sweet taste? anyone give up all sweeteners?

**Georgiana** · March 19, 2009, 09:38 AM

Re: sweet taste? anyone give up all sweeteners?

I have one serving every 1-2 months, when I am testing a dessert recipe or something that requires sweetener. However, I often discover that the recipe tastes better without the added sweetness, because our taste buds react differently to foods now than they did previous to Atkins. For example, I just moved to OWL Rung 4, and I find berries too sweet to eat them alone... so I have to add them in yogurt, quark, etc.

When I want something sweet, I eat red peppers, mushrooms topped with cheese, grilled tomatoes, yogurt with berries...

**not2late** · March 19, 2009, 10:27 AM

Re: sweet taste? anyone give up all sweeteners?

I have a serving maybe once every two weeks (I've gone without for months.)

It's never messed up my weight loss, but then I don't use it enough for it to even have an effect.

What I have noticed is that I can detect the natural sweetness in foods. Strawberries are sugary sweet. Watermelon and melons almost unbearably sweet. I can tell if sugar has been added to any sauces or meats (or anything else that typically won't have it!) Crabs and lobster are so sweet to me that I need to eat them with lemon juice in order to make them edible for me. In fact, I reach more for acidic things like vinegar and lemon or lime juice than sweet-sour things like ketchup to make my savory foods edible.

**keriann_forgoodthistime** · March 19, 2009, 10:34 AM

Re: sweet taste? anyone give up all sweeteners?

Originally posted by Georgiana View Post

I have one serving every 1-2 months, when I am testing a dessert recipe or something that requires sweetener. However, I often discover that the recipe tastes better without the added sweetness, because our taste buds react differently to foods now than they did previous to Atkins. For example, I just moved to OWL Rung 4, and I find berries too sweet to eat them alone... so I have to add them in yogurt, quark, etc.

When I want something sweet, I eat red peppers, mushrooms topped with cheese, grilled tomatoes, yogurt with berries...

QUICK QUESTION...what is "quark"? I know it as a software program I use as I am a Desktop Publisher...but yeah I'm thinkin' not the same thing - lol!

**not2late** · March 19, 2009, 12:08 PM

Re: sweet taste? anyone give up all sweeteners?

Quark is a type of cultured or fermented milk product, like kefir or genuine buttermilk.

**basketballbelly** · March 19, 2009, 12:42 PM

Re: sweet taste? anyone give up all sweeteners?

Originally posted by keriann_forgoodthistime View Post

The thing is, though - I'm beginning to think I'm so metabolically resistant (i am insulin resistant) that ANY type of sweet taste messes with my insulin levels (which I've heard that even just the taste of sweet can do that...)

Insulin spikes are a physical reaction to actual sugar, it is not a mental disability, one can not have a sugar spike if one tastes something sweet that does not have sugar in it. If you are having insulin spikes from the 'taste' of something sweet, it might be something a doctor can dx. It is possible the artificial sweetners affect you differently than most, but I highly doubt they are giving you insulin spikes.

I am ADDICTED to sweet tastes. I simply will not give up my sf drinks (I don't drink them as much, maybe one serving a day) but I just can't give them up and I've never had any form of insulin spike because of it.

Good luck!

bbb

**Georgiana** · March 19, 2009, 12:58 PM

Re: sweet taste? anyone give up all sweeteners?

Originally posted by basketballbelly View Post

Insulin spikes are a physical reaction to actual sugar, it is not a mental disability, one can not have a sugar spike if one tastes something sweet that does not have sugar in it. If you are having insulin spikes from the 'taste' of something sweet, it might be something a doctor can dx. It is possible the artificial sweetners affect you differently than most, but I highly doubt they are giving you insulin spikes.

I am ADDICTED to sweet tastes. I simply will not give up my sf drinks (I don't drink them as much, maybe one serving a day) but I just can't give them up and I've never had any form of insulin spike because of it.

Artificial sweeteners can trigger the cephalic phase insulin response in some folks. If you are addicted to sweets, even if they are sweetened with artificial sweeteners, this may be what happens.

Here is a sticky thread that explains it:

Atkins Diet Bulletin Board

http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.com/forums/atkins-diet-14-day-induction/5922-addicted-sweets-cephalic-phase-insulin-response.html

**basketballbelly** · March 19, 2009, 01:03 PM

Re: sweet taste? anyone give up all sweeteners?

