Aspartame, High Fructose Corn, Raw Cane Sugar...

[GolfLug]

Was listening to a discussion on the radio this morning. Discuss your preference, how long, why (calories, long term health, etc.) personal experiences studies that have influenced you. Feel free to discuss any other options.

I prefer raw cane in coffee in the morning and aspartame in soft drinks which I limit to no more than once or twice a week.

[Abu3baid]

Was listening to a discussion on the radio this morning. Discuss your preference, how long, why (calories, long term health, etc.) personal experiences studies that have influenced you. Feel free to discuss any other options. I prefer raw cane in coffee in the morning and aspartame in soft drinks which I limit to no more than once or twice a week.

If I find brown natural sugar while I'm buying coffee I will use that, but otherwise I will use regular sugar and that's what I buy as well.. I don't like my coffee black, but I wish I could get used to it without sugar.. I'm trying to cut down soft drinks to one or two a week and eventually none..

[nevets88]

Just "regular" sugar. Not much into soft drinks. Real butter. Real food. All in moderation.

[saevel25]

I prefer raw cane in coffee in the morning and aspartame in soft drinks which I limit to no more than once or twice a week.

You should put an option, "None" in the poll.

Never use artificial sweeteners.

I rather regulate my caloric intake using regular sugar than try to use artificial sweeteners. A lot of current research is showing that artificial sweeteners do not actually help in weight loss, but can actually promote weight gain.

They are finding that artificial sweeteners can cause insulin spikes greater than sugar. They also cause people to crave sweet foods or just the need to eat in general. By eating something that tastes sweet, but has no caloric intake you are tricking your body. Your body isn't registering any calories so it keeps pushing for you to eat sweet things. Basically they cause your body to crave carbs.

If I have coffee I usually try to use raw cane sugar and cream (or half and half).

[Mr. Desmond]

I do not put table sugar or artificial sweeteners into any drink that I am drinking.

Coffee is black,

Filtered or Bottled Water.

I do not drink soda.

[GolfLug]

You should put an option, "None" in the poll.

Never use artificial sweeteners.

I rather regulate my caloric intake using regular sugar than try to use artificial sweeteners. A lot of current research is showing that artificial sweeteners do not actually help in weight loss, but can actually promote weight gain.

They are finding that artificial sweeteners can cause insulin spikes greater than sugar. They also cause people to crave sweet foods or just the need to eat in general. By eating something that tastes sweet, but has no caloric intake you are tricking your body. Your body isn't registering any calories so it keeps pushing for you to eat sweet things. Basically they cause your body to crave carbs.

If I have coffee I usually try to use raw cane sugar and cream (or half and half).

Interesting. Always thought artificial sweeteners to mute the insulin spike. Also trying to study if carb craving is psychological (I tend to eat more when in office) or actual physical need because of carb signals.

I am leaning towards psychological still since I crave even on days where nothing artificial has not been consumed.

Not finding how to edit the poll to add 'none'.

Just "regular" sugar. Not much into soft drinks. Real butter. Real food. All in moderation.

Yes, moderation seems to be key. But mindfulness and recognition of true hunger seems to be key to moderation. Unfortunately mind is full of lack of mindfulness most days.

I do not put table sugar or artificial sweeteners into any drink that I am drinking.

Coffee is black,

Filtered or Bottled Water.

I do not drink soda.

Bow to your control. Absolutely ideal - it just seems unrealistic for me.

[Valleygolfer]

I use some organic sugars, not raw cane per say. I also use locally obtained honey as well. Preferably the honey. I don't really care about calories anymore and try to keep food as real as possible.

[Golfingdad]

... All in moderation.

That's it right there.  I cut out the majority of my diet soda intake at the beginning of the year and started tracking calories.  Other than that, however, no rules.  I still drink a few sodas a week (5 or 6 maybe, whereas it was previously 4 or 5 A DAY), will gladly eat potato chips, donuts, ice cream, whatever.  As long as I stay within my calories most days, all is well.

[GolfLug]

That's it right there.  I cut out the majority of my diet soda intake at the beginning of the year and started tracking calories.  Other than that, however, no rules.  I still drink a few sodas a week (5 or 6 maybe, whereas it was previously 4 or 5 A DAY), will gladly eat potato chips, donuts, ice cream, whatever.  As long as I stay within my calories most days, all is well.

Well, I think I eat in moderation in general but that is my problem. Don't eat donuts or chips much half a bowl of ice cream (4-5 oz) 3-4 times a week and it just keeps blowing my calorie allowance (1,400/day). Also, 5-6 beers a week (man's gotta live a bit, right?). I do have a small frame, a mostly desk job and poor metabolism, I think.

