I am VERY new to the South Beach Diet. I am getting my shopping list together now in order to start the diet tomorrow. I am very excited about this program - I think this will finally be the change to my eating patterns that will not only let me lose my excess weight, but to keep it off for a lifetime.

I have ready The South Beach Diet book. (And I am going to go back and read it again for any details I might have missed the first time.) On page 26, Dr. Agatston says, "There are many [sugar substitutes] to choose from nowadays--I prefer one that's actually derived in part from a form of sugar, although it has no calories."

Does anyone know which substitute he is referring to? I generally use Equal for individual applications such as in my tea, and Splenda for granualar use in cooking. Do either of these meet his description of being derived in part from a form of sugar?

Thanks,
mousetater

Welcome to The Beach, Mousetater. You are wise to thoroughly read the book. I am due for a re-read to refresh my alleged brain on lots of this.

I think Dr. A. means Splenda. I use it and Equal but not too much of either. I think we should be weaning ourselves away from swee tastes - but that's just me!

Hello...I think he is referring to STEVIA?...I am pretty sure I read where is is derived from real sugar..and that the Chinese have used it for years. I have personally had a hard time finding it...would love to try in in tea.

I have also read that we need to be careful with some artificial sweetners because they will spike our SUGAR/SWEET cravings. But hey now a girl's got to have a little something besides WATER all the time!! tootles

Sorry to contradict you but stevia is a herb. The leaves are dried and powdered as a sugar substitute. It is much sweeter than sugar so only a tiny bit is needed. I grew it in my herb garden one summer and was just amazed at how sweet it was!

If you want to try it, you can buy it powedered from health food and bulk food stores. It's expensive but a little goes a long way.

Stevia is actually sold as a nutritonal supplment. It is good for your adrenals. I don't like it plain, I mix it with sweet n low, it tends to cut both sweetners in a way that my particular palette finds appealing. Do a search on google and you can order it online in packets.

I try to limit my nutrasweet, since its patent is a pesticide (held by monsanto), and I can't completely give it up, when I have the option of adding something, I add stevia -- sweet n low. My system can only tolerate small doses of Spenda, and barely any maltinol. makes me very sick.

If you can use splenda, I have heard it is one of the better options. I think that you just have to find what works for you.....

I like Splenda for my personal choice.

WELCOME to the Beach

Lady

Thanks for all the quick and helpful replies. Seems none of us are really sure which substitute he is referring to in the book. But, since he uses the generic "sugar substitute" in the recipes, I'm going to assume we should use whichever we can tolerate best (I can't use "the pink stuff" - leaves a bad aftertaste), and to use a moderate amount of whatever we pick.

Thanks for the help.

mousetater

I suspect that Dr. A may be talking about Splenda since it is made from cane sugar. It is sucralose, which has no calories or carbs. Your body doesn't recognize it as sugar, and it doesn't metabolize it at all.

I use Equal in my coffee but Splenda for everything else. Like Ruth, I just try and stay away from too much sweet food whether it is "real" sugar or "fake."

I use Splenda, because it seems to be the least "artificial" since it's made from real sugar. I don't have any problems with it, although I've heard that some people have slight reactions to it like headaches, etc (which can happen with any artifical sweetener).

Over the past few weeks, I've actually noticed that my tastes have changed, and I'm using less and less sweetener all the time. For example, I no longer use any sweetener in my tea, and I've pretty much stopped using it in my ricotta desserts too (when I first started making these I used double or sometimes triple the amount suggested in the recipe).