Caffiene/Artifical Sweetners....What's Acceptable?

[NinaMarie]

I'm new to this forum and was surprised to notice that everyone has gone caffiene free! I have read New Diet Revolution and was under the impression that caffiene was to be avoided because it could cause cravings, but if it didn't seem to have that affect on you it was okay?

I was also under the impression that some artifical sweetners (esp splenda) were acceptable in small amounts? Even all of the Atkins brand products have artifical sweetner.....Is there a reason it should be avoided altogether?

I'm sure I'm asking a totally basic question but I'm honestly confused....thanks for taking the time to read/answer!

[liv]

Re: Caffiene/Artifical Sweetners....What's Acceptable?

I think the sentence Atkins use is "caffeine may cause unstable bloodsugar and should be avoided by all those who suspect they are caffeine dependent" I suspect that if we want to have it we are caffeine dependent. It is good to try to see what we can achieve without it.

Sweeteners like splenda but not aspartame are allowed up to three servings a day. They are not needed. Some like to cut them out just to be totally free of any sugar those two weeks.

And if you read some more you will see we do not recommend those Atkins products. They have plenty of sugar alcohols that there is plenty of scientific evidence to distrust. Some of us metabolize sugar alcohols.

[NinaMarie]

Re: Caffiene/Artifical Sweetners....What's Acceptable?

^^^

Thanks for the response. For curiosity, do you know why only splenda is acceptable? Is it the only one that the body doesn't process as sugar, or is it just the healthiest (like avoiding bacon with nitrates)

[JulieB]

Re: Caffiene/Artifical Sweetners....What's Acceptable?

I don't know exactly, but I do know that Aspertame tends to stall some people. Also Splenda is made from sugar, I think perhaps Dr. Atkins considered it more 'natural' than Aspertame. A lot of people use Stevia on Atkins as well.

[Georgiana]

Re: Caffiene/Artifical Sweetners....What's Acceptable?

I'm new to this forum and was surprised to notice that everyone has gone caffiene free! I have read New Diet Revolution and was under the impression that caffiene was to be avoided because it could cause cravings, but if it didn't seem to have that affect on you it was okay?

Cravings are not the only symptom of blood sugar instability. There's a whole list of symptoms in DANDR 2002, pp. 150-151.

Thanks for the response. For curiosity, do you know why only splenda is acceptable? Is it the only one that the body doesn't process as sugar, or is it just the healthiest (like avoiding bacon with nitrates)

Nothing to do with health. Dr. Atkins noticed that some of his patients were stalled by aspartame-sweetened diet drinks, so he told us to avoid aspartame.

I don't know exactly, but I do know that Aspertame tends to stall some people.

Actually, in the 1972 and 1992 plans, aspartame was the sweetener of choice in DA(N)DR. So, of course, most people were consuming aspartame, not other sweeteners. If Splenda, saccharin or some other sweetener had been the suggested sweetener before 2002, maybe more sweeteners would have been blacklisted.

I think most people think Splenda must be safe ('cause it says so in DANDR), so they are less aware of how it affects their weight loss. Plus, most frankenfoods are sweetened with aspartame, and if you want to eat a Splenda-sweetened dessert you often have to make it yourself, with "real" food. So, in frankenfoods, frankeningredients other than aspartame could be the "true" stallers.

[neutronnorman]

Re: Caffiene/Artifical Sweetners....What's Acceptable?

I don't know exactly, but I do know that Aspertame tends to stall some people. Also Splenda is made from sugar, I think perhaps Dr. Atkins considered it more 'natural' than Aspertame. A lot of people use Stevia on Atkins as well.

ASPARTAME MAKES YOU FATTER

Aspartame And Weight Loss

Aspartame: The not-so-sweet facts about aspartame

[neutronnorman]

Re: Caffiene/Artifical Sweetners....What's Acceptable?

^^^

Thanks for the response. For curiosity, do you know why only splenda is acceptable? Is it the only one that the body doesn't process as sugar, or is it just the healthiest (like avoiding bacon with nitrates)

Usually, if bacon had Sodium erthorbate, (C6H7NaO6), a food additive, the erthorbate reduces the rate at which nitrate reduces to nitric acid. Erthorbate is also an antioxidant whose molecular structure resembles Vitamin C. It improves flavor stability and prevents the formation of carcinogenic nitrosamines. If you want to look it up, its E number is E316. This stuff is produced from beets, sugar cane and corn sugar derivatives.

(I don't mean dy/dx, Georgiana.)

[liv]

Re: Caffiene/Artifical Sweetners....What's Acceptable?

^^^

Thanks for the response. For curiosity, do you know why only splenda is acceptable? Is it the only one that the body doesn't process as sugar, or is it just the healthiest (like avoiding bacon with nitrates)

Splenda is not the only one acceptable. Atkins lists quite a few that he thinks may be OK (pg 128 ) Just have another look.
Atkins believed splenda did not raise bloodsugar - but the non liquid version of splenda contains fillers that may be problematic for some. Especially in quantities (and if used to sweeten something like tea and coffee and there is no fat or protein to temper this glycemic reaction)

[susan423]

Re: Caffiene/Artifical Sweetners....What's Acceptable?

I do coffee quite often and find that it actually helps with cravings. I just put a bit of cream in it. I cut it out for about a month noticed no difference in my weight loss and since I enjoyed it I added it back in.
Splenda on the other hand gives me really bad headaches.