Stopped using artificial sweeteners

[toggie]

I'm on my 10th day of stopping my use of artificial sweeteners such as Splenda, Equal, and Sweet&Low.

My usual routine was to put two packets of Splenda into each cup of coffee. Usually drink 3 or 4 cups a day.
I'd put two packages on my oatmeal or cereal in the morning.
I'd drink Diet Coke all day - maybe 5 or 6.

Some of the recent articles in the news made me decide to just give it up.
Very difficult to do for the first day or two.
A lot easier to do now that my habits are different.

Now, I'm one of those people that orders "ice water with a slice of lemon" in restaurants.
I drink coffee with milk in it only (now I only drink 2 cups a day - doesn't taste as good to me as in the past).

.

[wax]

I just started a break from caffeine.
Reason: Tinnitus.
Worked 7 years ago . . .

Hot Chocolate for everyone! Free for the next hour!


via rubber ducky

[treedee3d]

Use to use Aspartame all the time.....I didn't realize it was the cause of it at the time but my skin was always itchy, especially on my back....there's some crazy stuff in there. Gave it up several years ago.

[Edward 96GTS]

might want to give up the lemon in water too. e.coli. google it.
ed

[toggie]

Originally Posted by Edward 96GTS

might want to give up the lemon in water too. e.coli. google it.
ed

Interesting. I had not heard that.
Like you said, apparently there are real risks.

Restaurant Lemons Tested Positive for Fecal Matter and E-Coli - ABC News

Restaurant Lemons Tested Positive for Fecal Matter and E-Coli.

It may be tempting to take a twist of lemon along with a refreshing summer drink. But beware because that splash of citrus could have bacteria that may make you sick.

"Good Morning America" tested lemon wedges from six popular family restaurants and what they found was more frightening than refreshing. At four restaurants, "GMA" found the lemons were contaminated with fecal matter, including one sample that contaminated with E. coli.

To put the lemons to the "GMA" test, we visited three sets of chain restaurants: Applebee's, TGI Fridays, and Chili's. All six of the causal dining restaurants were in New Jersey.

After swabbing each lemon we were served, the samples were sent to a microbiology lab at New York University's Medical Center.

We found yeast and harmless bacteria that are commonly found on fruits and in our environment. But four of the samples were contaminated with dangerous bacteria.

"A small risk, but a risk nevertheless by ingesting byproducts of these lemons," Philip Tierno, director of the clinical microbiology at NYU.

The fecal matter was found at both of the Applebee's and TGI Friday's restaurants. The E. coli was found at the Applebee's in Clifton, N.J. At Chili's, we found no evidence of fecal matter or E. coli at either restaurant.

But that's not all. At half of the restaurants we caught workers grabbing lemons with their bare hands. New Jersey's health code insists that workers wear gloves or use tongs.

"I see that people have no concern of where they put their fingers," said Tierno. "They'll take things with their bare hands rather than gloving up and distributing the food stuff as they should."

Restaurants Respond

Representatives from TGI Fridays and Applebee's tell "GMA" they take health and safety very seriously.

TGI Fridays told "GMA" in a statement: "As we do with all matters of safety and health in our restaurants, we took this very seriously. We immediately stopped utilizing lemons at all of our restaurants until we could investigate this matter further and review our procedures to ensure this was an isolated issue.

"We've taken quick, thorough and appropriate measures to rectify this situation. We have very high health and safety standards, including extensive food safety training for all team members. The health and safety of our guests and team members is our top priority."

And Applebee's said in a statement: "Applebee's takes these findings very seriously as the health and safety of our guests are top priorities. We believe these are isolated incidents and not reflective across the system in our company or franchise restaurants. Nonetheless we have reinforced our processes for produce washing, washing of all our cooking utensils and silverware and employee hygiene in all our restaurants."

Not the First Time

In a study released last year, Anne LaGrange Loving, a New Jersey microbiologist, tested lemons at 21 restaurants. She found disease-causing bacteria on two-thirds of all lemons, including fecal bacteria.

People need to be aware of the kind of bacteria on lemons, Loving said in a HealthInspections.com report.

"It was like they had dipped it in raw meat or something," Loving, a science professor at Passaic County Community College said. "It was gross."

What You Can Do

The best advice is to squeeze the lemon juice into your drink and put the whole lemon aside, instead of putting the lemon in your drink.

Experts told "GMA" that a lemon's acidity will not kill bacteria. Hard alcoholic drinks, like a martini, can kill bacteria, but beer's lower alcohol content will not.

In New York, employees at Peter's restaurant cut lemons with gloves and distribute the wedges with little spears, mindful of all that workers can come in contact with during a shift, including handling filthy money.

Looking for safety protocols like those may be the best practice the next time you order a lemon with your favorite drink.
.

[DonJuan348]

How do you feel since giving up artificial sugar ?

[toggie]

Originally Posted by DonJuan348

How do you feel since giving up artificial sugar ?

Actually, I do feel a little better than I used to.
Could be psychological, but it is easier for me to stay closer to my reduced-carb diet (I want to lose 20 pounds slowly over a 6 - 9 month time period).

Also, I think I'm sleeping better. I fall asleep faster now.
That might be due to the reduced caffeine every day (fewer cups of coffee in the morning and no Diet Cokes throughout the day).

Now that it has been over a week, I don't miss it at all.
.

