Ok, here goes my post. I bet I will open a whole can of worms here . I know everyone has their opinions on sweeteners I will be the first to admit that I am a Splenda junkie LOL. I have used it since I was diagnosed as a borderline t2 diabetic. ( I have since "cured" myself after losing weight) I use 1 tbsp of Splenda granular in my tea and cocoa every day and I bake and cook with it quite often. I also drink 2-3 Crystal Light packs every day. Lately, I have been feeling a little sick with a lingering headache, irritable, and some dizziness. I honestly don't know if it's related to the sweeteners but I am certain that they are not good for me and I have some concerns.
Now I am a little confused and don't know which route to take. I don't want to go back to regular sugar filled drinks or unsweetened tea (yuck). Honey and agave have a lot of calories and don't seem "worth it" for the amount of drinks I consume. I am also scared to give up the crystal light. It seems like the only way I can get my water down is with half a pack in my bottle. I have tried lemon in my water and its not appealing. Plain water makes me gag (sorry lol)

I am wondering about stevia and how I could substitute that for the splenda. Would that be safer or a good idea. Can I make drinks with it somehow that would replace the crystal light? my thinking is to just use splenda for some recipes and use stevia for tea and cold drinks. Perhaps I could make iced tea or lemonade with it. I phoned the Bulk Barn which is the only health food place in town and they do carry both stevia and agave.

I am really open to suggestions. My intentions are good but I need some direction (just not a lecture please ).

Artificial sweeteners used to be a big part of my lifestyle. As a southerner, tea without sweetener was nearly blasphemous, lol. I added it to my coffee, oatmeal, yogurt, etc. But then I got sick. I'll spare you the details, but artificial sweeteners, primarily Splenda, were a big part of my illness. It took thousands of dollars and countless medical tests to pin it down. The severity of my illness made me completely change what I put in my mouth.

My choices were only two: Use a real sweetener, or retrain my sweet tooth. I did both.

The first surprise happened in a restaurant after I ordered Iced tea. It was not sweetened, and it was actually very good! You'd think tea is tea, but it isn't. If you get served a good tea, make sure to ask what brand it is! Now I drink all of my tea, cold or hot, without any sweetener.

Water. I remember a time when drinking plain water made me gag, too So I bought a water filter and a glass jug and started keeping filtered water in the refrigerator, along with a tray of ice made from filtered water. I drink water more than anything else now, most days it's all I do drink. You get used to it, you really do You might have to force yourself at first, but you'll love it before long!

If I end up with something that really does need sweetener, I reach for agave or honey. But I use much less than I used to.

So I guess it all comes down to retraining your sweet tooth. It might seem difficult at first, but it gets easier and soon you'll prefer it. Really

I agree Splenda is bad for you; if I had too much in any given day, I would break out in hives! Read what Jillian Michaels says about it as well in Mastering Your Metabolism (once I read her book, I cut Splenda out of my diet entirely).

If you want a low cal sweetener, I suggest stevia. It is hard to get used to at first (not as sweet as Splenda), but it doesn't take long. Also, I love agave and have it every day (in moderation, of course) with my yogurt.

J

Thanks for the replies. I am going to buy the stevia today and give it a shot. Now to find a replacement for my crystal light and I will be all set