If Splenda Doesn't Raise Sugar Level How Come
 

my sugar is high?

I picked up my blood test today and sugar is 121.

I have not been eating any sugar in any form.
We stick to plain, natural, unprocessed foods. No berries either.
I can't imagine what it was before starting this WOE!!!!

The only thing I drank before the test was 2 cups of coffee with cream and slpenda. That was an hour before the test.
Any ideas? Thanks!

p.s. total cholesterol was also high: 205 :eek:

Splenda contains sugar.

Sucralose, or SPLENDA,which is made from real cane sugar, is not a carbohydrate and has been shown in studies to have no effect on blood glucose control or insulin levels. The low carb amount in the name brand come from the bulking agent that is use to make it into a granular form.
Couldn't tell you why your blood surgar levels are elevated. But I would look elsewhere. Of course you could also lay off the splenda and have your levels checked to see if there is any difference.

Splenda powder ... both the bulk type in the box, and the little packets/sachets .. contains maltodextrin, which is a carbohydrate and must be counted.

Caffeine in coffee can also trigger a rise in blood sugar and insulin, due to its stimulant effects.

Most bloodwork should be done in the fasting state, meaning nothing taken by mouth for "x" hrs except water. Caffeine will alter the reports for triglycerides and cholesterol too.

Don't panic, and next time make sure you're following ALL the directions they give you. If you get no directions, then ASK!!!


Doreen

Doreen,
I didn't get any instructions before going in, but I figured I should not eat anything.
I never thought about the coffee causing a problem.

I have been trying to be so damn good on this WOE that it threw me for a loop!

The doctor told me to stay away from sugars and white flour.
Didn't say anything about not eating a lot of fat! :D

Thanks guys.

When I was testing my blood sugar levels with a glucometer, the thing that really raised it was the coffee I drank in the morning. And, I drank it black.

Karen

Splenda is bulked with Maltodextrin and in some cases Dextrose. Maltodextrin is a sugar (derived from either corn or rice) with a glyecmic index of 105. Dextrose is the food name for Glucose (pure blood sugar)...it is a sugar with a glycemic index of 100. Sucralose (the sweetener itself) won't raise blood sugar levels...but, the bulking agents which are 90 something percent of the contents of a Splenda packet (by weight) WILL RAISE BLOOD SUGAR.

Each packet contains almost a gram of sugar (the entire carb content is from hi-glycemic sugars)...on top of that, that sugar has a glycemic index of over 100. The only way to avoid this (and still use Splenda) is to use liquid Splenda or Splenda tablets. The tablets can be had on E-Bay, but are not available in stores in the US. The liquid can be had only by purchasing something (with no carbs) with it in it such as: http://www.naturesflavors.com/produ...roducts_id=2851 The liquid Splenda itself (in the US) is only sold to businesses, not the general public.

The alternative is Stevia...As long as you use one with no fillers (extract powder) or a non-sugar filler (water, alcohol, cellulose or FOS)...it should not raise blood sugar. Some claim to have their blood sugar rise...but, I suspect they were using Stevia with a Maltodextrin filler. Liquid Stevia is made with either water or alcohol. Tablet Stevia is usually made with Cellulose (a plant fiber). Anything under the Stevia+Fiber brand should be made with FOS (another plant fiber).

Diet sodas
 

That last post had so much useful information. So are diet sodas that contain splenda going to raise ur blood sugar level. I Love them..and have about three a day.... :roll:

Re: Diet sodas
 

Not much...as they use liquid Splenda. Liquid Splenda, which in the US is only sold to businesses (such as Diet Soda makers) has virtually no carbs.

For comparison, 3 packets of Splenda has 2.85 +/- 0.15g of carbs...entirely from high-glycemic sugars...while a diet soda (according to fitday as I don't have an exact carb count) has .355g of carbs...which I believe mostly comes from the sweetener itself. Before, you assume this number as correct...I should point something out:

As I understand it, carbohydrates are calculated using a difference formula. This formula can overestimate the carb content of food. Basically, they calaculate calories, fat, protein, fiber, water, ash, sugar alcohols (when used), and alcohol content and then the rest is assumed to be carbohydrates.

Since, an artificial sweetener has no fat, protein, ash, water, alcohol, or sugar alcohols...it is assumed to be a carb...with the exception of Aspartame which includes two non-essential amino acids and thus has a fractional protein content in addition to a fractional carb content. Based on its sweetness, 75mg (0.075) of Splenda should be present in a diet soda. The other 0.280g must come from the preservatives, etc...

I would guess that in the end...there are probably 0g of real carbs in a Diet Soda. But, I'll stick with the .355 figure for tracking my personal carb intake. All in all, 3 diet sodas (other than aspartame diet sodas, which can spike blood sugar in some people) have about the same number of carbs as a packet of Splenda and only a fraction of the glycemic index if not a 0 glycemic index.

splenda
 

okay - this is my first visit to the site, and I'm a little confused. Are you saying I shouldn't be using splenda to make my tea and in my coffee, since it isn't the liquid kind?
:q:

OK, I think I've got it now. Thank you for all the information.

I need to stay away from the splenda for a while and have my sugar checked again. No food or drink before test.

As for the cholestrol, I am adding more fiber to my diet.
This forum is so great. :wave:

Just for reference, 1 gram of sugar will raise your blood sugar, on average, 3-5 points so unless you are using a LOT of Powdered Splenda, it shouldn't have that much effect on your blood sugar.
I've tested with my meeter and powdered Splenda has virtually no effect on my blood sugar (YMMV of course), but I don't consume it 1/4 cup at a time, either.
Aspartame, on the other hand, does tend to make me spike. I discovered this when I was first low carbing and testing my blood sugar frequently (5+ times a day) and noticed that on weekends when I tended to consume over a liter of Diet Coke a day my blood sugars were always running higher. I isolated the Diet Coke and tested. Sure enough...spike city. I also considered that it might be the caffeine in the Diet Coke, but even the caffeine-free version has the same effect, so I can only presume that it's the Aspartame that's doing it.