I have a question about sweeteners???

  • Can someone tell me what sweetener to use that isnt hard on the stomach? I have tried sweet and low, equal and the one in the yellow box cant remember the name of it...in my coffee and they all make my stomach hurt terribly , but yet i can eat fat free sugar free pudding etc and it doesnt. Doesnt make sense to me...anyway...i only drink 2 cups a day, if i end up using regular sugar on the SBD would it sabotage me?
    Thanks!
  • Hi, There is a natural sweetner that you can find in health food stores. It is called agave nectar. You only need a small amount. Artificial sweetners give me a headache.
    Sharon
  • Hmmm, all those sweetners have something different, so I can't understand ALL of them making you sick, especially since you eat the artificially sweetened puddings...which likely uses one of those three. The yellow one is Splenda BTW. Still, natural is best. Not only the Agave, but you can also look into Stevia at GNC or health food stores.
  • Artificial sweeteners make me feel sick too, and they are starting to say that it can cause health problems in you and your children (birth defects like autism). I would also suggest going the natural route if you need to be off sugar.
  • I've been having a lot of stomach problems lately- suspected gallstones...but tests so far are normal. I go for a egd on friday... anyway, I've started thinking that its the nutrasweet/aspartamine in diet drinks etc that is part of my problem...
  • I've given up most sweeteners myself or at least try to heavily limit myself. It is difficult but it is worth it.
  • thank you all for your reply's!!! :-)
  • Are you sure it isn't the acid in your coffee making your stomach hurt and not the sweetener?
  • Quote: Are you sure it isn't the acid in your coffee making your stomach hurt and not the sweetener?

    Meg, you read my mind! I was going to say the same thing. I know that I have trouble with coffee from time to time. My best friend does also, and even though she doesn't sweeten her coffee, she adds skim milk just to appease her tummy as the acids really get to her, also.
  • repeat what Meg noted - it could be the acid from the coffee that's irritating your stomach (particularly if you have cut off milk as well as sugar from the coffee, since milk slightly neutralizes it), I personally don't recall any of the sweeteners having an irritated stomach side effect (and you noted earlier that you eat other sugar-free stuff just fine, which surely has those sweeteners as well.).

    Try picking a low-acid coffee blend (I know Folgers' for one makes one especially low in acids), take an antiacid before/after your coffee fix, or put some skim/low-fat milk back in. Think of it as a calcium boost too!

    But to directly answer your question: I think it's fine to use 2 packs (tsp.) of sugar per cup of coffee if that's the only thing that does the trick - for 2 cups of coffee that's about 60 calories total, almost negligible.
  • I use sugar and just try to use less and less each time. I no longer use artificial sweeteners in anything except the occasional diet soda. (Because I hate the taste of regular soda)

    I find that it gives me fewer cravings as long as I really limit it. I use about 1/2 t honey in my oatmeal, 1t sugar in my coffee (at most, sometimes I go black), real dark chocolate daily, and occasional bites of real desserts.

    There are a few studies that suggest that AI just increase your sweettooth. I dont know about for everyone but for me they put me out of control.