What's your take on Splenda or sweetners? good/bad?

[Trivine1]

Thanks

[KaraPhoto]

I think it's a decision that each person has to make individually.

I personally try to avoid artificial sweeteners as much as possible - I'd rather use real sugar or honey and account for the calories. That said, I drink Diet Coke ... so obviously it's not a hard and fast rule for me.

I know some people who are very sensitive to Splenda. A good friend of mine gets bad headaches and bloat when she consumes it and has found that if she avoids Splenda, she feels much better.

I don't think, however, that anything is across the board "bad" or across the board "good". I actually hate the concept of good/bad as regards food ... becuase when you start to demonize or elevate any food, many people then choose to make that food the focus of their efforts. If I eat potatoes, I'll gain weight. If I drink a gallon of acai berry juice a day I'll lose weight. Whatever. They put all their focus into one food and ignore all the rest of common sense about losing/gaining weight.

So I don't think Splenda is "bad" ... I don't think it's "good". It's a choice you make based on your feelings/thoughts about food and how it affects your body.

[kingoftroys]

When I used splenda I would get uncontrollable muscle twitches,did some online research and there can be all kinds of side effects to using splenda and the muscle ticks was one of them.I stopped using it,better off to use a natural sweetner in my opinion.

[freebirdmac]

Don't like them. I think you're far better off sticking to stevia, sugar, honey, agave, etc.

[bethanyboo]

When I used splenda I would get uncontrollable muscle twitches,did some online research and there can be all kinds of side effects to using splenda and the muscle ticks was one of them.I stopped using it,better off to use a natural sweetner in my opinion.

That's interesting.. my shoulder was twitching all day long Wednesday. I usually have a few splendas a day in my tea. I wonder if that's what caused it.

[MsFit]

I'm happy to say that I just kicked the coke habit, that's Diet Coke, last month. I've been addicted to aspartame-infested Diet Coke since 1993. I went through a literal detox... it was the same as watching those detox from drugs on Intervention... headaches, sick, nausea... It was a rough 2-3 days, but I feel 100% better now, no cravings for it whatsoever, AND my nagging back pain vanished! Kicking the "Diet Coke" habit has been the BEST thing I've ever done.

I now use Stevia and Xylitol as well as honey. At times I'll take some club soda and add different flavors of Stevia in it if I want something other than water or freshly squeezed juice.

On my scheduled cheat day, sometimes I may have regular coke.

[kdiamond55]

I have used 2-3 packets of Splenda a day for years and I have no adverse side effects to it. Aspartame also doesn't give me issues.

I have also tried Stevia and I had major gastro issues with it.

So I think it really depends on individuals!

[CATRACCOM]

Splenda gives me cystic acne bad. I just do sugar, agave, or stevia.

[laurenrun262]

Very interesting topic. Been wondering about this lately

[vandalgirl59]

I'm not against them, but I don't always appreciate the after-feeling I get from them (stomach ache for example). I use them a bit here and there but not nearly as much as I use to...

[julysray]

when i usedsplenda i had this funny after taste in my mouth...hated it stopped using it and i feel much better too...but it is an individual thing my aunt uses a big bag in a week...blah she loves sweet tea:)

[kristin07]

I'm not the biggest fan of artificial sweetners mainly for the reason that they are artificial. I don't like the thought of adding more manufactured sweetners to my diet when I can barely find anything that isn't sweetened or enhanced with high fructose corn syrup. I would love to read some studies on the long term effects of products like splenda but seeing that they are fairly recent creations it'll be awhile til we truly know how they effect our bodies.

[NOVA888]

My body doesn't respond well to sugars.

I do use artificial sweeteners, but only on occasion (as a treat/cheat).

I've successfully weaned my tastebuds away from finding sugar pleasurable, so now it tends to taste increasingly foreign to me. I'm very happy about that, as I don't want to be manipulated on any level by the cane sugar/high-fructose corn syrup industries.

[Midnight720]

I use to have splenda on oalmeal and on my brown rice. But now I use peanut butter a lots now..