[isukgolf]

Never really looked at it too hard ... I allow myself one soda a day ... used to always have a diet Dr Pepper open and drinking it ... I drank a lot of soda ... but reoccurring headaches with blind spots has changed my view on aspartame and other sweeteners.

[No Mulligans]

You should put an option, "None" in the poll.

Never use artificial sweeteners.

I rather regulate my caloric intake using regular sugar than try to use artificial sweeteners. A lot of current research is showing that artificial sweeteners do not actually help in weight loss, but can actually promote weight gain.

They are finding that artificial sweeteners can cause insulin spikes greater than sugar. They also cause people to crave sweet foods or just the need to eat in general. By eating something that tastes sweet, but has no caloric intake you are tricking your body. Your body isn't registering any calories so it keeps pushing for you to eat sweet things. Basically they cause your body to crave carbs.

If I have coffee I usually try to use raw cane sugar and cream (or half and half).

How does this relate to Stevia (100% Stevia product like Stevia in the Raw)?  Since it comes from a plant it seems it shouldn't be classified as an 'artificial sweetener'.

I use stevia and am interested whether it does what you said artificial sweeteners do.

[saevel25]

How does this relate to Stevia (100% Stevia product like Stevia in the Raw)?  Since it comes from a plant it seems it shouldn't be classified as an 'artificial sweetener'.

I use stevia and am interested whether it does what you said artificial sweeteners do.

Not sure.

Should you be eating something in high concentration when it wasn't designed that way to begin with. How much plant material do you have to eat to equal the serving amount of stevia you usually use?

It does look like Stevia is probably the best option if you want to use an artificial sweetener.

[Valleygolfer]

How does this relate to Stevia (100% Stevia product like Stevia in the Raw)?  Since it comes from a plant it seems it shouldn't be classified as an 'artificial sweetener'.

I use stevia and am interested whether it does what you said artificial sweeteners do.

If I remember correctly, stevia is excessively sweet with bitter hints if the essential oils are not removed completely. They cut it with some other sugar substitutes or actual sugar to combat the bitter. Stevia truly in the raw is very safe and healthy and should be uncut and calorie free. It doesn't require much of it to sweeten something. I use sugars sparingly so I do not use it much unless I am trying to avoid calories.

All the other sweeteners are somewhat toxic. Saccharin has been found to cause cancer eons ago(people still don't care). Aspartame was derived from a neurotoxin used for chemical warfare and causes severe headaches among other issues. Sucrolose is linked to digestive malabsorption and insulin disruptions.

[meenman]

As my own (unintentional) human guinea pig, i can tell you that diet soda does nothing to help weight loss.

Drinking 3-4 coke zero's a day, 4 days a week over a 16 hour work shift put some serious weight gain on me - basically giving back all i had lost when cutting myself back to one regular coke a day.

Over the past month, I have gone to water as my drink of choice and am slowly on my way back down.

Mind you, I have horrible eating habits - while my work partner stops for fast food 3-4 times a day, i eat nothing - my only meal is when i get home at 9 or 10 at night and then immediately go to bed since i have to get up at 5:30 the next day.

I will stick to my morning monster rehab and no more than 3 coke zeros a week.

[Yukari]

I do not put table sugar or artificial sweeteners into any drink that I am drinking. Coffee is black, Filtered or Bottled Water. I do not drink soda.

+1. Ditto for me

[dkolo]

Aspartame. It's completely safe and has zero calories. Yes, please.

[Yukari]

Aspartame. It's completely safe and has zero calories. Yes, please.

Not true.

I know some people who get headaches when they consume aspartame.  Phenylalanine has been known to cause other side-effects as well:

http://www.medicinenet.com/artificial_sweeteners/page8.htm

http://www.sweetpoison.com/aspartame-side-effects.html

[dkolo]

Not true.

I know some people who get headaches when they consume aspartame.  Phenylalanine has been known to cause other side-effects as well:

http://www.medicinenet.com/artificial_sweeteners/page8.htm

http://www.sweetpoison.com/aspartame-side-effects.html

Aspartame's been heavily studied for a quarter century and, by overwhelming consensus, it's been found to be completely safe. So say the FDA and its international and European counterparts. The sheer amount of people ingesting aspartame in heavy quantities for a few decades would make one think there would be some causal link that would have become apparent over that time frame.

As for people with issues metabolizing phenylalanine like those with PKU, sure, if you have a 1 in 20,000 prevalence disease, you should probably stay away, but that seems self-evident.

With respect to the second link, the lady attached to the site is a PhD named Janet Starr Hull. Putting that into Google, the first two suggested results were "Janet Starr Hull Aspartame" and "Janet Starr Hull Quack." So, yeah, she seems like a one trick pony version of Dr. Oz more than anything.