Splenda... Who Knew?

[mustdobetter]

I am a child of the 70s, a teen of the 80s, and a dieter of the 90s. Which means I have been caught up in about every fad diet at some time or another, not necessarily to lose weight but to try to have healthier eating habits. I took on the fat free craze, the high protein wheys, the low carb phase, and the almost no calories ever daze. About 3 years ago I got into the low sugar craze. I replaced almost everything I ate with some sugar free version, usually sweetened with sucralose. I was all about some splenda - the no calorie answer to our prayers. Why am I just now discovering that Splend/sucralose is just as bad as nutra sweet/aspartame? I am just learning that the wide range of annoying health problems I am dealing with could very well be due to the massive amounts of sucralose I ingest in a day. And for years, I really had no idea.

Here's what's interesting... this sweetener that is made from sugar sends a message to your brain that you are getting sugar, and will thereby be getting energy. But you don't ever get the energy, so your brain responds by creating a more intense sugar craving. This makes me wonder if loading my body with sucralose is causing me to have more difficulty with alcohol cravings. Who knows. But I am going to be making some major changes to my diet so I guess I will find out.

I guess there is really something to be said for sticking to natural food sources.

[mamatee]

Splenda... Who Knew?

I dunno Must. Since I quit drinking I'm downing a ton of diet soda (and water and ice tea and decaf and sparkling juice) and it hasn't effected me that way. I'm a big believer in your own experience guiding your actions though -- if it makes you want to drink, stay away from it! Good luck with that and report back if you see a change.

[lushy]

Splenda... Who Knew?

Yes, any food that is altered like that cannot be good for you. However, I am guilty of drinking two diet sodas a day because they got me off beer and I have to think that is healthier. And Splenda is actually getting in trouble for misleading people that their product is made from sugar because people imply it is healthier when in fact the final product has nothing to do with sugar by the time it has been so chemically altered.

[Guest]

Splenda... Who Knew?

Have you tried 'sugar cane'. I use that instead of white sugar..unless I am baking and it calls for white sugar. I never drink 'diet' pop or anything and I'm trying to get my husband off of it as well.

[ScoobyDoo]

Splenda... Who Knew?

Listen to your body mdb... It sounds to me like you're onto something with the cravings for alcohol! It'll be interesting to see how your cravings change after you revert to natural sugar. I bet you are right!

Doo

[mustdobetter]

Splenda... Who Knew?

If it doesn't help any with alcohol cravings, then sobeit. I am not banking on it too much. I am however concerned about a plethora of other health related issues that have creeped up on me in the last few years, which I have chalked up to something else that I have done or am doing. It is hard to make a connection so the only way I will know is to cut it from my diet and see what happens.

In the last 3 years I have begun to suffer from the following, to name a few:

Deteriorating hearing
Deteriorating eye sight
Hair loss
IBS
Loss of bladder control
Joint/muscle injury and pain
dry skin

This is what my typical daily food intake looks like:

2 cups of coffee sweetened with 3 splenda packs each and sugar free creamer (contains sucralose)
Oatmeal sweetened with 3 splenda packs and sugar free maple syrup (contains sucralose)
Sandwich with sugar free bread (contains sucralose)
Protein bar post workout (contains sucralose)
Yogurt (contains sucralose)
At least four 16 oz bottles of flavored calorie free water throughout the day (contains sucralose)

I have a lot of changes to make...

[gateway]

Splenda... Who Knew?

I am just curious MUSTDOBETTER......... How much do you drink or do you still drink?
(looking at your health issues that is??????)

[southernbelle47]

Splenda... Who Knew?

I subscribe to the school of "Plant a garden, feed it with natural products".
I also have a breadmachine that I add orgainc flour and honey to and make bread.
I know this is not possibe for many people but there are some important first steps that all can take to move "closer" to our food being fresh and without alot of chemicals.
Buy organic in your store and read labels. Cheep is NOT the better buy in the long run. Buy from a local grower when possible.
Anyone can have a small plot of lettuce and tomatoes! Plant something!

My hubby's and my dinner for the last two nights has come directly out of our garden in most part.
We had baby lettuces with tomatoes and cucumber, green onion, spinach, grilled chicken breast and topped with balsomic(sp?) vinegar and olive oil dressing and some cheese.
Last night's was same greens and orange bell pepper and chicken salad.
Our grandson is growing a cabbage here and he is excited about eating something he has grown. He normally would not touch a green veggie!

OK............off my soap box.

:h Nancy

[Kimmy]

Splenda... Who Knew?

The Natural Way

Must - I put my family on a fantastic way of life about 2 years ago, its called the Natural way, it is not a diet but a way of life - if you can try and get hold of the book it is called "The Natural way - A family's guide to vibrant health" by Mary-Ann Shearer.

Extract from the book: The natural way spurns fad diets and starvation techniques; it avoids all additives, supplements and instant foods. Instead, it places and emphasis on fresh, raw foods and natural meals.

I had a daughter with wait problems, my son suffered from eczema and allergies, my hubby had cholesterol issues and my house keeper blood pressure problems. I was cooking 5 different meals a night (no wonder I drank so much - the kitchen was my home) but since then I only cook one meal for everyone.

My daughter went from a size 16 to an 8, my son has not been on any allergy or eczema medication in the 2 years and my hubby is fit and healthy even the house keeper has started this way of eating in her own home. I am the only one in my family that is not healthy - but working on it. Give it a try

[lushy]

Splenda... Who Knew?

Must, wow that is a lot of artificial sweetenr you take in. Another great healthy sugar source that I just bought (diabetics are advised to use it because it does not spike blood sugar as much) is agave nectar. You use a small amount of it because it is very sweet. You could do something like that on your oatmeal. I have never heard of bread containing sucralose. Whole grain bread would be so much healthier and could help with your IBS. Does not sound like you get much fiber.

Good luck and let us know if you notice changes with cutting back on it!

And Nancy I really need you to come help with my garden. I never have any luck growing anything. I would LOVE one.

[mustdobetter]

Splenda... Who Knew?

Thanks for the suggestions Lushy, and everyone else. I am looking for something... all kinds of things now... to substitute.

gateway - I am currently drinking at least 2-3 glasses of wine per night. Sometimes more. Depends on the night.

Either way - I think it is not going to hurt me one bit to reduce my intake of sucralose. I have to come to an understanding at some point of how me and food react, together, in the same world. If I want my kids to be normal, I feel like I have to take some serious action soon.

[rebelicious]

Splenda... Who Knew?

There is a great herb called stevia which is a wonderful sweetener. I highly recommend it.

[bird]

Splenda... Who Knew?

I've read alot of stuff about staying away from sugar when you are trying to quit.Something like when you drink it raises your blood sugar. Then when the booze wears off your blood sugar drops drastically causing a craving. Notice how youll crave sugar or caffiene when not drinking. I've read that if you stabalize your blood sugar by staying away from food and drink that makes it yo yo the booze cravings drop dramatically. Of course I do none of this and start downing the diet colas as soon as I get to work and eating left over X-mas candy when I want beer. Think I got alot of that info from a Susan Powter book called sober and staying that way, but have read it in some others too. Bird

[southernbelle47]

Splenda... Who Knew?

I'll be right over Lushy! I've planted every inch of our place!
Stevia is a good natural product to sub for sugar.

[nancy]

Splenda... Who Knew?

I am also getting off sugar. I switched to splenda though. Don't drink diet sodas anymore, but have had a lot of splenda in yoghurts and puddings, ice cream. Thanks for the tip that splenda isn't the way to go.

I just bought some Agave nectar! Thanks lushy...