Diet Rite Soda and Splenda question

[andrrreag]

Hi All,

If I have 2 cans of Diet Rite Soda (made with Splenda and contains 0 carbs, caffeine), does that mean I can't have the 3 packets of splenda in my decaf coffee? Do I have to include the 2 cans in my total?

Also, I did not know until 2 weeks in that the sugar free Jello I was buying was made with aspartame. I'd love to know of a brand of jello ok to eat, again wondering if Splenda sweetened products are counted towards my 3 packets per day. If so, what is your routine?

I have been on Induction 4 weeks. I don't have a lot of weight to lose, mainly doing Atkins to develop lean muscle through aerobic conditioning and weight training. Although I have not lost more than 3 pds, I have lost 3 inches, so I am smaller overall.

I would, however, like to fit into my skinny jeans but still can't yet! That's strange since the first time I tried Atkins I fit into them in 3 weeks. I think I'm sort of in a stall, which is why I'm concered that I haven't done it right.

Thanks for any help you can offer. ensive
Andrea

[jdfloyd]

You may have three servings of splenda..... period. I believe that a can of diet rite soda counts as two.

As for the jello...sorry can't help you there. I have eaten the sugar-free (aspartame) in small amounts with homemade whipped cream. For myself I didn't notice any stalls

I believe a lot of others on here make there own jello. Check the recipe section to see if there's any recipies. Also keep watch here. Someone is bound to give you a recipe.

[goin2Bgood]

I believe that a can of diet rite soda counts as two.

Technically liquid splenda has zero carbs, but I can understand counting a can of soda as one sweetener, so one limits themselves, but why do you say it counts as 2?

[not2late]

Look at the can or bottle for the serving size. I think the can is 1 serving per can, the bottles are either 1.5 or 2 servings per bottle. Each serving of an artificially sweetened beverage or drink counts as 1 of the 3 artificial sweeteners we are allowed to have.

So if you use a packet of Splenda for your morning coffee. Followed by 1 serving of a diet soda in the afternoon. Followed by a low carb bar (which usually includes an artificial sweetener). You've had your 3 servings.

BTW, an semi-frequent question in OWL is if the daily sweetener amount increases during OWL or Pre-Maintenance. The answer is no. The limit is 3 servings from Induction through your Maintainence Atkins.

[andrrreag]

My goodness! Thanks for the info. I did not know how to break it down like that.

I guess my saving grace is that the 3 packet a day rule does not apply to sugar alcohols, like malitol, but to the Splenda and artificial sweeteners.

Andrea

[not2late]

Sugar alcohols are a type of artificial sweetener, so they are included in the daily sweetener limit.

I suppose the better term would be "sugar substitutes" because people use stevia as a substitute for sugar and stevia is a natural sugar substitute (Dr. Atkins put it in the "sweetener" section of the Induction Acceptable Foods List).



edited by me because I didn't explain it more thoroughly. :smackhead

[andrrreag]

Technically? I haven't read that in the book, but I will keep my eyes open.

From what I understand now, sugar alcohols in moderation. I can't handle to much of them anyway, but the Splenda restriction had me stumped.

So many of Atkin's products contain malitol that I would find it hard to believe there is a rule that woulnd't have jumped out at me. So I'll try to keep it simple unless I need to look for stall factors.

Thanks,
Andrea

[not2late]

From the Acceptable Foods List in Chapter 11

Artificial Sweeteners

You must determine which artificial sweeteners agree with you, but the following are allowed: sucralose (marketed as Splenda?), saccharin, cyclamate and acesulfame-K. Natural sweeteners ending in the suffix "-ose," such as maltose, fructose, etc., should be avoided. However, certain sugar alcohols, such as maltitol, do not affect blood sugar and are acceptable.

Saccharin has been extensively studied, and harmful effects were produced in the lab when fed to rats only in extremely high doses. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has removed saccharin from its list of carcinogens, basing its decision upon a thorough review of the medical literature and the National Institute of Science's statement that there is "no clear association between saccharin and human cancer." It can be safely consumed in moderation, meaning no more than three packets a day. Saccharin is marketed as Sweet'n Low.

