i hear its safe to consume artifical sweeteners in moderation. Whats moderation for artificial sweeteners? on a daily basis i put 1 tsp. splenda in my cereal, i packet sweet n low in my coffe and i drink a sugar free lemonade. is this too much?? thanks!

Everyone is going to have a different opinion on this subject, but I believe that artificial sweeteners should be avoided as much as possible. I'm not saying completely, because that'd be kind of hard to do. All of that in one day is over the top..for me anyway. Have you ever considered an alternative? I use stevia in my coffee and also put it on anything that needs sugar, and it's natural. There's alot of great sites out there that explain it's health properties and such, and it tastes normal. As for foods that already contain artificial sweeteners, I would make sure it's very limited.

Babe,

That sounds pretty limited to me. I use Nutrasweet in my coffee, my lemonade mix, and a daily diet soda (sometimes Splenda).

I don't worry about it one bit and happiily think on the sugar calories I'm saving. (Like 300)

I use two packets of splenda a day in my two coffees every day and i'm still alive!:D :D :D
But yah, it's very contraversial.:rolleyes:

Using two packets of Splenda in your coffee seems pretty safe but when you realize that you save only 32 calories ( 1 tsp sugar = 16 calories) by doing that one could ask why bother? What we need to consider is benefit vs risk. We know long term, accumulated health risk when consuming two tsp sugar a day is minimal to none. Do we know what the accumulated risk is for daily consumption of Splenda (or any other artificial sweetener)?

rita,
I think it's more like 1 sachet = 2 tsp. sugar and thus 64 calories a day for 2 sachets.
Over a year, 64 calorie/day = 23,360 calories or nearly 7 pounds of gooey jiggly fat.
Calories from most foods aren't horrible in themselves but they ALL contribute to a number that is high enough to cause weight gain.

Add a can of real soda a day and you've TRIPLED the consequences...or added 20 pounds:eek: ...in but a single YEAR. Shall we talk about a DECADE of sugar?

Yes, it is all true, mathematically. However, a person watching his/her weight is probably also watching what they eat so the 64 calories could always be cut out from the diet with a very small adjustment in amount of food consumed daily. So, if one absolutely has to have a cup of coffee sweetened with 4 tsp sugar ( and that's pretty sweet coffee, I may add) then one could perhaps reduce the amount of bread, sconces, cookies, candies,cream or other products one consumes with the coffee or throughout the day. Keeping a good "diet" is all about portion control, not complete denial. So, when you indulge in something, simply reduce something else. It will all balance out without having to resort to any extraordinary measures or consuming possibly harmful substances. And if reducing/balancing is too difficult, well, one can always increase the amount of daily exercise in order to burn the extra 64 calories. For most people this would amount to adding 10-15 minutes of walking throughout the day. Not a bad idea at all.
Still, couple packets of Splenda are most likely not going to do any permanent harm but if it is a concern at all, why risk it?

Still, couple packets of Splenda are most likley not going to do any permanent harm but if it is a concern at all, why risk it?
But then, by the same token, 4 tsp's of sugar aren't likely to permanently wreck a diet, but then, if your diet is a concern, why risk it?

Keeping a good "diet" is all about portion control, not complete denial.
I agree completely and eliminating several tsp. of sugar STILL allows for the dozens of pounds of sugar from other myriad other sources each year...and giving up artificial sweetners is the "complete denial" that you don't like, isn't it? :D

I say that any lesssening of the amount of sugar in a year is a benefit to those wanting to lower calories. And the decrease isn't made by the pound but rather teaspoonful by teaspoonful.

But if anyone thinks artificial sweetners are poisonous, well then he must, of course, judge not to eat the poisons.

When I talk about Splenda and risk it is definitely not the same as the risk to one's diet concerns from a few teaspons of sugar. Yes, the little bit of sugar may present a miniscule risk of gaining weight over time (if it is compounded by other weight gaining behaviors) but the risk of Splenda over time is largely unknown and may extend beyond weight but also effect one's health in a major way. It's all about risks vs benefits. The choice is individual.
Giving up artificial sweeteners is a form of "complete denial"?
I doubt very much that there exists any normal human being who views abstaining from artificial sweeteners as "denial" in any shape or form (unless it's for health reasons such as diabetes where artificial sweeteners are practically the only option). I think most people view artificial sweeteners as a necessary evil at best, definitely not something that is desired or desirable.

Everyone is going to have a different opinion on this subject, but I believe that artificial sweeteners should be avoided as much as possible. I'm not saying completely, because that'd be kind of hard to do. All of that in one day is over the top..for me anyway. Have you ever considered an alternative? I use stevia in my coffee and also put it on anything that needs sugar, and it's natural. There's alot of great sites out there that explain it's health properties and such, and it tastes normal. As for foods that already contain artificial sweeteners, I would make sure it's very limited.


Just curious but what makes you think that stevia is any better then artifial sweetners?

Just because it is natural does not mean its any better. In fact there have been very few studies done on stevia...and of the few some have found a possible link to cancer. Yet Artificial sweetners have been studied up the ying yang and the general consensus is that they are perfectly safe.

I also have read several negative reports on Stevia.
I stick with sugar myself but limit it to a small, delicious amount.
I also never eat "diet" foods. I find them to be tasteless and a very poor substitute for the real thing. A little of real Italian gelato, (fat, sugar and all)is so much more satisfying than a quart of "reduced sugar, reduced fat" product I would hesitate to call ice cream.

Hi artificial sweetners normally have a guide on the packet stating what is an acceptable level which not to exceed.

There have been links to some types of cancers being caused by excess artificial sweetners.

Also, I think I heard somewhere that Sacharine (Excuse spelling) has been banned in the States.

So makes you think, but like anything, in moderation ......

Now that I have lost weight I have given up the artificial sweetners. I used Splenda because I thought it was safe but now am not so sure. Therefeore I figure a teaspoon of sugar or brown sugar in my oatmeal and like a quarter a teaspoon of honey in my green tea daily is not going to hurt me.

You've got the right idea. Portion control is all you need to practice in order to avoid "diets". I eat everything (good) but keep the portions small. This way I never feel deprived. What is it all for, after all, if one has to be miserable all the time. We need to be happy not just skinny.

I'm one of those folks who are highly sensitive to aspartame. One diet drink with it and I'm shaking, dizzy,etc. Same symptoms as low blood sugar. Just cannot tolerate it. As for Splenda, it is distilled with chlorine and I'm allergic to chlorine...so, no Splenda. Am just not willing to try other synthetic sweeteners. Each to their own.