Originally posted by Georgiana View Post

Artificial sweeteners can trigger the cephalic phase insulin response in some folks. If you are addicted to sweets, even if they are sweetened with artificial sweeteners, this may be what happens.

Here is a sticky thread that explains it:
http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.c...-response.html

I would have to read the scientific data behind this, it does not even make sense. I'm am interested enough though to ask my doc about it next week when I go in to be weighed...I'll report back.

bbb

**keriann_forgoodthistime** · March 19, 2009, 01:05 PM

Re: sweet taste? anyone give up all sweeteners?

Originally posted by Georgiana View Post

Artificial sweeteners can trigger the cephalic phase insulin response in some folks. If you are addicted to sweets, even if they are sweetened with artificial sweeteners, this may be what happens.

Here is a sticky thread that explains it:
http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.c...-response.html

Thanks for this link, Georgina, I've been trying to find more information about it on the web but I'm not having too much luck.
Like I said, i've heard of it from a few low carb forums/podcasts, etc...but of course it's not something I'd considered til recently and if this IS the case, for me, then out go ALL of the sweeteners.

**not2late** · March 19, 2009, 02:07 PM

Re: sweet taste? anyone give up all sweeteners?

More stuff about the Cephalic Phase Insulin Response
Log In Problems
Determinants of the cephalic-phase insulin respons...[Metabolism. 1996] - PubMed Result

The abstract of this article Cephalic phase, reflex insulin secretion. Neuroana...[Diabetologia. 1981] - PubMed Result
states this:

we have shown that the sweet taste of a saccharin solution reliably triggers a rapid cephalic phase insulin response (CPIR), in the absence of any significant change of glycemia.

This study supports the prior one, but uses rats: Relationships between insulin release and taste. [Biomed Res. 2007] - PubMed Result

Tasting sweet food elicits insulin release prior to increasing plasma glucose levels, known as cephalic phase insulin release (CPIR

this study uses human males Sweet taste: effect on cephalic phase insulin rele...[Physiol Behav. 1995] - PubMed Result

Your doctor may be able to get the entire studies for you, so you can read them rather than the abstracts.

**Sherri** · March 19, 2009, 07:08 PM

Re: sweet taste? anyone give up all sweeteners?

Last year I went 143 days without sweetners. I could tell a big difference in my weightloss and how I felt in general.
If and when you do decide to kick the sweetners to the curb. I have a No Sweet Challenge here if you would like to join.
Sherri

2009 How Long Can You Go? "No Sweet" CHALLENGE

**keriann_forgoodthistime** · March 19, 2009, 07:13 PM

Re: sweet taste? anyone give up all sweeteners?

thanks! i'll check the challenge out!

**momtomany1** · March 19, 2009, 08:16 PM

Re: sweet taste? anyone give up all sweeteners?

Listen, I am in turtle mode too. And funny since you and I are at about the same weight and going for a similar goal weight. I figure it is because 1 pound is now a much larger percentage of me! But I have decided if a pound a week is what I get, well then okay! I'll fight for that one pound!

**phil h** · March 19, 2009, 08:20 PM

Re: sweet taste? anyone give up all sweeteners?

I have given up all artificial sweetners.Water and black coffee only.Prob need to let go of coffee but I love it so much.Really haven't missed diet colas which I drank daily.Jello was easy to let go.I can live quite nicely on meat and occasional vegteable.

**keriann_forgoodthistime** · March 19, 2009, 08:23 PM

Re: sweet taste? anyone give up all sweeteners?

Originally posted by momtomany1 View Post

Listen, I am in turtle mode too. And funny since you and I are at about the same weight and going for a similar goal weight. I figure it is because 1 pound is now a much larger percentage of me! But I have decided if a pound a week is what I get, well then okay! I'll fight for that one pound!

believe me when i say i truly am ECSTATIC for what i've lost - but like everyone here I just wish it was a lot more/faster/easier.

i keep telling myself though - 1 pound per week (is what i'm averaging) means that it'll only take me 6 months to get to goal...

and once i'm AT goal - i FINALLY know how to eat to actually maintain my lifestyle and not force myself to practically starve like i did on the low-fat diet.

But - on the way TO goal I do need to figure out what works for this 'ol body of mine. lol

i absolutely agree though - if i have to "fight" for that pound I will fight the fight forever!!!!!!!!

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