We discourage the use of aspartame (marketed as NutraSweet and Equal) because of clinical observations that it slows weight loss in certain individuals. The FDA has approved the herb stevia for use only as a supplement, not as a sweetener.

The Atkins preference, however, is sucralose (Splenda), the only sweetener made from sugar. Sucralose is safe, noncaloric and does not raise blood sugar. It has been used in Canada for years, and the FDA recently approved it after reviewing more than 100 studies conducted over the past 20 years. Note that each packet of sugar substitute contains about 1 gram of carbohydrate, so don't forget to include the amount in your daily totals.

So, sucralose, saccharin, ace-K (acesulfame-K), the sugar alcohols, and stevia are all "artificial sweeteners" per DANDR 2002 and are subject to the 3 servings a day rule.

[andrrreag]

Okay. There it is. Thanks! I did not associate malitol with the sweeteners I use separately.

I am assuming that the 3 packets is equivalent to 3 servings of any product with an Atkin-approved sweetener no matter what I have. I do wonder why only 3 if it's not absorbed, but for now I'll take each sweetened item as 1 serving, be it drink or something else, and see how my weight loss progresses.

I appreciate the help a lot. This part has been frustrating, but at the same time I love the diet.

Andrea

[Kent]

Part of the reason for the limit of three is not because of the blod glucose effect or perhaps stalling by overuse, but also the sweeteners effect can have by increased cravings. Absorbed or discarded by the system, your body can have a cephalic insulin reaction by just the hint of sweetness. The more sweetness is in your diet more possible the chance of seeing the insulin spike.

[andrrreag]

Wow, that's such informed information.
Are you sure you aren't a doctor?

You say "Part of the reason... "
Not to be a pest, but do you mean that if my insulin levels rise too much, I will crave more sweets and be miserable and/or crazy? I know that feeling.

And do you also think that too much artificial sweetener can inhibit weight loss, even if not acted upon by submitting to cravings?

Andrea

[honeychild79]

I never count Diet Rite into my totals & I've had no problems.

[ditien]

I never fail to learn something new from ADBB. Thanks for the question andrreag and thanks everyone for your answers.

[thinthing]

Re: Diet Rite Soda and Splenda question

Hi All,

If I have 2 cans of Diet Rite Soda (made with Splenda and contains 0 carbs, caffeine), does that mean I can't have the 3 packets of splenda in my decaf coffee? Do I have to include the 2 cans in my total?

Also, I did not know until 2 weeks in that the sugar free Jello I was buying was made with aspartame. I'd love to know of a brand of jello ok to eat, again wondering if Splenda sweetened products are counted towards my 3 packets per day. If so, what is your routine?

Yes you would count your diet rite soda as 1 splenda (or 1 carb) - You can only have 3 servings of splenda per day. If you have 2 cans of diet rite and 3 pkts of splenda in your coffee - that would be going over the limit by 2.

There are jello recipes on the board that I make using knox gelatin, koolaid, splenda, water - very easy and good! But you would also need to count a serving of this jello as 1 also.

I usually have one coffee in the morning with 1 pkt of splenda and a little half and half. I drink water the rest of the day mainly. Sometimes I will have a "treat" in the afternoon of a diet rite. I can't believe how REALLY sweet they taste to me now! I may have jello or a cup of tea with splenda in the evening for my 3 servings per day of splenda.

[not2late]

Just to add to what Bowulf said...

Dr. Atkins limited the artificial sweeteners to 3 in DANDR 1992. The most common FDA approved artificial sweetener at that time was aspartame. Dr. Atkins found that "excessive" aspartame use lead to weight loss stalls or slow downs in some of his patients. "Excessive" was 3 or more servings. See the stickie in the 14 Day Forum about the Cephalic Phase Insulin Response.

The sweetener limit remained in effect, because Dr. Atkin's goal was to get us off our sweet tooths. Why did he want us off artificial sweeteners or highly sweetened foods? Because he didn't think these things contributed to our health. He only advocated using sugar substitutes as a way to to help us get off our sugar addiction.

Dr. Atkins Health Revolution, Appendix A & B :

I generally allow the dieter artificial sweeteners in order to ease the transition away from sugar. This does not mean I consider them to be "health foods".