[aussieangie]

I only use stevia extract leaf sweetener as it has zero cal's, zero carbs and zero of everything. Another reason I use it is because it contains no aspartame, dextrose or lactose which could cause insulin and an increase in insulin, increases body fat.

http://www.womentowomen.com/healthyweight/splenda.aspx

[juliacheh]

I don't really feel the need to sweeten anything, and I don't drink any soda or other sweet drinks. In baking I use real sugar or honey.

[DrivenAgain]

I primarily use Stevia for almost everything, but use Splenda when there's none handy, even though I know it's not good for me.

[mrsawesdaws]

I don't know why, but artificial sweetners give me stomach aches/cramps. Another thing is a friend of mine had been using Splenda to make a lot of desserts for the holidays. She said she kept munching on stuff, and then woke up in the middle of the night with sweats and feeling sick. She vomited a white goo that tasted like splenda. :0[ After getting sick she said she instantly started feeling better.


My solution: Somehow I've managed to get to a point that I almost never eat sugar. Unless it's in a fruit, or honey. I eat my oatmeal plain, my tea unsweetened, etc... I do however have regular yogurts, but I'm pretty picky b/c some brands are too sweet, and I have to have a teaspoon of sugar in my coffee. :(

[fitlover]

I use regular sugar/honey/molasses most of the time. Occasionally I'll throw in a packet of splenda or add a couple drops of stevia to something if I'm on a low carb day or something. But those don't happen too often anymore, hehe. :rolleyes:

[susy99]

I use Stevia just because I have read it is natural in all ways and it actually tastes good in my tea.

[LoCo84]

When I used splenda I would get uncontrollable muscle twitches,did some online research and there can be all kinds of side effects to using splenda and the muscle ticks was one of them.I stopped using it,better off to use a natural sweetner in my opinion.


Yeah, same thing happens to me with splenda, twitching and just an overall feeling of being on edge, so I stopped using it all together. I used to use a lot of artificial sweeteners but I was finding myself craving sugar more and more, so I cut down on my consumption dramatically and have curbed my craving for sweets significantly which make me overall more successful. I don't think it's bad, I just think it depends on what your goals are, and like Kara said, it's all about moderation and not saying that any one food on it's own is good or bad.

[Linds33]

I use Stevia once a day in my morning coffee and sometimes when i have oatmeal.

I don't drink any diet cokes or soda except for virgil's cream soda (diet) which is sweetened with Stevia and contains no artificial ingredients. And I really only have that maybe 3 times a year cuz it is expensive!

Other then that if i am baking i will use real sugar or honey.

[up4more]

Thanks


I say if you can stay away from anything artificial in your diet, it would be best. I have have such great results eating clean, and using Stevia (the liquid kind) as a replacement for sweeteners in my coffee cup. Plus, I never tasted the difference and Stevia is natural.

[dacduster]

I use Splenda in a lot of things. It's my primary sweetening agent that I use. I have some stevia but I can't figure out how much to use. There is no info on equivalence to other stuff.

[sweepone]

That's interesting.. my shoulder was twitching all day long Wednesday. I usually have a few splendas a day in my tea. I wonder if that's what caused it.

No, it's that giant hand growing out of your shoulder. Get to the doctor quick.

[chelly88]

I'm happy to say that I just kicked the coke habit, that's Diet Coke, last month. I've been addicted to aspartame-infested Diet Coke since 1993. I went through a literal detox... it was the same as watching those detox from drugs on Intervention... headaches, sick, nausea... It was a rough 2-3 days, but I feel 100% better now, no cravings for it whatsoever, AND my nagging back pain vanished! Kicking the "Diet Coke" habit has been the BEST thing I've ever done.

I now use Stevia and Xylitol as well as honey. At times I'll take some club soda and add different flavors of Stevia in it if I want something other than water or freshly squeezed juice.

On my scheduled cheat day, sometimes I may have regular coke.

