artificial sweetners

I'm sure it's been asked a million times before (please don't stone me LMAO) but what is your opinion on artificial sweetners, your surgeon's opinion?

My surgeon is dead against them, but I just don't think I can give up my sugar free syrup in my lattes. I've given up so much over the years, I don't eat half the crap I used to which made me obese in the first place. I'm not perfect and do not drink hardly any water, I don't know why. It's such a hard thing to do and too much gives me gut rott! I had 3 cups of coffee and a apple n cinnamon tea (black, usually would have sugar twin but trying to cut back on the sweetners) I've given up all grains and starch except rice which I have maybe twice a week (I def have a gluten allergy)

*sigh* thanks for listening!! I guess i'm wondering if sweetners will make you gain weight really.

Sweeteners do not make you gain weight. But you have to read labels. If a product says it is sugar free sometimes they add more starch or other things that you do not want. The problem arises when you just assume the product is okay because is sugar free

I would work on the water. I find I can not drink it really cold or it bothers my stomach pre and post surgery. Some bottled waters give me indigestion from the minerals they add. I find good old tap water the best for me.

I'm a little worried about artificial sweeteners.  I blame my sweet tooth for my problems and I want to de-sweeten myself.

I gave up sugar in my coffee and didn't replace it with an artificial sweetener. (maybe a little more milk).

I can understand it in oatmeal, or as an occasional treat in coffee like a dessert coffee, but a lot of people still bake bake bake but just flip out the sugar for something "artificial" but that often still has calories & carbs.

To me, all the over-refined white stuff:   sugar / flour / mashed potato powder / pasta / rice / ground almond flour etc., is a problem.  so the bakers are still getting all that flour.  If they can do it - good for them - to me it would be a huge trigger.

I got lucky, because after surgery I can't tolerate flour - which saved me a whole bunch of temptation.  I do eat mashed potatoes sometimes, and the bits of rice that cling to the food I pick out of it. 

I take MIO in my water.

Do yu track your intake with myfitnesspal or some such program?  You should imo.  Then if you have something you really NEED (big word for wls folks) you will NEED to make room for it in your daily totals.  I used to drink between 2 to 3 Litres of diet canada dry a day.  Now I might have a can of nestea zero or not, but I faithfully drink 2.5 to 3.5 L water a day.  You need the water.  Just a fact, gut rot or not.  Get 'er done!  

I also drink coffee, regular black, dark and dirty, stronger the better, dissolve your spoon kind of coffee!  Shoot me!  

I am not a fan of pharmaceutical sweetners.  I use a very small amount of honey, brown sugar or molasses on hot cereal.  And I'm talking a half a teaspoon, but enough so I can tell the difference (and I track them in my daily totals).  You may find your tastes change some what after surgery.  Mine did.  Wait and see but track your intake and make sure your water intake is where they recommend (at least work on it). 

Enjoy the ride!  

I am hopelessly addicted to artificial sweetners.  They crept back into my post-op diet around month 4 or 5 and unfortunately , my consumption just blossomed from their.  I drink tea with splenda or equal, chew tons of sugarless gum, occassionally have sugarless mints and drink lots of diet Arizona iced tea mix and sometimes crystal lite.  I don't bake too much, but I do make eggface's protein muffins often and they are sweetened with sugar free syrups.  I started off with just using stevia, but I really do crave and feel addicted to the artifical sweetners. I think about stopping, but they make my eating/drinking so much more pleasant and I don't really want to give them up.  I hope they don't cause any health problems....but *****ally knows.  I am suspicious about their long term health effects.

What exactly is your surgeon against? Did he give you scientific research to back up his opinion?

There is nothing wrong with artificial sweeteners but as others have said it's the balance. If you can't live without sugar free syrup then don't.  It can become a slippery slope though and so tracking your overall food consumption is important. 

My dietician has said nothing about sweeteners because she looks at the big picture of carbs, protein, fiber, and sugar.  Most online sites don't distinguish between good and bad nutrients.  Having a small ice cap from TIm Hortons has the same amount of sugar as 3 cups of watermelon - which is more healthy?

 

Thanks everyone! I should have mentioned I am also 4 years post op DS patient. I have now had from my smallest a 15 lb regain. It's my sweet tooth for sure that's doing it to me.

I don't drink pop in any form and I recently switched to sugar twin in my tea and sugar free torani syrups (which are made from splenda) now put chocolate, cake, or cookies near mean and there's issues - oh and white DRY wine HELLO!! dream!

I do track my totals on fitness pal. I'm terrified of regaining anymore weight!!

I'm allergic to artificial sweeteners, so I buy Stevia in single serve packets. It's 100% natural from a plant. No chemicals. It's a little spendy and has a slight bitterness, but for me it's been a blessing.