Replacing sugar in food and drink with sweeteners.

Look up the history of Aspartame and other artificial sweeteners. They have not been proven to assist in weight loss, in fact quite the opposite. The brain detects a sweet taste and is expecting it so sends out the insulin so not helpful in preventing type 2 diabetes either. I cannot stand the taste of them and try and avoid them. They seem to be in nearly all soft drinks and most "diet" low fat foods so I don't touch them and stick to water, not the flavoured kind as that is full of chemical sweeteners. As a nation we need to wean ourselves off our addiction to sugar and save it for a special treat. Easier said than done I know, especially if you were raised on it big time and I struggle with it. It really is addictive especially as it is mostly sold in low cost units, just enough to keep the addiction going without ending up on the streets as with perhaps other addictions. There was a book in the 70's called Pure White and Deadly, nothing has changed since then in the poison that is sugar. Good luck all in beating this substance which has been in everything and is now being substituted with a chemical which is possibly even worse.

I fully agree, Tinydancer - especially about the diabetes risk.

I didn't realise that about the brain tinydancer. So nonsugar sweets not good for prediabetic?
I use stevia if I use anything. But whats wrong with drinking plain water instead of flavoured drinks.

Nothing nicer than a glass of tap water or soda water with ice and a slice of lemon, mint and other fruit, ginger in it for flavour! Have not drunk any fizzy/sugary drinks for years apart from a little 7Up in a shandy and have even had soda in that!
Hate taste sugary drinks esp those made with artificial sweeteners!

purple aspartame is safe for the vast majority of people. The health risks were dreamt up by the sugar lobby

Aspartame, which is in most sweeteners is known as 'Sweet poison' and is not good for you and is thought to be a factor in various illnesses. Like other sweeteners, while it may be lower in calories than sugar, it is very addictive and makes one crave more sweet things. So not very good if you don't want to put on weight or raise your sugar level. It is also found in many foods including so called 'healthy' yoghurts!
It isn't wise to drink too much fizzy drinks including water which can contribute to diseases of the intestines including Cancer.

I’m afraid there’s a lot of dubious science being quoted here about the brain expecting a sugar high and still releasing insulin. That’s completely incorrect. The taste buds detect the ‘sweet’ taste (obviously) but there’s no corresponding rise in blood glucose for the brain to register.

If you read the Diabetes forums, OldMeg, you will find that for many diabetics, sweeteners definitely DO raise blood glucose. Fact.

Surely, in my opinion, it would be better to reduce the sweetness of things.
Yes, gillyknits, I think so too.

Aspartame will be the next health crisis.

I don't like the taste of the sugar substitutes.
I rarely drink many sweet drinks, Less than one a week .

What about plain fizzy water. (H20 + CO2) All chemicals though!

For the second time in several months I have bought a drink from M&S, only to be left with a nasty sweetener aftertaste in my mouth for several hours. It was not sold as a diet or low-calorie drink and the calorie count was not that low. so unless I scrutinised the list of contents with a magnifying glass, which seems a bit excessive, there was no way I could see that it had sweetener in it.

We were travelling from Wales to Oxfordshire and I had already consumed several bottles of water on the journey, but at 5.00pm, I just fancied something with some flavour, preferably lemon. In future I will travel with a magnifying glass.

CO2

Apparently there is a shortage

Aspartame never

I don't like the taste of articicial sweeteners and I think they are bad for people's health.

I only drink soft drinks very occasionally now and try to stick to freshly squeezed orange for breakfast, water, sparkling water, and one or two cups of tea a day. I do like a glass or two of wine now and again though!

A shortage of CO2, Jalima? how can we have a shortage of that?
Tiny dancer has said it all really. There is so much evidence that sweeteners send our brain incorrect messages.
I just wonder why , as there is so much information out there that so many people have missed it.
Hardly anyone I know adds sugar to drinks but you do have to read all the labels on manufactured products.

Just heard on the news that Bookers wholesalers are rationing sales of lagers and other fizzy drinks to shopkeepers because of the C02 shortage!!

PamelaJ1
www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-44613652

although I understand that there's too much in the atmosphere contributing to climate change .....

I agree with what TinyDancer has said re artificial sweeteners - but as for sugar, my attitude is that it is probably less harmful than, for example, aspartame - but in moderation and not in the form of daily fizzy drinks, daily confectionery and it need not be added to ready meals.

Everything in moderation.

I do like a glass or two of wine now and again though!
Yes, I agree - everything in moderation!!