^^ same! I gave up the splenda/sweetener (2-4 coffee's/day, oatmeal, crystal light, a pack of guma day.. all this and more... every... single...day)... got serious "withdrawl" and cravings but once I kicked it the cravings went way down and I crave a lot less refined carbs/sugar/chocolate... AND I've noticed that days I DO consume that chemical mess I have to deal with constipation, cravings, bloating, abdominal and lower back pain ++++ to the point the docs thought I had colitis on several different occasions, indigestion... I think this is one thing I definitely label bad loud and clear for my body!

[chelly88]

I'm curious to hear from the experts on this one...
I've read some stuff on artificial sweeteners and newer research showing that it "tricks" the body into not recognizing that sweet food=calories. Basically our body associated calories with sweetness until we consume "too much" (no idea how much that means) sweeteners, then the body begins to respond differently (lacking insulin response and 'recognizing' that there are calories in sweet foods that aren't made with artificial sweeteners among many other problematic effects). Jillian Michaels wrote about this also in her book "Master you Metabolism" and explained it much better than I am...

SOOO... this should spark up some responses in itself but I wasn't able to find much or anything if that is still true with natural calorie-free sweeteners. I only see the word "truvia" once in her whole book as an option in one recipe... I know darn well that natural does NOT mean it's good for u ;) just curious!

[CanisDirus]

Artificial sweeteners typically give me cramping and gas. I can get away with maybe 1 packet of Sweet N' Low...but anything more is just asking for trouble. Even the 1 packet makes me bloat.
I only sweeten my morning coffee anyway, and it's usually just 1 cup a day and I hardly ever finish it. My Mom gave me some Agave nectar but I haven't tried it yet.

[KaraPhoto]

I'm curious to hear from the experts on this one...
I've read some stuff on artificial sweeteners and newer research showing that it "tricks" the body into not recognizing that sweet food=calories. Basically our body associated calories with sweetness until we consume "too much" (no idea how much that means) sweeteners, then the body begins to respond differently (lacking insulin response and 'recognizing' that there are calories in sweet foods that aren't made with artificial sweeteners among many other problematic effects). Jillian Michaels wrote about this also in her book "Master you Metabolism" and explained it much better than I am...
I'm gonna say again that this is going to depend on how YOU as an individual react to things. I have lost 80+ lbs drinking Diet Coke 3-4 times a week ... it's never led me to binge on sweet stuff or crave more sweets or anything like that.

I think a lot of people tend to take an all-or-nothing approach with this information, which is just silly. Just like some people are allergic to peanuts and some people aren't, or some people react poorly to lactose and some people don't, how each person reacts to sweeteners is going to have a lot to do with THEM and their body chemistry. For some reason, perfectly smart, well-educated people are able to understand and accept that some people have reactions to foods that others don't have ... but when it comes to artificial sweeteners, they go absolutely crazy with the claims that X response is true across the board for everyone.

Yes, I know some people who are sensitive to artificial sweeteners: I have a friend who found that her headaches stopped and she had more energy when she cut Splenda and other sucralose products from her diet. I also know someone from another message board who finds that even the tiniest sip of Diet Soda sets off huge cravings for her ... she can't eat "diet sweets" because they trigger binges. OTOH, I have another friend who lost 168 lbs and her saving grace was sugar free candies - they helped her NOT crave regular sweets and keep her desire to binge on sweets in check.

We're all different. To claim that anything affects us all the same is simply not logical or sensible.

[chelly88]

I'm gonna say again that this is going to depend on how YOU as an individual react to things. I have lost 80+ lbs drinking Diet Coke 3-4 times a week ... it's never led me to binge on sweet stuff or crave more sweets or anything like that.

I think a lot of people tend to take an all-or-nothing approach with this information, which is just silly. Just like some people are allergic to peanuts and some people aren't, or some people react poorly to lactose and some people don't, how each person reacts to sweeteners is going to have a lot to do with THEM and their body chemistry. For some reason, perfectly smart, well-educated people are able to understand and accept that some people have reactions to foods that others don't have ... but when it comes to artificial sweeteners, they go absolutely crazy with the claims that X response is true across the board for everyone.

