Artificial sweeteners

Lilypops I was the same, I always had pain and cramp. Then one year I went on a walking holiday and forgot to take my sweeteners so I went for weeks with none and no sugar in my drinks. In all that time I never had any pain, just pain in m legs from the walking! So give it a go.

Stevia’s the only one I can tolerate in terms of blood sugar levels, but I rarely use it or sugar. Both myself and my brother avoid artificial sweeteners for very different health reasons.

I think I’ll carry on with original Ribena. I only have one drink of it a day, so it won’t make much difference!

I don’t like artificial sweeteners I find they leave an after taste. I just gave up sugar apart from a half teaspoon in my early morning cup, to get my engine running so to speak.

Stevia is perhaps the least worst option. Sweeteners can mess with your insulin production and can harm your gut health. Avoid if you can.

I curse the government's sugar tax. All the soft drinks manufacturers have taken out the sugar and replaced it with artificial sweeteners - and I can smell them as soon as I open the bottle or carton and the taste is vile.

It is not that I drink much in the way of soft drinks, but they catch you on the sly. I buy fruit juice from the ambient shelves, not the fridges. Quite often the packet will say something like 'Mango & Papaya'. I will buy it thinking it is fruit juice. I take the lid off and the smell hits me. I examine the package and in tiny print on the back it says mango & papaya drink, so it is not all fruit juice and it is sweetened with aspartame.

The same thing happens if on a long journey we stop for a drink. It now has to be water or coffee, because all the lightly flavoured fruit drinks, I found quite refreshing, are now sweetened with sweetener.

I also make iced tea and coffee.

There are some more expensive cordials that still contain real sugar. I enjoy them in limited quantities but am quite happy with still or fizzy water. I cut up oranges and lemons and freeze them to drop into water for flavour.

I don't know about others but I never drink squash. Perhaps vitamin pill or fresh fruit for extra vitamin C.

How do you manage with squashes? You have the choice of sugar or sweeteners, I’ve this problem with Ribena which I like and use to top up my my vit C.

Nadateturbe. Yes I read it on a health website that sweeteners can slow down the metabolism that helps weight loss. , you cant win can you. !! From now on it’s just half a teaspoon of sugar. In my tea. Amy maybe eventually none at all

Lilypops I thjnk that's a good idea. You will be amazed at how quickly you get to enjoy your tea without sugar.
I've never heard of weight gain being associated with sweeteners.

PamelaJ1

My advice is to give it up. A bit harsh?
Maybe but once you get used to it you will wonder how you used to drink tea and coffee with sugar in at all. This will help you reduce sugar in other ways as your taste changes.

I'm with PamelaJ1 on this. Having been a "2 sugars" user for years, I found it surprisingly easy to stop. Go for it!

Thankyou everyone for your very helpful advice. Am sure it is the sweeteners causing this tummy upset, Nadateturbe, I have about 6cupsof tea a day with sweeteners,
I will not use them anymore, just half a teaspoon of sugar in my tea and hopefully cut it out completely ,
I did read this morning that sweeteners can cause weight gain as they interfere with the bodies natural metabolism. Who knew . Thanks again

I had the same cramps and now only use Stevia.

The only one I will use is Stevia. I don't like the taste of any others.

I'm pretty sure dried fruit is high in sugar. Sometimes I mash a little bit of banana in my porridge instead of Stevia.

I agree with EllanVannin. Artificial sweeteners taste awful and I believe there is quite a lot of evidence that they are unhealthy. Try to cut down gradually on sugar.

I like lemon tea with honey, but take tea and coffee without sugar.
My main recent disappointment was when Ribena reduced the sugar in their "full fat" blackcurrant and replaced it with sweeteners. I also have to be careful with drink mixers...it's a minefield.

You're better off using sugar, just keep reducing the amount. I used to take two teaspoons of it in my tea and now it's half a teaspoon.
Artificial sweeteners are bad for you, the aspartame especially that is in soft drinks.

My advice is to give it up. A bit harsh?
Maybe but once you get used to it you will wonder how you used to drink tea and coffee with sugar in at all. This will help you reduce sugar in other ways as your taste changes.

I don't have those effects, but I really hate the taste of artificial sweeteners - not just a dislike or 'not the real thing' - a real shudder. I would certainly avoid sweeteners if they are having an adverse effect on you.
Like Pittcity, I do 'real' or 'no' sugar.
Easy for me as I love tea and have never taken sugar in it. I have one cup of black coffee a day with 1 teaspoon of sugar in it.
Someone I know who can't abide tea or coffee without sugar takes hot water with a slice of orange and / or ginger.
I also dislike sweetened fizzy drinks and only have the occasional Coke on a hot day - maybe one or two a year. I enjoy fizzy water with a slice of fruit in it.
As for porridge - I cook it with some dried fruit and that makes it sweet enough for me. If not for you, it would still cut down on the sugar you need to add.

I have always suffered from hangover type headache and nausea. Several years ago I narrowed this down to artificial sweeteners. I can drink alcohol with no after effects!
I had suffered throughout my childhood and especially when we were given "diet" coke or similar as a treat.
I now stick to real sugar or no sugar. This means reading labels as lots of things contain artificial sweeteners as it is seen as healthier than sugar. It is not!!

Stevia natural product other sweeteners are petrochemical products. Some sweeteners give you upset tum and are not good for diabetics.

I have a sensitive stomach. I use only pure Stevia on my porridge and there are no obvious side effects.
When do you use sweeteners?