Did she suggest stevia as a sugar alternative? When I finish this last box of Splenda that's what I'm switching to. It doesn't contain chemicals like artificial sweeteners.

Here is a link that might be useful: Truvia made from stevia

natal, I haven't tried that, but I think I will. Splenda is what I use, too, in my coffee. I tried sugar, used two teaspoons, but it didn't taste at all sweet to me! I think Splenda is so sweet that that's what happens.

I think they are both harmful, but I buy organic sugar to use in baking or jam making. After one after another art. sweetener has been pulled from use because of safety/health reasons, I concluded that I no longer will use ANY artificial sweetener, because I just don't trust the chemical (food?)companies who are just out to make a profit...our safety be dammed. I drink bubbly water instead of pop and have developed a liking for unsweetened herb tea. I find it was pretty easy to give up sprinkling sugar on anything...oh, I sometimes will use a tiny bit, maybe a teaspoon on a quart of strawberries or raspberries, just to draw out the juice and keep them from molding in the fridge.

Natal is right. Though real sugar is better than artificial sweetners Truvia/Stevia is better still. It's safe for those that are diabetic too, so if you know anyone that is diabetic tell them about it. I have a cousin that's diabetic but has a very hard time staying away from sugar and she loves Truvia. Walmart has a version of it if you need to watch your budget.

Not sure if it is a weight loss issue for you, but my university chemistry prof told me that many artificial sweeteners slow down your metabolism, so you actually end up gaining more weight using them. I just can't stand the taste of them, so I always use sugar. I'll have to try the stevia. I think I had a plant by that name that had very sweet leaves.

I think that it can be a wash. You probably should not use too much of either. My daughter is a diabetic so she uses Splenda if it is for something she does not want to take a shot for (like iced tea) or if it is a meal with higher carbs. I do use liquid Stevia with regular sugar in some baked goods to reduce the amount of sugar used. Honestly though, I can taste the Stevia and am not a big fan. If a smoothie needs a little extra though, Stevia seems to work well.

My absolute favorite is coconut sugar (sometimes called palm sugar). When I am having yogurt with fruit, that is what I prefer to sprinkle on.

Since my daughter was diagnosed, we have cut back on many of the things that would include sweeteners but I doubt we will ever give them up completely. When we want a treat, we eat a treat and enjoy it, we just do not eat sugar 3x a day. Also, I doubt I will ever give up my sugar in my coffee, but I have cut back.

I think the problem is that sugar sneaks in to our diets in many ways, it's not just the added sugar you spoon into your food. It's everywhere. High fructose corn syrup is also sugar. I was buying applesauce the other day and on the sweetened apple sauces or cinnamon versions, the number two ingredient is high fructose corn syrup! It's better to buy the unsweetened flavor which has no HFCS and sweeten it yourself if you need to. Making a simple syrup out of organic sugar and water boiled together (I add herbs like ginger root or cinammon too) is good for when you need that little kick on food that isn't hot enough to dissolve the sugar.

I don't trust anything artificial anymore and if the Dietician is suggesting it, I'd go for it. The organic sugar is also a good alternative.

I'll throw this out there with the disclaimer that I've NEVER been a coffee or tea drinker, only drink water actually, but is there anyway you can give it up and just drink something else entirely? (Hee my daughter would shoot me if I suggested that to her, so I'm ducking my head as I type this!)

I don't believe in artificial sweetners either. If you are not diabetic there is no real reason to use them. I agree that sugar is in everything. So, that one teaspoon or two you put in your coffee, is not what will make you over weight.
I have a sister who is very over wieight and she was addicted to diet soda. I finally convinced her to give it up. It is actually addicting, she craved the taste of it. And this was before all the new products that have come on the market.
Everything in moderation.

"Natal is right. Though real sugar is better than artificial sweetners Truvia/Stevia is better still." I agree with this. I personally won't touch artificial sweetners. I'd rather use real sugar in moderation.

You can buy pure Stevia in powder form at health food stores and online. Pure stevia is even better than Truvia because there are absolutely no artificial anythings or additives- you just get the plant extract. Pure Stevia is actually pretty good for you but you have to get used to it because it is very different than sugar or truvia in that you only put in a teeny tiny itty bitty little amount. Pure Stevia has been suggested by some to reduce the effects of pre-diabetes, it has no calories and it's natural. It is all I use in my tea now and I love it!

Not all brands are created equal either though. I recommend Kal brand...
http://www.amazon.com/KAL-Stevia-Extract-Powder-powder/dp/B00014J2UO

Sugar is to me, like alcohol is to the alcoholic. If I leave the sugar alone, I can eat
sanely (not overeat). That said, I do use one teaspoon on my morning oatmeal and one on my night cereal. This was recommended by my nutritionist when I was concerned about artificial sweeteners. That amount doesn't bother me or trigger the sweet cravings. I also don't eat white flour for the same reason (cravings). I don't think everyone is on the same page with stevia--do some research.

lukki, I don't think I could give up my coffee!

Thanks for all the advice, everyone. Lizbeth, you are right that I need to do some research.