Yes, I know some people who are sensitive to artificial sweeteners: I have a friend who found that her headaches stopped and she had more energy when she cut Splenda and other sucralose products from her diet. I also know someone from another message board who finds that even the tiniest sip of Diet Soda sets off huge cravings for her ... she can't eat "diet sweets" because they trigger binges. OTOH, I have another friend who lost 168 lbs and her saving grace was sugar free candies - they helped her NOT crave regular sweets and keep her desire to binge on sweets in check.

We're all different. To claim that anything affects us all the same is simply not logical or sensible.

absolutely :) I never made the claim that that would happen to everyone... just stated that "I would definitely label it BAD for my body" :)

That said... there's loads of toxins and chemicals in diet soda. Several known carcinogens which are said to be "regulated" and "safe" by the USDA but their combined effects have not been studied, all they figure is that the levels in a single drink are safe. But this stuff is literally found in almost everything... and we wonder why disease, morbidity, obesity and childhood prevalence of loads of disease are increasing, not to say that's the SOLE reason of course ;)

but everything is individual choice, if that stuff doesn't concern you and you get no short-term ill-effects then I couldn't care less who eats/drinks what :D

[ctgblue]

I drink diet soda, everyone I help switch from regular to diet loses fat and keeps it off.

Everything in moderation.
If you are switching out a LOT of sugar calories for diet drinks, it's a good trade off.
That said, diet sodas, like regular sodas, should NEVER be your primary source of hydration.

Diet sodas never bother me (unless I drink nothing but them for few days, it happens) but I feel almost immediately nauseated if I drink most regular sodas (that's why phosphoric acid is in there, to keep you from puking up the massive dose of sugar).

If you don't have an allergy to artificial sweeteners (most people don't) and you are using them in lieu of a sugary substitute, that's okay, but don't rely on them for everything.

With the massive amounts of sugar/starches in most foods helping fan the fires of the obesity epidemic, I think a few diet sodas should be the least of our worries

But natural foods and water are always the best option, just not always our first choices

[Ingrowntoenail]

To stay far away from that stuff... yuck! Better to just balance out your diet so you can have the real thing than to fool yourself into thinking you'll be better off with the imitation thing.

[ultim8-one]

I say contact a real nutritionist and ask them.

I know my nutritionist had me use either Stevia or Splenda (only in my 2 cups of coffee each morning) and kept me away from all other sugars (fructose or otherwise). Depending on what your goals are ... I was able to go from 20% bf to 14% bf in 10 weeks. Again ... seek nutrition advice from a licensed nutritionist.

[chelly88]

I'm gonna say again that this is going to depend on how YOU as an individual react to things. I have lost 80+ lbs drinking Diet Coke 3-4 times a week ... it's never led me to binge on sweet stuff or crave more sweets or anything like that.

I think a lot of people tend to take an all-or-nothing approach with this information, which is just silly. Just like some people are allergic to peanuts and some people aren't, or some people react poorly to lactose and some people don't, how each person reacts to sweeteners is going to have a lot to do with THEM and their body chemistry. For some reason, perfectly smart, well-educated people are able to understand and accept that some people have reactions to foods that others don't have ... but when it comes to artificial sweeteners, they go absolutely crazy with the claims that X response is true across the board for everyone.

Yes, I know some people who are sensitive to artificial sweeteners: I have a friend who found that her headaches stopped and she had more energy when she cut Splenda and other sucralose products from her diet. I also know someone from another message board who finds that even the tiniest sip of Diet Soda sets off huge cravings for her ... she can't eat "diet sweets" because they trigger binges. OTOH, I have another friend who lost 168 lbs and her saving grace was sugar free candies - they helped her NOT crave regular sweets and keep her desire to binge on sweets in check.

We're all different. To claim that anything affects us all the same is simply not logical or sensible.

I think my posts are coming off wrong or you're missing what I'm saying. I have never ever claimed an "all-or-nothing" outside of what works best for me and why. I also know loads of ppl that chug the stuff with no complaints.

