Since starting an effort to eat better and lose a few pounds, I have considered some of the "sugar free" and "fat free" products that are available. But I've decided to stick to foods that I prepare myself and avoid chemical sweeteners.
Splenda the dangerous truth
This is a link to a very comprehensive article. It is not the only one I read, but it does ring true. I have tossed the large bag of Splenda that was in my cupboard!
Big mistake!
When I got home I sprinkled some over a cup of fresh strawberries as an afternoon snack. While eating them, I looked up Truvia on the internet, and found it is no better than Splenda and probably has some undesirable side effects!
I am experiencing one of them as I type this: A very unpleasant metallic taste that won't go away.
I wonder if I can return it to the grocery store.
So for now I think I'll go back to using just a little bit of real sugar, honey or other natural sweeteners such as maple syrup.
We often eat without thinking about what we are eating and how it came to be food. I'm just trying to figure out what is best for me, and if I can encourage others to do the same, all the better!
Check out some of the articles by clicking on the links.
A two pound bag of sugar generally lasts me about five years, so I haven't bothered with the fake stuff.
ReplyDeleteI agree with avoiding the processed sweeteners, you can use pureed fruits in some recipes. I don't have any sugar in the RV, I do have honey. And if I can find some for a good price, I will buy real maple syrup to add to oatmeal.
ReplyDeletejust an FYI... at his last stress test follow up, Hubster's cardiologist advised against any type of artificial sweetener because they are finding a link with them and heart disease. His advice was to use the real stuff but limit the intake ~ you know, the "old fashioned" way lose weight and things like that! lol
ReplyDeleteWe use sugar only for hummingbird feeders ;-) I haven't bought salt once in the 11+ years on the road... It's interesting how our bodies adapt so well to "natural" tastes - maybe that's the way we were meant to eat.....
ReplyDeleteI use very little sugar (except what is in food when we eat out) but Jim has sugar in his coffee every morning. He prefers Truvia over Splenda. Since I don't bake anymore, no sugar needed there. Use brown sugar sometimes but that's about it.
ReplyDeleteInteresting post. I have read several articles lately about what is really in some of the common foods we eat. I think in this day and age, it is impossible to avoid it all, but we can certainly make wise choices. People might think I'm nuts for using only real butter but have you read the labels on those margarine containers?
ReplyDeleteLike Odd Essay, I only have sugar in the house for the humming birds.
ReplyDeleteI also need to take off some weight, I have cut out carbs almost completely now.
good luck
Merikay - As my doctor says, your body knows no difference between the fake and the natural so better to use the real thing.
ReplyDeleteAs a diabetic I use the natural stuff. ;)
Erik
I'm a type 2 diabetic and I attended an ADA Diabetic Expo last month. Two of the samples I picked up were SweetLeaf,100% Natural Steviva Sweetner, www.sweetleaf.com and Fructevia, www.Steviva.com I haven't done a lot of research on it but the people at the exp advised us other artifical sweeteners had chemicals in it...... So I too, had to go home and throw a way a lot of Splenda and I haven't purchased any thing else for now.
ReplyDeleteBriefly tried some of those sweetners years ago & simply didn't like the taste so gave them up. Gave up sugar in my coffee a couple years ago too. But, I still have a sweet tooth....for anything sweet:((
ReplyDeleteKeep up these posts about healthier eating and dieting...maybe it will motivate me. I'd also like to hear more about the glycemic index. What are you using for a guide?
ReplyDeleteNeither my wife nor I take sugar in our coffee, and haven't for many years. (ain't giving up the coffee though...)
ReplyDeleteHate to sound like an old curmudgeon, but those artificial sweeteners "will kill ya". Just too processed for my liking. Maybe that's the reason for the metallic taste.
Just start reading up on carbs and how they are produced. It can be an eye opener.
You're doing it. It just takes time and effort.
Good luck.
Merikay, I stick with as much "natural" ingredients and additives as I can for the reasons you cite here. Artificial sweeteners upset my digestive track is the most unpleasant way.
ReplyDeleteI've been doing some research for an article I'm writing for work, about health in late life, and I'm amazed at what I'm learning. Among the things I've found is that sticking to the basics in foods with as little refinement as possible is best; we shouldn't avoid the "culprits" such as real butter and sugar [unless diabetic], but just use them wisely and without over-indulgence; and this one really surprised me .... over 50, our bodies are naturally going to gain some weight and we should NOT fight it. We shouldn't change eating habits unless we are eating wrong or overeating, but we should be sure we are getting exercise. Most of us slow down [raising my hand and muttering 'guilty' on this] and become sluggish because of that. I interviewed my personal doctor about this and he heartily agreed!
We started Jorge Cruise's belly fat cure diet this week -- low carb/low sugar. We bot his book at Walmart and a little carb/sugar counter book came with it. Husb has already lost 7.5 lbs to my 2 but I have lost 3" across my belly. Husb is diabetic and uses stevia -- I use very little sugar in anything. Milk is crammed with sweetners so we have switched to almond milk and real butter. Since my ca was 97% driven by estrogen and estrogen is produced and stored in fat, I absolutely have to lose weight. We've had no prob sticking with 15 sugars and 6 carb servigs a day. We can do this!
ReplyDeleteI agree with many of the comments and what you found. The less processed food we eat the better for us. Whole natural foods are the way to go. I have done lots of research and been on lots of diets over my lifetime, I think that cutting out carbs completely is not a good choice as it is difficult to keep that up indefinitely though you will loose weight when you do. Whatever diet you choose it has to be one that you can stay with the rest of your life. That is why diets with variety and moderation I believe are the only way to go. It is not easy and I know that for me personally it will always be a challenge.
ReplyDeleteLynilu said it best...when u read about what is in our food u will have no reason to wonder why so many of us have cancer, etc. Got put on this earth what we need, it's just a matter of finding it. I don believe in real butter as opposed to margarine since margarine is one ingredient away from plastic. I've heard that even flies won't get on it if left out. So my friends, a little of the real thing and daily exericse. I've lost 34 lbs. so far and working on losing more but doing it at a slower pace because I hate the word "diet"...just look at the first 3 letters. lol Marilyn u r so right....my cancer returned after 16 years...breast cancer in the bones. Sounded like something off Twilight Zone but it is true, so the less fat the better. I just don't believe in using the artificial stuff because it promotes problems of a different nature. Become a label reader, it will scare the begeebies out of ya but will help u get healthier. Good luck to us all!
ReplyDeleteI have been afraid that the sweeteners would end up causing cancer, or something, so I've always used real sugar. Real butter. And Best Foods Mayo (all in moderation), and everything else as real and fresh as I could get. And then I throw in low cal frozen dinners - probably not good, but how good can I be? :)
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