you and I swear they all looked at me like I was an idiot. My husband won't touch the stuff either. My SIL said "Well, it's all I can drink and anyway it's got to be better than all that sugar." I just sat down and kept my mouth shut - never said another word about it. They just don't get it. Sorry THIS is so long but I thank you for this post.

Kimbra
 
I agree, Zero Tolerance. *I* have zero tolerance for artificial crap that people are trying to pass off as "food." Why drink soda anyway? Absolutely NO nutritional value. All fake.

I used to be a Pepsi addict (regular, before the days of "diet"!) back in my teens. When I read about the bad effects of theobromine (the caffeine-like substance in Pepsi and cola drinks) and sugar, I gave it up cold turkey, but it was HARD to resist. I definitely WAS addicted. Months later, I was home with my parents and there was nothing to drink but tap water (yuk!) or pepsi. I somehow though Pepsi might not be as bad (!) and tried some. The most repulsive, artificial,, "too sweet" flavor. I've never touched a cola drink since.
 
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