Just stating my own experiences, my own issues and sensitivities but also FACT that it's loaded with toxic crap despite the fact that it does help some people lose weight. Pro's and cons... if it means starting on the road to fat loss and a healthier lifestyle I have no objection but many many many people consume fake food and beverage such as diet drinks without even knowing the effects on the body and hormonal cascades. Simply put, it's toxic but there are probably loads of ppl that lose a few pounds with smoking too- that worked for me bc of my allergies and chronic illness.

I respect your knowledge and experience Kara, all I'm saying is that it's toxic, it does terrible things to ME and MY BODY so FOR ME it's better to have none (though I admit I usually have some on a saturday... I'm a recovering addict, after all). It may help with weight loss, it may also contribute to illness/disease... to each their own.

PS- I don't believe that a can of soda on occasion will make tumors burst out of your every seam ;) Just food for thought

[chelly88]

disclaimer ;) - this is simply food for thought

NO CLAIMS ARE MADE THAT EVERYONE MUST ELIMINATE ALL FORM OF SWEETENER FROM THEIR DIET AND I AM NOT AN EXPERT just passing on what I've come across

- put a can of diet coke in a cup with a nail- it really does eat away the nail...
- the chemical potion in diet soda turns to formaldehyde at temperatures exceeding approx 86 degrees (stomach is much warmer than this, think of jello, ur coffee...)
- formaldehyde is found in car exhaust, in disinfectants (kills bacteria both good and bad), body embalming agents (eternal youth anyone?... maybe this is a 'pro'!) nail polish
-aspartame is not actually sweet but "tricks" (simply put) the brain into thinking it is sweet. You might notice a normally non-sweet food having a slight sweet quality after sipping a diet drink sweetened with aspartame
- Aspartame's 10% methanol appears quickly in the body (and is the same as alcohol) and is an excitotoxin which kills brain cells
- can trigger headaches/migraines
- the chemical agents the body can't recognize (all those ingredients u can't read? well ur body can't either) are stored in the body for an unknown period of time and continue to accumulate if consumption continues. It can take more than a month to rid ur cells on the toxins.
-Aspartame/Nutrasweet also breaks down to diketopiperazine [DKP] which is proven to cause Brain Tumors

Just a few interesting points I've come across in the past few months since I've sparked my interest in additives/preservatives :)

[KaraPhoto]

Wow. Um. I'm not really sure what prompted your second response to my post or what's changed since you responded then ... since I haven't been back in this thread since I read your last response (no reason ... just skimmed it and figured we'd both voiced our thoughts).

In your original post, you said that you'd read some newer research that said ... etc. And my response to that is that claiming that anything affects everyone equally is silly. That wasn't directed towards YOU .. that was directed towards the research and even more the media representation of that research.

That's why I have a problem with the media presentation of studies where they proclaim X = Y. Because, as I said, no two people are going to react the same. So when an article says that "research shows consuming artificial sweetner produces X result" I tend to be skeptical. But too many people aren't skeptical and they read the media representation of the study and take it as all or nothing.

And really most of the time when you go back and read the original study it probably says something like "in test subjects" and "x% responded this way" and "may cause" or "can cause" ... becuase I've yet to see a legitimate study that didn't qualify based on the structure of the study. :)

That said:

also FACT that it's loaded with toxic crap I disagree with this statement. I am unaware of any study that shows artificial sweeteners to be TOXIC. If there is one, I'd love to see a link.


- put a can of diet coke in a cup with a nail- it really does eat away the nail... This is actually a myth. It's been debunked many times, even on Mythbusters. Really, try it for yourself. Put a regular old nail in a glass of Diet Coke and let it sit. It's very easy to prove or disprove this on your own.


