Delarla was right!!!

[Dianechef 3]

Okay, I just had to report back in! I didn't eat any artificial sweeteners today & I had NO PROBLEMS with junk!! I hope to lose the weight I gained from eating the house yesterday!!

Big Paul, I looked at the ingredients in the candy bar I ate & you were correct. It had Sorbitol in it!! You are a very smart guy!!! What are you feelings about low carb diets now?!?!

[La_madam 20]

For me it does not matter what kinbd of sweetener or sugar it s...Carbs make me crave more carbs and sugar makes me crave more sugar..Plain and simple!

[Jessiebear 2]

This is a good thread! I guess I'm really addicted to sweet tea. & since I know not to eat sugar I have replaced it with Splenda. Now my DH comes home & says he heard on the TV that tea causes ovarian cysts! I already have those (PCOS)!! Sheesh!!! What's next??!!

[bandayed 0]

OK now that Delara brought it up, what is that whole phenlyketonuric (sp?) thing all about? It's obviously something to do with nutrasweet; but for all the labels I see with it on there, I've never actually met someone with this problem. Has anyone else? WTH is it?

[NJChick 3]

Your 100% correct Paul but sorbitol is also used as an artificial sweetner in some foods. We don't dump it in our coffee but it is in alot of products like sugar free gum and mints and folks should be aware.

I think low carb diets are wonderful (not no carb imho) but a clean low carb.

From Wikipedia encyclopedia.

Sorbitol, also known as glucitol, is a sugar alcohol the body metabolises slowly. It is an artificial sweetener often used in diet foods. It is called a nutritive sweetener because it provides 2.6 calories (11 kilojoules) per gram versus the 4 calories (17 kJ) of sugar and starch. Sorbitol is poorly digested by the body. It is also used as a humectant in some cigarettes.

Sorbitol is also produced by the body. Too much sorbitol in cells can cause damage. Diabetic retinopathy and neuropathy may be related to too much sorbitol in the cells of the eyes and nerves.

Ingesting large amounts of sorbitol can lead to some abdominal pain, gas, and mild to severe diarrhea. Sorbitol can also aggravate irritable bowel syndrome.

Sorbitol is often used in modern cosmetics as a humectant and thickener. Some transparent gels can only be made with sorbitol as it has a refractive index sufficiently high for transparent formulations.

Sorbitol is used as a cryoprotectant additive (mixed with sucrose and sodium polyphosphates) in the manufacture of surimi, a highly refined, uncooked fish paste most commonly produced from Alaska (or walleye) pollock (Theragra chalcogramma).

[porclndoll 0]

Soooooo can I use Equal?

[NJChick 3]

Yes, you can use equal, everyone is different and if it doesn't bother you than use it.

Its just good to know this information.

["Just" Paul 1]

Low carb is great... if it is true low carb.

Real low carb eating involved, meats, fish and other Proteins, and veggies veggie and veggies!

Low carb processed foods were never intended to work with low carb diets, only to grab the "fad" and make money... Atkins products included. If you want to do true low carb, nothing should come in a package.

Delarla, actually when I first entered college, it was to become a chemical engineer, so 'm into researching the chemistry of stuff. later I switched to engineering and architecture, and now I manage telecom engineers... weird paths careers take!

What I was saying about sweeteners was applying to insulin rwaction only. I have no idea what other reactions the human body may have to the chemicals in sweeteners. My one point is, though, if you are going to use them, Splenda is the closest to a "natural" product. I've also read the conflicting studies on Fructose, which used to be given to diabetics, and it is now on the list of items most diabetics should avoid.

Here's an interesting factoid to ponder... The obesity epidemic in the US began in the early to mid 1970's (US medical journals vary, but this timeframe is an average). IN this same time period, actual SUGAR consumption in the US decreased. It actually killed most of the sugar inductry in Hawaii, the highest sugar growing state in the country.. Why, you may ask...because of the introduction of a new product, high-fructose corn syrup... now the primary sweetener in most products. It is cheaper to produce, and stronger in flavor than sugar from cane.

Coincidence?

[vluckey 1]

When I was pregnant and told I had g-diabetes several years ago I did a lot of research on sweeteners. This was before Splenda and I was VERY much against aspertame and saccharin. I was turned on to another product you can only buy at the health food store called STEVIA. I liked it pretty well except it did have a weird taste in some food. It is very prevelant in many other countries. They used to make diet coke with it in Japan.

Anyone else have any experience with this stuff? I can't remember why it was supposed to be better.

[Dianechef 3]

I had some candy bars left from the original box I bought. (The same one I ate that was artificially sweetened.) I thought I'd try them again just to get them out of the house. I also thought that maybe this time I wouldn't have the same reaction. (Who knows, hormones, stress.....it could have been a factor!!)

I ate the candy bar 2 hrs. ago & I am locking myself in my office so I don't eat some crackers, Cookies, & M&M's!! Did I mention my husband is a soda pop & snack vendor? We have LOADS & LOADS of any kind of junk available. You name it, we got it!! I think I'm sleeping in here for the night!!

Artificial sweeteners are BAD!! They don't do well with me at all!!