Good Morning,
I found this article this morning and found it interesting...............
http://content.health.msn.com/msncontent/Top_Picks/65230.htm?pagenumber=3

Hope this worked ZIMA

sorry that link didn't work ZIMA

It works if you copy and paste it!

Nikki

Hi Zima:

My thoughts for what they are worth. I can't seem to shut up when I hear comments justifying why stevia has been banned.

Ok, aspartame is good and stevia is questionable. Who paid for this public relations article, I wonder? Fact is, stevia has been used in Brazil for centuries and it is also used in other countries where aspartame is banned. There is plenty of data. It's about politics, not research. I wonder why the FDA has been receiving such pressure to attempt to ban stevia?

In fact, one author was told by the FDA to gather up his stevia cookbooks for burning (I kid you not).

http://www.feingold.org/pf_stevia.html

Unlike many, I actually prefer stevia to artificial sweeteners. The brand I use is the best I've found. There have been some bad ones, though.

Sorry...I only use the "pinks" so I don't know...what is Stevia? Is it called something else I might recognize?

I didn't realize there was more than one brand available. Which brand is it that you like and use?

Thanks.

Stevia is one of the few natural sweeteners around that don't affect blood sugars. It can be used on candida diets whereas artificial sweeteners are not allowed. The following website gives a nice history of this remarkable herb.

http://www.stevia.net/

Much like the way Dr. Atkins has been caught in the political process, so has stevia. The artificial sweetener business is very powerful and has been putting pressure on the FDA to prevent this herb from being accepted as a natural sweetener. Apparently, there is no such thing as a free market! In other countries where aspartame has been banned, stevia is used quite successfully in commercial foods.

Given the pressure on the FDA, stevia was initially banned in North America. After a lot of counter-pressure by the stevia advocates, the FDA lifted the ban, but stated it could only be marketed as a food supplement, not a sweetener. That is the ruling to this day. It's ridiculous. That ruling means that it can't be used in commercial products as an alternative sweetener.

Having said that, the other reason it may not be popular is because it is extremely sweet. Many people don't like the taste of it because there is a licorice aftertaste if not used properly. Part of the problem is that because stevia can't be marketed as a sweetener, there aren't a lot of recipes around using stevia, so people are left trying to do a lot of conversions on their own. It used to only be sold in liquid form, which was very hard to convert. Now stevia comes in all sorts of forms, liquid, spoonable (with several differtent types of fillers such as dextrose, lactose, maltodextrin, F.O.S., and chicolin), packets, and quick dissolving tablets. It's a lot easier to use now, so even those people who say they dislike stevia from a few years back should give it another try. Just be careful about purchasing stevia with dextrose or maltodextrin. They have hidden carbs, just like the splenda does.

Pokey One, the best I have used so far is the spoonable stevia with a chicory root extract as a filler. It has no calories and no carbohydrates. The brand I use is "Touch of Nature" by Amazon. However, it is also chemical-free (ie. not bleached), so it is a beige color. They also sell their product in packets, which I find very convenient. I have a big loose jar plus the packets, which fill all my needs.

There are other products out there that sell this combination, I believe, but if you need to find out who carries this product, you can call or e-mail the company, located in Whitby, ON - toll # is 1-877-296-2626 or e-mail is amazdist~idirect.com (the "at" symbol doesn't show properly on the link so you will have to change it). I know Karen Barnaby uses stevia so she may be able to supply us with her brand. She would be a better source than me.

There is also a Low Carb Stevia Cookbook. I had to order it from Amazon.com in the US cause I couldn't find it in Canada. Author is chef, James Kirkland.

The following link provides a conversion chart for those using stevia. You are always better to underestimate than to overestimate.
http://www.cookingwithstevia.com/st...sion_chart.html

I'm very reluctant to use splenda. Not only does it cause cravings (for me), but it gives a chemical aftertaste. I had chemical sensitivities (MCS) prior to LC WOE so I guess I am more sensitive to it. Given the track record with aspartame, I don't really trust that any artificial sweetener is safe, especially consumed in the quantities that many low carb eaters may consume. Occassional consumption is very different from daily consumption. Information is starting to trickle in about the side effects of Splenda. I personally think we are trading one problem for another. Many would disagree (ie. Atkins), but many are also of the same opionion (PPLP, Schwarzbein). It's for each person to decide, as long as they are able to make an informed choice without the political interference of the North American governments.

Hope this helps,
Wanda

I love Splenda and I crave it now, like I did sugar. I know this can't be good. I had some concerns, I did some surfing and found one or two websites that happen to be holistic-based web sites that said some very scarry things about this product. I emailed them and they responded.
Here is the actual email cut and pasted.
My original email is at the bottom.

In reply, I asked about the additives. So it's interesting to hear you say that there are hidden carbs. cause that's what I was thinking.

Course, this is the company itself promoting its product, so I know, I know.... but just FYI


Dear Chris,

Thank you for your interest in SPLENDA (TM) No Calorie Sweetener. We
are aware of the web site that you are referring to and commend you for
coming to us to obtain the correct facts about Splenda..

Splenda is safe for everyone and has no side effects. Over 100
scientific studies have shown that Splenda is safe. Splenda is the brand
name of the ingredient known as sucralose. The FDA approved the use of
sucralose by everyone, including people with diabetes, children and
pregnant and nursing mothers. No warning label or information statement is
required on products containing sucralose. Splenda is approved for use
in more than 40 countries and millions of people have enjoyed Splenda
since 1991, when it was first approved in Canada.