- the chemical potion in diet soda turns to formaldehyde at temperatures exceeding approx 86 degrees (stomach is much warmer than this, think of jello, ur coffee...) This is actually false as well. http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/aspartame.asp


- formaldehyde is found in car exhaust, in disinfectants (kills bacteria both good and bad), body embalming agents (eternal youth anyone?... maybe this is a 'pro'!) nail polishSee above. :)


-aspartame is not actually sweet but "tricks" (simply put) the brain into thinking it is sweet. You might notice a normally non-sweet food having a slight sweet quality after sipping a diet drink sweetened with aspartameThis is not 100% true across the board. Studies have shown that for SOME people it can have this effect.


- Aspartame's 10% methanol appears quickly in the body (and is the same as alcohol) and is an excitotoxin which kills brain cells
- can trigger headaches/migraines
- the chemical agents the body can't recognize (all those ingredients u can't read? well ur body can't either) are stored in the body for an unknown period of time and continue to accumulate if consumption continues. It can take more than a month to rid ur cells on the toxins.
-Aspartame/Nutrasweet also breaks down to diketopiperazine [DKP] which is proven to cause Brain TumorsSee the above snopes link with references. :)

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that additives/preservatives/artifical stuff is always ok or great for us. I try to eat as little artificial stuff as possible. But most of the things you've mentioned above are simply myths and internet rumor and exaggerations. :)

[chelly88]

hehe...sorry for the late post I was offline for a good week so it did seem a bit random

I'll check out the link and also the nail thing!

I didn't mean artificial sweetneres themselves are toxic but the combination of the chemical concoction in the soda

other than that agreed, media way plays up things like this but I didn't just take the info from a newspaper article or any random article for that matter. this is actually turning out to be a great thread... there's so much confusion and misleading with the way studies are presented to the general public through the media and the majority (if not all?) of studies cannot simply conclude causation of anything, especially as a single example. Wasn't exactly what I was getting at but I stick to my guns on toxicity of the chemicals/additives/preservatives added to diet soda's and many many many other products, diet or not, respectfully of course :)

[IronCitGrl]

Sometimes I'd rather use honey/real sugar rather than the fake stuff. If I put a sweetener in coffee it makes it taste horrible! Regular sugar is better or drinking it just black. Sometimes I would rather put a little 25 calorie packet of sugar in something and just count the calories rather than have a nasty tasting cup of coffee. I really like to drink diet coke which is loaded with artificial sweeteners but that is just because the regular coke is too sweet for me and makes me sick. Not worth the calories IMO. I just have to watch to make sure the artificial sweeteners don't make my cravings worse which does happen sometimes.

[KaraPhoto]

I really like to drink diet coke which is loaded with artificial sweeteners but that is just because the regular coke is too sweet for me
Same here. In fact any sugar sweetened drink is usually too sweet for me. Diet Coke is the *only* soda I like. The rest of them either dn't taste good to me or are way too sweet. And even when I make something like real lemonade at home (with real sugar) I put in about half as much sugar as the recipe calls for because otherwise it's just sickeningly sweet to me.

Then again, I don't have a huge sweet tooth, the occasional chocolate/luxurious dessert craving aside. :)

[heybro]

stevia tastes just the same as regular sugar IMO

[heybro]

honey is a good natural way too

[heybro]

aspartame causes cancer it comes from ecoli bacteria excrement stay far away

[vmazzaluna]

Same here. In fact any sugar sweetened drink is usually too sweet for me. Diet Coke is the *only* soda I like. The rest of them either dn't taste good to me or are way too sweet. And even when I make something like real lemonade at home (with real sugar) I put in about half as much sugar as the recipe calls for because otherwise it's just sickeningly sweet to me.

Then again, I don't have a huge sweet tooth, the occasional chocolate/luxurious dessert craving aside. :)

Yup, me too on all accounts!

Also, Splenda gives me an INSTANT headache, especially in "sweet" tea - not sure if it's the amount that my friends uses or the caffeine combination?? It is derived from the chlorine element or is somehow related to chlorine (been 3 years since I looked it up).

But I can use stevia without any problems (well, any that I'm aware of) and have actually been using it since 2007, before the FDA cleared it (interesting stuff about the history of FDA and stevia if you google it).

