SPLENDA alternatives

[soxfan]

hi, i have noticed that whenever i eat splenda, i get a headache. i have looked on the internet and have found tons of info on splenda and most of it is not good. i am not going to elaborate, as there is simply too much out there. seriously. just google it if you are interested. i have also been dizzy and this has been happening since i started the diet. i figured it out as i have been eating splenda every day. today i have had none and i feel a TON better. my cravings for sweet things are gone as well.

so, i have been looking for alternatives. it seems like sugar alcohols are a safe alternative. anyone use these? what about stevia? i read that stevia has also not been proven safe.

are sugar alcohols the only products that have been proven safe? how do they work?

if i can't find an alternative, i am just giving up sugar and all sweeteners and using fruit to satisfy my sweet tooth.

[Sera]

Re: SPLENDA alternatives

i have a colleague who gets the same from all artificial sweeteners, so none of them might be an option for you.
try stevia, pure nature and very sweet if they dont sell it extremely diluted like they do here unfortunately.

[julirama723]

Re: SPLENDA alternatives

Give it up completely (you'll notice the natural sweetness in things!) or try stevia. I love stevia, it's natural and it doesn't give me the same problems that splenda does.

[Debi2007]

Re: SPLENDA alternatives

I gave it up. I have used stevia in the past but will not use anything artificial.

[soxfan]

Re: SPLENDA alternatives

so did you all get the same side effects i did? what did you experience?

[julirama723]

Re: SPLENDA alternatives

In the past (though not every time I've eaten it) has given me a headache, as well as a stomach ache. Almost every single time I've eaten granulated splenda, I've had cravings from H3LL afterwards.

[soxfan]

Re: SPLENDA alternatives

i am really looking forward to the berry rung. i could eat greek yogurt with berries and that would totally satisfy my sweet craving. throw some nuts in there, and THATS what i can eat for breakfast. what else do you eat that is sweet? does stevia taste like sugar???

[Einy]

Re: SPLENDA alternatives

btw.. Splenda is one type of sugar alcohol. I haven't heard of a sugar substitute with no side effects. Everybody is different what works for someone doesn't necessarly have to work for you. You will have to try different things and decide which one you taste best and which one works with your body best.

Me personally I try to minimize consumption as much as possible, and if I really have to, I go with either Splenda or Sweet & Low (saccharin).

[not2late]

Re: SPLENDA alternatives

Stevia's taste---for some unfortunate people (me included) stevia has a nasty, grassy aftertaste which makes it a really bad sweetener for anything. Other people don't detect that aftertaste.

The best bet is to try to use as little sweeteners as possible. Like Juli said, if you remain sweetener free, you'll be able to taste the natural sweetness of many foods. For me now, many fruits are very sweet tasting (eventhough I see my meal companions making sour faces and dusting the fruits with sugar and sweeteners) and I need to eat them with sour cream or something savory like ground black pepper or a squirt of citrus juice in order to cut that sugary taste.

[julirama723]

Re: SPLENDA alternatives

Splenda is not a sugar alcohol, it's sucralose, derived from sugar. Sugar alcohols end in "ol" (malitol, sorbitol, etc.) Liquid splenda is not as bad, it's the granulated junk that's the worst--carbs are added as a bulking agent to make it granulated.

Stevia has a sweet taste (it's sweeter than sugar) that tastes a bit leafy or plant-like. Some say it has an anise after-taste, but I don't notice it!

[Sera]

Re: SPLENDA alternatives

im using artificial sweetener and dont get headaches but i do feel like everything tastes sweeter these days.
didnt realize how sweet nuts and paprika can taste, sometimes even that is too much.

[soxfan]

Re: SPLENDA alternatives

right- splenda, to my knowledge, is NOT a sugar alcohol. now why is the liquid splenda better? i am going to try to do this the right way this time, and cut out sweeteners if they give me cravings. i can wait until the berry rung for something sweet- i have come this far.

OH! if anyone is interested, i have found a tea (only herbs, NO sugar) that is sooo sweet! it is yogi tea and it's the egyptian licorice flavor. it must be the cinnamon, but it is delicious and can really kick a sugar craving in the butt!

[julirama723]

Re: SPLENDA alternatives

The liquid splenda (called sweetzfree) does not contain the bulking agents. One drop is equal to a teaspoon of granulated splenda! It tastes the same and may still cause cravings.

[Evermind]

Re: SPLENDA alternatives

Stevia is natural. If you're giving up it up because it's not natural, then you're making a mistake.

I personally don't like Stevia, and Splenda has never caused me problems. But if it did, I'd give it up in a heartbeat.

But you can't replace sweeteners with fruit. Not until you're high up on those OWL rungs.

[soxfan]

Re: SPLENDA alternatives

Stevia is natural. If you're giving up it up because it's not natural, then you're making a mistake.

I personally don't like Stevia, and Splenda has never caused me problems. But if it did, I'd give it up in a heartbeat.

But you can't replace sweeteners with fruit. Not until you're high up on those OWL rungs.

huh? i have never tried stevia, so i can't give it up if i haven't tried it.

i am on the nut rung, so i CAN have berries next, if i am correct?