I don't have a weight problem, but I had an eating disorder and the dietician wants me to make my eating more normal. She doesn't like artificial sweeteners or any kinds of diet foods, even for those trying to lose weight.

I use sugar, splenda, and sweet-in-low in coffee and tea, depending on my morning weigh in. If I'm on the high side of normal, it's artificial.

I don't care for the taste of Stevia or agave syrup, very popular right now, and prefer to limit my sugar intake to things I really enjoy. I enjoy my morning cup, but any of the three all taste good to me so but I choose real sugar when I can to be on the safe side.
And as I don't eat organic, natural everything, I try for moderation in all foods and as long as I come up very healthy in my physical and my weight is good (and I feel good), I don't worry about it.

I would want a dietician to give me her reasons for not using a substance, then I would make up my own mind, weighing the pros and cons. The fact that she doesn't like it isn't good enough.

Just remember anything that is processed isn't good for you.
And why do companies need to sweeten anything made from fruit(the applesauce mentioned above)? Most fruits are already sweet! Naturally! No processing what so ever.

beaglesdoitbetter, thanks for the heads up on Stevia powder.

"Do you think either or both are addicting or harmful? Have you had any success in giving them up?"

I think both are harmful. I've never had artificial sweetener in my life, so I can't say anything about whether the stuff is addicting. However, I've read recaps of recent research, apparently peer-reviewed, on the dangers of sugar. Whether it's organic or not is probably irrelevant. The point is that the research has concluded that sugar may be harmful to the body in numerous ways, including to the brain and its functions, with the latter including intelligence/learning/memory.

Have I had any success in giving up sugar? Yes!!! Two years ago, I decided to adopt a particular way of eating, one that included, among other things, the giving up of sugar and of processed foods that contained sugar. I had been a VERY long-time and MAJOR chocoholic, so success was a long and hard-fought battle.

In truth, I still lose minor skirmishes from time to time, but now, two plus years later, I eat so little sugar that I can say I've basically won the war. It was very difficult at first, but from experience, I can tell you that, if you can stick it out, you get to the point where foods containing added sugar usually seem disgustingly sweet. One example: Former favorite way to have hot cereal was with lots of maple syrup. Now, I have mine with berries (defrosted, if fresh not available, and always organic), often with chopped up cooked carrot in it, and with cinnamon. Other than walnuts and some seeds (hemp, flax, and/or chia), that's it - and I think it tastes great.

Second example: I LOVED milk chocolate and HATED dark chocolate. Yesterday, I had a bite of a dark chocolate bar with an 82% cacao content. I usually shop for 85% plus. The bite was delicious. I simply cannot eat milk chocolate any more. It's cloying sweet, and the texture seems weirdly thick and gooey.

Actually, I've conquered my sugar addiction to such an extent that I sometimes add a kale leaf to the cereal. Or sometimes have dinner leftovers for breakfast.

Result of all this? Whether it's the way of eating in general or because it's sugar-free, but I can go all the way to dinner, very active, with no hunger and no loss of energy. Yesterday, I was cleaning a house and doing yardwork (preparation for it to be on the market), and all I had all day was a couple of bites of cereal/fruit/cinnamon. No sugar = no blood sugar spikes = no headaches, no hunger pangs?

That's great, lynxe! Maybe my goal should be giving up sugar and artificial sweeteners entirely, rather than replacing the splenda with sugar. I would love to have your energy!

When I go off sugar for a while, I do notice my taste buds change and fruit becomes very sweet and foods with processed sugar or higher amounts of sugar are too sickly sweet for me. The cravings for it do go away in time although the first few weeks can be hard.

I've used stevia since I learned that sugar and even honey are not healthy sweeteners. I did a lot of research a couple of years ago when several members of my family were diagnosed with cancer and learned that all sugars feed cancer cells.

It's long been known that artificial sweeteners are unhealthy so they are not an option for me.

Stevia is a natural herb and actually beneficial. It's incredibly sweet so only a tiny amount is necessary to sweeten my tea. Some brands have an after taste but I've found one that is very good.

Here is a link that might be useful: about stevia and artificial sweeteners

roobear, I would love for fruit to taste sweet to me. I have to get off this stuff!

luckygal, I didn't know stevia was a natural herb. Thanks for the link!

Don't know how to link, but you might want to go to www.cspinet.org and type in Stevia. Or google Stevia and go to the Nutrition Action Newsletter. Everything natural isn't necessarily healthy.

Everything natural isn't necessarily healthy.

I'll grant you that.

Now here's the rest of the story.

Here is a link that might be useful: stevia

Stevia is extremely sweet. I mean, a pinch of the stuff is equivalent to like 3 cups of sugar. There is no way anyone would consume these "large amounts of stevia" that they are referring to that might cause problems. What about the potential problems caused by all the artificial sweeteners that are on the market that the FDA approved...

Stevia is not approved because of large corporate interests who don't want Stevia approved.

My mom used to have honey on hand. I've used it when out of sugar or a sweetener, none is used much and forget to buy any. And I love anything sweet, actually this should have read chocolate..thee really good stuff. You have reminded me of using honey again. Is honey an issue as sugar is?