Sucralose is a sweetening ingredient that is made from sugar (sucrose) by a patented process. Your body does not recognize it as sugar or a source of carbohydrates. The sucralose molecule is very stable, thus it is not broken down in the body. Sucralose is so sweet (about 600 times sweeter than sugar) that to replace one teaspoon of sugar, you would need only one six hundredth of a teaspoon of sucralose. Therefore, a few ingredients, which provide bulk, are added to sucralose to make its
packet and granular forms. These ingredients (maltodextrin and dextrose) are common safe food ingredients that complement the sweet taste of
sucralose. These added ingredients are commonly used in foods, and in
combination with other low-calorie sweeteners.

SPLENDA Brand Sweetener (sucralose) has no known side effects. Sucralose can be used by everyone; including people with diabetes, pregnant and nursing mothers,
and children. Clinical studies have shown that sucralose has no effect on blood glucose levels or insulin.

We hope that we have answered your questions, however, if you would
like
to learn more, you are welcome to contact us again through e-mail or
call
a SPLENDA (TM) representative at 1-800-777-5363.

Tracey Ely
SPLENDA Consumer Relationship Center

My original email to Splenda ain't on there, I just realized.

I had asked them about my cravings for it, and how I heard that the thalymus gland shrinks with splenda in lab rats. And that humans respond stronger than lab rats sometimes. The web site also claimed that sucralose has not been tested on any humans. Which I don't know why they say that since it's been used in Canada for years?

I just want someone to tell me that I can eat Sucralose by the cereal bowl full, and never have any side effects.

Hi c.jussero:

Wouldn't life be grand if we always knew the correct answer to everything? It sure would be less complicated. Oh, also if we could eat all the sweets and pastas and breads that we wanted? Maybe in heaven!

I notice that you are on the Schwarzbein diet. That definately makes splenda a no, no for you (if following the plan) since it is considered a stimulant.

I saw some info on splenda I'll have to pull up for you when I get a chance. What info did you pull up? Dr. Mercola's and the Sucralose Toxicity Information Center? Dr. Mercola is a big advocate of low-carb eating (more paleolithic than anything). He's an MD. He's very outspoken about natural ways of eating.

There's not a lot out there yet because it is relatively new. Splenda may tell you it's safe, but it's your life. Even if it weren't safe, they'd still tell you it was safe till they were blue in the face. I don't think any artificial chemicals in our bodies are good for us. That includes pesticides, chemical cleaners, artificial sweeteners etc. We need to choose our exposure to them selectively.

My biggest concern is not the person who has a little sweetener here and there, but the ones who are consuming large quantities of the stuff. I'd start feeling like a human guinea pig because those doses haven't been tested on humans as far as I know. My life is too valuable to chance trusting a company whose primary goal is to make money. Splenda may say it was thoroughly tested and deemed safe, but so was aspartame! It happened to be much more toxic in humans than rats. So in effect, we are always guinea pigs when a new product is introduced.

I just think it all comes down to making informed choices. I don't want corporations obscuring facts or playing politics or paying for false research. I want the facts so I can make my own decisions. But then, that brings me back to my initial comment. Only in my dreams! So my motto is "better safe than sorry".

Good luck with your difficult decision (re: the bowlfuls of splenda )

Anybody out there tried Diabetisweet? I just picked some up at Walmart and it tastes pretty good. I doesn't have aspartame in it and measures one for one. It doesn't seem to have an aftertaste and goes well in hot liquids (unlike stevia). I haven't noticed any significant change in my blood glucose levels using it.
I've also tried Slimsweet and it's ok too, but it's not as sweet as the label says. I have to use nearly twice as much as they recommend for 1 teaspoon equivalency. It is made of low glycemic fruit concentrate. It claims to have no insulin response and now effect on blood sugar. I have tested it and I agree it has virtually no effect on my BG.

What I'm interested in is the product called "tagatose", which is a dairy sugar without the insulin affect of normal sugar, yet tastes just like sugar. It's GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) by the FDA because it's not artificial, but hasn't been marketed yet. Not really sure why. There's some kind of lawsuit going on - one company suing another company cause it hasn't been marketed quickly enough.

If anyone has any info about his, please "speak" up!

http://205.214.88.131/showthread.ph...hlight=tagatose

http://www.tagatose.com/

Wanda

It sounds very promising, but it'll probably be years before we see it. I have noticed some of the sodas I buy have begun adding acesulfame K (in addition to the aspartame). I think they've begun a slow phase-out of aspartame, but don't want to just dump it for fear of law suits. I think aspartame's days are numbered.

Hi KJTurner:

I don't really understand why the tagatose approval is taking so long. Usually the long wait is for FDA approval, which they have. Here's the article I found about the lawsuit. Given that it is supposed to act as a prebiotic in the gut as well as prevent tooth decay, I'd think it would have happened quicker. I don't even think they plan on selling it to the public. It will just be used in commercial products for now. Wish I knew the whole story.

http://www.dairyreporter.com/news/news.asp?id=60

As for phasing out aspartame, I think you are right. I just bought some sugar-free "Dental Gum" by Arm & Hammer that didn't have aspartame in any shape or form in it. That's the first gum product I've seen on the market without aspartame in the ingredient list. That's the first time in years that I actually bought gum.

OK, ya... It was Dr. Mercola's report that I read on various web sites that prompted me to write to Splenda.com. You are right.

I just would really like to see Dr. Mercola and the makers of Sucralose go head-to-head on a show like Dateline. A serious "news" show that will really investigate and find the truth.... if the truth is to be known, or at least thus far in what is known about sucralose.

And to get Canada involved in the broadcast since they have been using it for years.

I think I will write to a news show and suggest it.