BUT there MAY be issues with stevia and fertility - some unindustrialized peoples use it for birth control, allegedly. Since I'm done having kids, that's a bonus for me :) But I did stop using it when I was trying to get preg with my daughter and while preg, just in case. Hard to know for sure since testing involves ingesting your body weight in the stuff, which obviously a normal person doesn't do!!!

Yes, I am a dork who googles and wikipedias EVERYTHING - I know why cashews are never sold in a shell, for pete's sake!!

[greyhair]

For me, they work.
I stopped using them and ended up gaining 5 lbs in a couple of weeks.

[LgFriess]

Splenda is fine. Some people have some GI issues with it. It's one of the most heavily studied sweetners out there and the only "bad" thing reported is the rare GI issues. You know, my dad gets GI problems if he eats tomatoes. Are they dangerous? Do a search on the nutrition forums on this subject as it's been covered many, many times. You'll be able to read a good deal of the studies that have been done.

I still find it odd people try to burn Splenda at the stake yet pay little attention to the hundreds or thousands of man made additives they consume daily.

I originally started researching this subject because I was using it in my coffee and had heard how it caused cancer, was the devil, blah, blah. It kind of freaked me out and I certainly didn't want to be consuming something so dangerous. But knowing how the world is, I decided to look into this evil for myself and found... nothing. I suggest you do the same.

If I'm looking for a sweetener, I'll gladly use Splenda and not worry about it's safety.

[ilovethe80s]

No sweeteners here, artificial sweeteners are pretty much the only things on my 'never' list actually. I do enough toxic chemical crap to my hair that I really do try to keep everything else in my life as close to nature as possible haha.

Don't know what stevia is, haven't had the time or interest to really research but I had 2 near death experiences with Coke Zero and lost any interest in trying anything sweetener type deal after that. And when the aspartame info all came out - after some time as being toted as 'safe', I'll stick with mother nature, especially since I have kids who always want what I am having.

If I want to make a rum cake, I make a regular rum cake and either control the portion size and keep it to occasions, or break it up and sprinkle over a big bowl of pumpkin or something so I feel like I have more 'stuff'. I like real foods, and I don't feel good about eating something sweet that has no calories - I feel like I must be paying for it in some other way. I'd rather pay for it right up front with a tummy ache and some flab lol. Honestly though I do not have a sweet tooth. Maybe if I had a wicked sweet tooth and did not have adverse reactions to sweeteners it would be another story. I'm perfectly happy with a bowl of frozen mango or even an orange. I don't think sweets make enough appearances in my diet to warrant needing to research and find a figure-friendly replacement. That is just my personal feeling on it.

[hypnoticbg]

I used Splenda for a while and I found that I was thirsty all the time. I started to put 2 and 2 together and realized that Splenda makes me extremely thirsty. I even felt like I had dry mouth or something. Mind you this also happens if I eat anything that is too sweet. I'm using Agave now and I love it, but I still can't use too much. I also agree with others who've posted on this thread. I find most things too sweet, so I decrease any sugar in recipes and won't drink most things people I know make themselves like tea or lemonade.

On the otherhand, It's not that I won't use it at all. I used to drink soda and then diet soda everyday for years. Over the last few months, I've cut this out of my diet b/c I found it contributes to my feeling bloated all the time and having indigestion. On occasion I will have a diet coke, but this is like 1 ot 2 times a month.

[mommatosam]

I mostly use Truvia (which is derived from Stevia), and the occasional Splenda if I am in the office. I've never had any ill effects from either.
My mom has been using Splenda everyday for years. Before that, it was Equal. She has been getting a heartburn sensation lately after drinking Diet Coke. I don't know if it is the aspartme or the carbonation. Does she quit drinking it? Of course not...

[xosaraxo2010]

I find that splenda makes me retain water, and feel bloated.. anything of the "no calorie sweetner" family actually.. soo for me I just have to suck it up and wait until my cheat day to make that sweet tooth happy again... haha. :)