Hi!
I currently follow the Atkins plan and I'm thinking about switching... My question is this, what is everyone's opinions about Splenda? This may sound strange, but I'm wondering if anyone has experienced any mood swings after consuming it or stomach cramps? My husband had a weird anxiety thing (not sure how to explain it) today shortly after eating a few pieces of an almond flour pound cake that I made w/Splenda (he has never consumed Splenda until today). I myself had horrible stomach pains when I first started using it, but I don't notice any problem now. I only use it occasionally like in baking and that is not an everyday thing in my house Just wondering if I could get some thoughts?
Thank you,
Saturn

Hi Saturn:

Dr. Schwarzbein doesn't allow artificial sweeteners of any kind on her program b/c they are toxic chemicals which damage the cells of your body, aging you faster.

Anything that's unnatural to your body will create side effects. You might find these sites of interest:
Sucralose Toxicity Information http://www.mercola.com/2000/dec/3/sucralose_dangers.htm

HTH,
Wanda

Hi Wanda, thank you so much for replying!
All I can say is - Oh my god! I had no idea! Until starting Atkins I had never tried an artificial sweetener. I TRY to keep the foods my family eats as close to whole as possible, but when I found items at the grocery store that were made with Splenda, I felt excited beacause I had more choices (flavored water, syrup, protien bars)! Dr. Atkins even says that Splenda is safe to consume. We don't eat a lot of it, but I've even been giving it to my children (I share the falvored water with them, and let them eat the flax muffins and almond cake that I made). Ugh, I think I'm going to be sick to my stomach! I decided to start the Atkins approach because I wanted to rid my life of over processed foods that were literally making me crazy (long story) and now to find out that I've been ingesting something that could perhaps contribute to that unhealthy craziness is very upsetting.

My husband said yesterday in the car that he felt like he was going to explode that he was very angry and didn't know why. He said he felt uncomfortabley anxious. He's not an angry or anxious person, that is why I became so concerned. The only thing I could think of was what he had eaten that day, you know, had he had to much coffee? And then I thought, he ate Splenda, and I had experienced stomach cramps the first few times I ate it. After reading that article it makes tremendous sense. UGH!

My question is this: (and yes, now I'm for sure getting the book!) What do you use for sweetner on the SPII plan? Or do you just go without? I can't imagine using real sugar again (isn't that just as processed as Splenda?)
Thank you again!

Hi SaturnStar:

Dr. S. allows stevia as a sweetener. If you must have sugar, honey is the best option, although she doesn't endorse eating it. Since you are allowed fruit on SP, it seems to satisfy the sweet tooth. Even starchy veggies are tasting sweet to me now.

I like using stevia. It's a taste you may need to get used to, not unlike having to get used to aspartame or splenda. But over time, you get used to the licorice taste. That's been my experience.

Wanda

Hey SaturnStar, I had the wrong link attached to the Sucralose Toxicity Information link. I corrected it.

Wanda

Hi Saturn!

I have just found it easier to give it up than to try to replace it. I spent so much mental energy trying to replace it and it just never really worked out. I do use stevia occasionally, but like Wanda said, it does take some getting used to. Like her, I think sweets would be too sweet now, as real foods are starting to taste sweeter and sweeter to me. As for the cravings, Dr. Schwarzbein goes into detail about them in SPII (and some in the first book too) and what to expect that way. It's related to serotonin levels. She goes into detail about how to get your serotonin levels back up, and long to expect it to take. And in some instances all you can do is hang in there and ride them out, and in some instances she recommends slow tapering off of sweet stuff to avoid crashing. She says it much better than I can. HTH?

Sorry to hear about yours and hubby's reaction to the Splenda. I just read that stuff about it on the mercola site a week or so ago and it turned my stomach.

Thank you everyone for your replies, I appreciate it. We just tossed out the little yellow box - and now I'm going to stop by my parents house to show them the information I read so that they can toss the Diet Rite! I'll have to check out Stevia, maybe I can use that for my occasional baking. But switching to a eating plan that allows fruit and such seems much better!

Thank you again!
Saturn

Can anyone explain why xylitol (which is available as pure birch sugar) isn't allowed on SP? Seems like a naturally derived sugar alcohol should be ok, but is it the fact that it's a sugar alcohol (since it's not "unnatural") the problem?
I'd appreciate your help.

Hi Lucky1:

Dr. S. responds to the question of sugar substitutes in her FAQ. She says "sugar substitutes can cause carb cravings and they are toxic chemicals. Sugar substitutes are made from chemicals or sugars such as mannitol, sorbitol, fructose or xylitol."

An easier explanation is that it is a man-made food. The carbohydrate from the birch sugar is altered through a chemical process. Unless you can theoretically hunt, fish, grow and/or harvest the food, it's not on her plan.

HTH,
Wanda

Well, Wands, I've gone on some hellified hunts for cheesecake - does that count?

Jinx

LOL, if only she'd included beg, borrow & steal. OK, "borrow" wouldn't work, but I had to include the whole cliche.

WB

Has anyone had any adverse reactions to stevia? I have been having a most embarrassing problem--diarrhea (SP?)--and I have about narrowed it down to when I started using the pure form of stevia. That would about do me in, I do believe. I went on a weekend trip for the 4th of July where I didn't eat perfectly balanced, but I didn't eat sugar, either. I did have some AS, but no diarrhea. The next morning after we got home, I had it again--majorly (word?). I have cut out my stevia now to see if I have a food sensitivity to it. I wonder if another brand might make a difference? Anyway, any thoughts would be appreciated.

Tig

Hi Tig:

Jessea has problems with stevia as well. That kinda sucks! You used a pure form with no filler, right? Also, have you added any supps to your program lately?

Here's hoping that your aren't intolerant to stevia.

Wanda

Hey Wanda!

I cannot pinpoint the problem food. I thought stevia might be it, but I ate 2 peanut butter cups and a mock danish with it today and I was OK. Well, my stomach was kinda crampy but that's all. The supplements that I took Sunday night only included melatonin and St. John's Wort. I have taken St. John's Wort a long time and I was already having problems before I started taking the melatonin (or was I?). My memory is so bad it is hard to keep up with things from 1 day to the next. What kind of problems was Jessea having with the stevia, if you don't mind saying? I would PM her myself, but I am not quite sure how to go about it. Thanks!

Tig