Which one is really the healthier choice? Sugar or Splenda? I'm like sooo afraid to use Splenda because of the cancer research they've done on it. I know that regular sugar is bad but wouldn't it be healthier in the long run? I don't know maybe I should just drop sugar completely out of my diet except from what I get from fruit and other natural foods. Lord, help me with that! I'm just so addicted to it.
A lot of the "facts" thrown around regarding artificial sweeteners are basically urban legends - quotes from people who don't exist, "research" done at nonexistant universities (or actual universities that don't do research, or deny having done the research- or the research was done, but the results were not reported accurately). Or true information distored to seem dangerous (for example aspartame does indeed break down into a minute quantity of formaldehyde - so do bananas and many other foods).
Snopes and other debunker sites will often expose the inaccuracies.
I have a lot more confidence in artificial sweeteners than stevia and other herbal supplements. Artificial sweeteners must undergo extensive research to be approved, while herbs are presumed safe, and generally legal to sell even if proven otherwise. Stevia has a long history of use, without apparent harm (though there have been animal studies that suggest a link to male reproductive damage and possibly cancer).
There's nothing real "natural" about processed cane sugar to my way of thinking. Milling sugar AND flour in the 1800's has led to the epidemic of heart disease/type 2 diabetes we see today - we didn't evolve eating these things & our bodies are not dealing well with trying to process - processed food - so to speak. I took a cardiovascular course at work recently and was amazed that apparently the AHA finally agrees with Dr. Atkins on this! The instructor from the AHA cited studies of Indian & Eskimo communities that have only in recent years been exposed to processed foods - sugar & flour. Communities that had non-existent heart disease & diabetes suddenly saw the numbers sky rocket!
First of all you say you are addicted to it. You must concentrate on eating vegetables and lean proteins. If you stay away from it for 21 days you will find you probably will not crave it. Try it you will be surprised. This is coming from a former sugaraholic. Just don't have that first bite.
I also don't eat artificial sweetners in anything I find it triggers those same cravings.
I had to completely quit added sugars, concentrating on proteins, veggies and some whole grains to get past the sugar cravings. And after a few weeks, it was over. Fruit was finally sweet to me, something I couldn't taste initially because my body/taste buds were overwhelmed with HFCS and the likes.
I did add Splenda back to my diet, as well as the occasional diet coke. Luckily, it doesn't trigger cravings for me like it does some.
If you're doing a low carb diet, aren't sugars off-limits anyway? Even Splenda has carb, just not as much as sugars.
I've read of people having allergic type reactions to Splenda, but I've not read of a link between Splenda and cancer. Can you elaborate?
First, nice to see someone else from Mississippi here.
I am unaware of any scientific evidence linking Splenda to cancer. Saccharin maybe which would be sweet and low but you would need to consume very large quantities.
On low carb, sugar is off limits so you can either use limited amounts of artifical sweetener (splenda, stevia, xylitol, whatever works for you) or do without. I, too, am a refined sugar addict. Some people fined that artifical sweeteners trigger cravings for the real thing, others can handle it. I seem to do okay. You'll have to experiment and find out what works for you. Part of the reason low carb works so well for me is because I can't have sugar (my addiction) so you may find it turns out to be a blessing in disguise.
I'm a no added sugar/sweetener girl, myself.
things with artificial sweeters, to me, are sickly sweet and almost nauseating. splenda has an aftertaste, and while no research has been done to prove that it has cancer risks, it is chlorinated sugar and that kind of freaks me out. I know they say there's no chlorine left or it's not harmful (and yes, i know tap water is somewhat chlorinated as well) but the idea of it kind of freaks me out.
I do eat the occasional item that has been sweetened with cane sugar juice or something similar but they don't trigger "sweet" cravings for me. I have personally found that completely omitting HFCS has completely cut any cravings for sweet that i have - it was the blood sugar rush from the HFCS that i craved. real food is plenty sweet enough on its own, without all the additives, but it does take some time for your body to adjust to that change since we live in a world where everything is so processed that i kind of think our bodies need to relearn what "sweet" really tastes like.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jtammy
If you're doing a low carb diet, aren't sugars off-limits anyway? Even Splenda has carb, just not as much as sugars.
You are correct, on Atkins sugar is off limits. Artificial sweeteners are permitted...however, they are limited.
"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, etc., should be avoided. However, most sugar alcohols have a minimal effect on 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™.
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 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."
OOPS!!! I thought Splenda was Saccharin! Sorry ya'll!!! Actually, I thought that Splenda and sweet n low was basically same thing. Next time, I'll do some studying! Sorry, sorry, sorry!!!
Kaplods is right about the reaserch.
I'm a total sugar addict too. After doing the two weeks of atkins induction all my sugar cravings are gone, other foods do start to taste sweeter after you get all the sugar out of your diet. Mostly I avoid all sweets compleately. I do use splenda occasionaly, and it doesn't bother me. I know that even a little sugar in my tea would set off cravings so I avoid it completely. I'm also trying to controle my insulin levels so splenda is a better choice for me. I might be worried about it if I was using large amounts of it.
Sweet-n-Low, saccharin, was originally linked to cancer in the 70's. However, the FDA has ruled that since no new research as proved this [was there any new research at all?] that they did not have to keep putting a disclaimer on their product. Now, I do not know who did the research, but there should be someone here that was alive in the seventies that remembers this warning.
When I stopped eating all sugars and limited my artificial sweeteners to about a 1/2 pack a day, I experienced the heightened sensitivity to sugars in foods also. You will also experience this sensitivity to artificial sweeteners. This is why it is good to not eat those low-carb bars because you need to give your palate a chance to get used to not having sugar.
Sylvia, i'm still on induction so I'm trying my best to stay away fruit. It's been a week now and I'm still craving sugar like crazy, but i'm sure it'll disappear after the two weeks are up. I love love love strawberries so I hope to add that later in my diet.
Yeah, the first couple of weeks were tough. If you have ever known anyone addicted to drugs, this is what your body is going through. You have been feeding it a constant stream of glucose in the form of grains, fruits and sugar. Your body doesn't even realize it is possible to live without these things. You need to spend time showing your body that it can survive without huge amounts of glucose.
Induction is supposed to last two weeks or longer. In Dr. Atkins' book, he says you can stay on induction for much longer. So, take as long as you need to break your addiction. I would suggest you keep eating Induction Level Acceptable foods, but make your salads bigger. And make sure you are getting enough fat. Fat actually helps break sugar addiction because it helps you feel satiated sooner and for a longer period of time.
Thanks Sylvia, I'll keep that in mind. I didn't know I could stay on induction longer if I needed. By the end of the two weeks I'll consider going longer if I need to. You said, "you have been feeding it a constant stream of glucose in the form of grains, fruits and sugar. Your body doesn't even realize it is possible to live without these things." For some reason that phrase spoke to me. I think it's time that I prove to my body that it's wrong and I can live without the unhealthy foods.
Sugar or Splenda
The instructor from the AHA cited studies of Indian & Eskimo communities that have only in recent years been exposed to processed foods - sugar & flour. Communities that had non-existent heart disease & diabetes suddenly saw the numbers sky rocket!
