Artificial sweeteners

[Gardengnome]

I keep reading elsewhere on this site that artificial sweeteners are a complete No-no and I’m wondering why? I get the impression that they raise the HbA1c. Is this right and if so what other damage do they do? Does this apply to all sweeteners or just the Canderel type.

 

[KennyA]

I keep reading elsewhere on this site that artificial sweeteners are a complete No-no and I’m wondering why? I get the impression that they raise the HbA1c. Is this right and if so what other damage do they do? Does this apply to all sweeteners or just the Canderel type.

I can only speak for myself. I have never found any sweetners to have any impact on my BG level as measured via fingerprick. I've no idea how you'd go about isolating the impact of sweetners for an HbA1c. I have about a quarter of a teaspoon of stevia in a coffee, and apart from that I don't think I use them. But then, I don't have a problem with or a craving for "sweetness".

 

[LivingLightly]

Evening @Gardengnome.

Likewise. I seldom use sweeteners except stevia when our rhubarb is in season and erythritol when baking.
To date, there's no clear evidence AFAIK that either causes ill effects when used in appropriate amounts and they do not raise my blood glucose levels.

Some researchers worry that long-term use of nonnutritive or artificial sweeteners could have unintended metabolic effects that might not be detected using standard toxicological tests or other measures.

Following diagnosis, I went cold turkey on sweetened foods and, although I'd thought my palate might change, I was unprepared for how quickly that happened. Worth a try if you're concerned.

 

[JoKalsbeek]

I keep reading elsewhere on this site that artificial sweeteners are a complete No-no and I’m wondering why? I get the impression that they raise the HbA1c. Is this right and if so what other damage do they do? Does this apply to all sweeteners or just the Canderel type.

Not all sweeteners are alike, and not everyone responds to them the same way. Your meter and your gut'll let you know.

Sometimes, in some people, sweeteners can raise blood sugars because when they taste something sweet, the body pre-emptively starts releasing insulin... But there's nothing for it to do, so one might go a tad low, which then triggers a glucose dump by the liver. Which is usually a bit too much, so one may end up high. So that's a possibility, but it doesn't happen in everyone.

Other than that, the artificial stuff is quite often toxic to gut bacteria in large amounts. (Natural like stevia's usually okay in this regard). When I switched to diet coke, my insides entirely quit on me, I became severely constipated, only watery stool managed to pass through, I had intestinal bleeding and piles as a result, and for quite a long time couldn't figure out what was happening, so couldn't fix it either. Someone mentioned an article on here about it, and it just clicked then. Took just about forever for my gut to heal, as it does that very slowly. So I tend to keep the little bacteria's alive these days, feeding them some fiber and adding more through yogurt once or twice a day.

So it's basically a matter of how sensitive are you to sweeteners, natural or artificial, how sturdy are your gut bacteria, and does your body release insulin when it shouldn't? It's a bit of a puzzle, but if you need something sweet from time to time, it's worth figuring out.
Good luck!
Jo

 

[MissMuffett]

The only one that doesn’t raise my BG is erythritol and allulose and I have it in my coffee. Although I’ve reduced this to adding it only to the midday mug as I‘ve heard the sweet taste encourages sugar addiction and I’m trying to get rid of that. Maltodextrin and saccharine send my BG up and it’s also considered a bad sweetener.
Everyone has different reactions and I think you have to test you BG to see what yours is.

 

[TheSecretCarbAddict]

For me, the hardest thing has always been the addiction part of eating highly refined / sugar added carbs. You know you should cut these out, but just keep going back for more. Once I recognised this, it gave me a framework for dealing with the addiction element. For me, at the core of this is abstinence rather than moderation and means cutting out anything that can trigger me, even if the effect on my BG might be negligible. If sugar is my heroin, artificial sweeteners are methadone and I don't want to be on either.

 

[Gardengnome]

Ok thank you everyone for your replies. You have all said what I thought myself and never understood the reasoning behind what I’d read. I only use the stuff quite moderately so will carry on as before. I’ve used Canderel or the equivalent for years now with no ill effect as far as I know, I have tried Truvia which is the same as Stevia I think but hated the over sweetness.

 

[LivingLightly]

Maltodextrins and saccharine send my BG up and it’s also considered a bad sweetener.
Everyone has different reactions and I think you have to test you BG to see what yours is.

Morning @MissMuffett[/USERand and @Gardengnome

[B]Caution: [/B]some years ago, I was caught out with this deception. I purchased a product labelled[I] 'unsweetened' [/I]when my usual brand was temporarily unavailable.

Once home (with my reading glasses to hand), I found listed in small black print on a dark background [I]maltodextrin.[/I] I could have kicked myself for falling for the carefully worded marketing spiel printed in large letters on the front of the carton [I]'unsweetened; all natural ingredients and no added sugars' [/I]

Maltodextrins are widely used by the food industry as thickeners and fat replacers and also in beer brewing. They have been linked to potential health risks, especially in vulnerable individuals such as diabetics. They do not occur in nature. and can cause a sharp rise in blood glucose.

As I understand it, under the regulations, these ultra processed carbohydrates need not to be defined as a sugar.

Nobody likes to be hoodwinked and I have a long memory when I suspect I've been taken for a ride!

 

[Melgar]

I am unable to tolerate any artificial sweeteners, not even stevia. They make me sick, IBS mainly. I am not sure if it is to do with my coeliac or just an intolerance in general. When I have accidentally ingested them, apart from the IBS, I have never noticed any rise in my blood sugars.

 

[Lainie71]

I find sweetness too sweet and they tend to give me a feeling that I cannot swallow. GP said its an allergic reaction

 

[Melgar]

Once home (with my reading glasses to hand), I found listed in small black print on a dark background maltodextrin. I could have kicked myself for falling for the carefully worded marketing spiel printed in large letters on the front of the carton 'unsweetened; all natural ingredients and no added sugars'

And that's another thing, the microscopic ingredients list. I'm visually impaired. I have to take a magnifying glass with me to look for anything with gluten in it. So I already look like a weirdo !

 

[Jordi77]

I don't use sweetner in anything because of the taste of it and that I can't stand them as they don't seem to be the same as sugar now a few years ago silver spoon brought out a sugar that had the same as sweetner but was suger in taste and quality and it was nice to use but it didn't last for long on the shelves of the shops and now you have to order it via the internet and takes a few days to get to you but I have always used sugar in everything since I was diagnosed as a diabetic even the diabetes nurses don't know why I use sugar and not sweetner but it is with the taste buds and how you feel about them and that's why I never have bought a tub or tube of sweetners and never will even though I am on insulin and type 2