[Chupacabra]

Originally Posted by toggie

Actually, I do feel a little better than I used to.
Could be psychological, but it is easier for me to stay closer to my reduced-carb diet (I want to lose 20 pounds slowly over a 6 - 9 month time period).

Also, I think I'm sleeping better. I fall asleep faster now.
That might be due to the reduced caffeine every day (fewer cups of coffee in the morning and no Diet Cokes throughout the day).

Now that it has been over a week, I don't miss it at all.
.

From what I have heard (granted, I take most diet theories with a grain of salt, but this makes sense at first glance), artificial sweeteners stimulate your appetite because your body expects calories from something sweet and goes a bit haywire when it does not receive what it is preparing for. I must admit, I've never seen anyone lose weight by switching to diet soda. Plus, it tastes like tee total poopie Anyway, I guess there could be something to it, and I think it's a great idea to cut them out!

I started drinking nothing but water or green tea about 15 years ago, and I feel a lot better because of it. My wife recently got me into cappuccino, but so far I've managed to keep myself sub-addicted. I use real sugar. It's only 15 calories, there are no chemicals, and what tiny insulin effect there may be is surely offset by my general hyperactivity. I'm one of the few people who believe carbs are not the devil, and moderate sugar use is ok.

I wish I could kick the sugar free gum...but my teeth just can't take the sugary stuff!

Keep it up, sounds like it's working!

[Edward 96GTS]

Try dark espesso for coffee substitute. Much less caffeine
Ed

[DonJuan348]

I didn't know that about dark coffee. I only drink the foreigner dark stuff, the darker the stronger the better.

Toggie, have you started an exercise program yet?

[DonJuan348]

Also, excellent point was that no one loses weight by switching to artificial sweetners . No one thinks about reduces the bad sugars and replacing with better sugar ie soda vs natural fruit juice, white vs dark brown sugar/ honey. Or reducing sugar intake plus increasing fiber and increasing cinnamon intake . Two things that helps stabilize insulin.


For those of us who have a sweet tooth, how do you reduce that? I can't drink black coffee or oatmeal with a natural sweetner( all artificial one taste disgusting to me )


Word of the day H.I.I.T ( high intensity interval training )

[Xcheckme]

Originally Posted by DonJuan348

I can't drink black coffee or oatmeal with a natural sweetner( all artificial one taste disgusting to me )

I always add a little applesauce (unsweetened) to my oatmeal - tastes great (well, as great as oatmeal can taste) and only contains natural sugars.

[Frips_Girl]

Applesauce in oatmeal is awesome, preferably if it's all natural and not substituted with artificial sweeteners- which defeats the purpose otherwise. You can use a touch of real maple syrup, or raw honey as well. Load it up with chopped up real fruit, but not too much. I've stopped buying the flavored kinds as they are loaded with junk.

Everything in moderation, even moderation

[DonJuan348]

I have been using fruit in my oatmeal mostly apples and blueberries to sweeten it and use less sugar when I do add sugar , I use honey or cheap crystal brown sugar. Dissolve slower but I use less

[Vinny Bourne]

Originally Posted by Chupacabra

I take most diet theories with a grain of salt,

I started drinking nothing but water or green tea about 15 years ago, and I feel a lot better because of it.

I also drink mainly water and have recently added sparkling apple cider/juice.

Originally Posted by DonJuan348

increasing cinnamon intake that helps stabilize insulin.
For those of us who have a sweet tooth, how do you reduce that?

Cinnamon, well it can't hurt, but they say it might not help that much either - The potential of cinnamon to reduce bloo... [Diabetes Obes Metab. 2009] - PubMed - NCBI

Originally Posted by Frips_Girl

oatmeal a touch of real maple syrup

Everything in moderation, even moderation

Years ago when I still ate oatmeal, nothing went better with it than real maple syrup.


Most diet theories and exercise schemes should be taken with a shaker of salt. I have a major sweet tooth and I indulge it. Food that tastes good is one of the basic joys of life. I mean what's the point if you don't have fun. Screw phony sweetners, as long as you are fit and lean (and not diabetic) enjoy real sugar, cookies, ice cream, brownies, chocolate. If you are somewhat active and keep portions in control there should be no worry of becoming fat.

[Piper]

Just saw this. Stevia, pure stevia, is a pretty decent substitute for sugar. It's the only one that hasn't been found to be harmful in one way or another.

I actually kinda miss the flavor of saccharin, if you can believe that. Very distinct. Drank a lot of it as a child.

[Piper]

FB friend shared this today.

Can You Give Up Sugar? New Research Says its Toxic | Energetic Health

[Vinny Bourne]

Originally Posted by Piper

FB friend shared this today.

Can You Give Up Sugar? New Research Says its Toxic | Energetic Health

I'm not buying it. What about all the people's who consume rice as a staple? Or people who eat a lot of fruit daily? Once in the body, sugar (sucrose=(fructose + glucose)), fruits (fructose) and rice all get absorbed as fructose and glucose. Same for grains. They are all carbs.

It all comes down to portions and activity. If you eat too much and are lazy you will run the risk of entering the "metabolic syndrome". I still say enjoy things that taste good, sugary stuff, but be active and don't chow down like a pig.

The problem in the US is that over the last 40 years people have become lazy gluttons.

[Jedi]

Originally Posted by Vinny Bourne

be active and don't chow down like a pig.

The problem in the US is that over the last 40 years people have become lazy gluttons.

Amen

Jedi