For those of you cutting out artificial sweeteners, I have a question

The more I read about VSG'rs cutting out artificial sweeteners, I've come to realize that I've been using ALOT of them. 

I have a few questions...

Can someone tell me the downfall of using them?  I don't have any bad reactions to sugar, but choose to use the artificial sweeteners for less sugar in my diet.

I buy Torani sugar free flavored syrups, what are you planning on using in place of them to sweeten your coffee?

Would it actually be better to buy the flavored syrups that are not sugar free? 

I guess I have been craving sugar lately which is very strange for me.  I was more of a carb addict before surgery and now it seems I want sugar instead of carbs... would that have something to do with the artificial sweeteners?

I think in general, it's just not that good for our bodies - it's purely processed chemicals. (not saying this has altered my habits lol)

Some people see it as a trigger for more sweet cravings. If you think you can see a connection, you might want to cut back and see. I'd say just cut back - these days, its very difficult to eat a low sugar diet and avoid all artificial sweetners unless you are going to eat meat and veggies every day :)  Just my opinoin though. 

I think ive also been told that artificial sweetner will cause cancer...I just threw that on the list of things that will slowly kill me (but everything will be slower than my obesity was going to kill me so it's a fair trade for now)

I just bought some Stevia in the raw to replace my sweet n low - i think it might work for me, but I'll be playing around with it. 

((hijack))

OMG ALISON!!! YOU ONLY HAVE 8 POUNDS UNTIL GOAL!!!! YOU FREAKING ROCK!!!!  :)

Yep and Im getting that **** lipo'd and chopped off next week :)))

I'll be readjusting my ultimate goal weight/range but that damn ticker will - after 2.5 years - finally the other end :)

Sugar has a different effect on your insulin than artificial sweetners.  Sugar causes spikes -- the highs -- and can trigger cravings for some people.  So avoiding as much sugar as possible, is the common approach.

I have tried stevia, and think it's fine for drinks like coffee or tea, which have their own distinct flavor.  But not so much for other food.  Some of the new items, like Truvia, blend stevia with artificial sweetners, so that's no good if you are trying to not use them.

Sugar is a carb -- thus if you are craving sugar, you are craving carbs, and eating more of them usually makes a person crave more of them. 

I have had instances where something that was artificially sweetened triggered cravings -- so I just cut that item out. 

Using full sugar anything will send your daily carb intake skyrocketing -- so maybe go to My Fitness Pal or something and fill out a couple of "fake"days of menus, and put in the values for real sugar products and syrups, and see if you the daily carb amounts still fall within your plan.  That might help in your decision.

Holy Cow!  I went on MFP and entered both Torani regular vanilla syrup and the sugar free vanilla syrup... here is what I found:

Torani - Vanilla Flavoring Syrup, 2 Tbps   70 calories and 18 carbs

Torani - Sugar Free Vanilla Syrup, 2 Tbsp   0 calories and 0 carbs

So.. that settles it for me... way too many calories AND carbs for the regular stuff - OUCH!  Thats not going to happen!  I'll have to think of something else!  lol

The Torani SF syrups are very tasty too.

They have plenty of flavored syrups made from stevia. My vegan friend uses them. 

do you happen to know the brand name or where she gets them?

She said sweetleaf. I thought they were more like coffee syrup but she said they are little drops.  I did a google search and came up with natures flavors. I think I am going to order some and test it out.