Diet Question

[z1ggy]

Im tyring to cut some bodyfat this summer. Everyday at work I drink 2 32 Oz of water, but lately I have been tired of the plain water taste. So I added 2 packets of 0 cal. 0 sugar ice tea mix...However it contains splenda as the sweetener. Is this going to inhibit my fat loss goals? Should I just use regular ice tea with normal sugar? Plz dont tell me just to stick to plain water b/c its not happening unless I am actually thirsty.

 

[Capt Caveman]

You could always add lime or lemon juice to your water for flavor.

 

[PingSpike]

The stuff has zero calories...not sure how thats going to hurt your fat loss. I've seen headlines that say "artificial sweeteners may not help weight loss!" but if you read the body of the article they suggest that the sweet taste makes you want to eat more or something...which sounded like a personal problem, not a problem with the actual sweetener if you ask me.

 

[darkxshade]

Spenda is an artificial sweetener with no nutritional value, no calores, no carbs. It's simply a sugar substitute. Sugar on the other hand has calores and carbs. They both have their pros and cons but in your case I'd use Splenda since you're just sweetening your tea.

 

[xboxist]

I've recently discovered seltzer water + squeezed lemon (or lime) + ice.

So refreshing and simple.

 

[darkxshade]

Originally posted by: xboxist
I've recently discovered seltzer water + squeezed lemon (or lime) + ice.

So refreshing and simple.

I made a similar discovery with seltzer water + splenda

http://forums.anandtech.com/me...id=38&threadid=2312261

 

[z1ggy]

Im trying to stay away form splenda though. My gf is into science and whatnot..she said scientists did tests on lab rats using splenda. I guess eventully it put small hole sin their brains. Implications are that it can lead to cancer in humans over long periods of use..I don tknow how true it is but Id liek to not get cancer..soooyeah.

 

[xboxist]

Originally posted by: z1ggy
Im trying to stay away form splenda though. My gf is into science and whatnot..she said scientists did tests on lab rats using splenda. I guess eventully it put small hole sin their brains. Implications are that it can lead to cancer in humans over long periods of use..I don tknow how true it is but Id liek to not get cancer..soooyeah.

So why did you even ask about Splenda in the OP? Stop wasting people's time.

 

[SlitheryDee]

Originally posted by: z1ggy
Im trying to stay away form splenda though. My gf is into science and whatnot..she said scientists did tests on lab rats using splenda. I guess eventully it put small hole sin their brains. Implications are that it can lead to cancer in humans over long periods of use..I don tknow how true it is but Id liek to not get cancer..soooyeah.

I've never heard of that study, but...

About.com article

The Food and Drug Administration has approved the use of sucralose, brand name Splenda, to be on the consumer market. This safety of the product is based on the review of more than 110 studies involving animals and humans. The FDA looked for carcinogenic, reproductive and neurological effects of usage and found none.

The bottom line is that the FDA has found no cancer causing properties in the usage of Splenda.

The cancer stigma that surrounds artificial sweeteners is believed to stem from the 1970s when lab rats developed bladder cancer during a saccharin trial. Although no case of cancer in a human has been reportedly linked to saccharin, the stigma still remains.

Sources: National Cancer Institute. Artificial Sweeteners Q&A
FDA. FDA APPROVES NEW HIGH-INTENSITY SWEETENER SUCRALOSE

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Originally posted by: z1ggy
Im trying to stay away form splenda though. My gf is into science and whatnot..she said scientists did tests on lab rats using splenda. I guess eventully it put small hole sin their brains. Implications are that it can lead to cancer in humans over long periods of use..I don tknow how true it is but Id liek to not get cancer..soooyeah.

What? Um, no. Splenda has not been even close to conclusively shown to do anything harmful to the body even in large amounts. There are a few studies that skew results and take data that is statistically insignificant as proof, but other than that I've read no valid research that steadfastly says sucralose does anything like that in the body - out of hundreds of articles.

I was however reading how sucralose may increase cravings for actual sugar. I don't remember the website though so it's probably not that valid.

 

[z1ggy]

Okay thats fine then. So why then is it very bad for pregnant women to drink diet soda? I know for a fact this is true, my gf is going to mid wifery school. Diet soda contains "fake" sugar such as splenda right? So it can have bad effects on health then. More over, is it still okay for me to drink 100 oz a day of water containing sweetened ice tea that contains splenda then right?

 

[darkxshade]

Originally posted by: z1ggy
Okay thats fine then. So why then is it very bad for pregnant women to drink diet soda? I know for a fact this is true, my gf is going to mid wifery school. Diet soda contains "fake" sugar such as splenda right? So it can have bad effects on health then. More over, is it still okay for me to drink 100 oz a day of water containing sweetened ice tea that contains splenda then right?

Most diet sodas do not use splenda... before you or your gf give out misinformation on artificial sweeteners, at least do the research on it. Sweet n Low(The one your gf is probably referring to and has been cleared), Equal, Splenda and other less known artificial sweetners are all different. The issue with pregnancy has to do with aspartame which is used in Equal and most diet sodas.

 

[z1ggy]

I said fake sugars like splenda, not splenda itself. I was just getting at the overall point, that it can be dangerous. Its besides the point now you don't have to get egotistical about it. The main topic here was to discuss whether or not artificial sweeteners will effect weight loss goals.

 

[destrekor]

For the sweeteners that are essentially conclusively safe, like Splenda, the "danger" comes from the fact that it may work opposite of what you want.

A lot of people see fake sugar as a way to eat sweet foods without the consequence of empty carbs from sugar (empty if you don't use them ).

However, it tricks the body, and the body doesn't like it. Insulin balances can destabilize as the body receives a signal that something sweet has been consumed, yet no sugar is found. The body gets extremely confused, and essentially, the last thing you want is a biochemically confused body.

You can never avoid all carbs, as well.. if you did, it wouldn't last long - necessary to survive. Based on how well you handle the body requesting sweet foods, or carb-loaded foods, is how well eating or drinking fake sugar will end up working for weight loss. It's one method to consume less carbs, but you'll still need to consume a proportionate amount of carbs throughout the day so as to allow the body to keep insulin levels in check and not effect your cravings. Because that's all it is essentially, managing your cravings. It's not simply a willpower issue, as when the body wants something, it makes you feel like you need it, or at least really really really want it.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Originally posted by: z1ggy
I said fake sugars like splenda, not splenda itself. I was just getting at the overall point, that it can be dangerous. Its besides the point now you don't have to get egotistical about it. The main topic here was to discuss whether or not artificial sweeteners will effect weight loss goals.

Aspartame has a very different structure than sucralose so you can't group them all together. And the above poster isn't being egotistical. You just need to understand that these are different compounds and that you shouldn't spread rumors about them because you are grouping them together.

If it has no calories, then why would it affect weight loss goals? I don't use a lot of Splenda just in case there actually is something found later down the line. Using a lot of it in the place of sugar is kind of dumb. You're not actually fixing your diet - you're just tricking yourself. Clean up the diet, use sucralose in a reasonable fashion, and you'll be fine.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Originally posted by: destrekor
For the sweeteners that are essentially conclusively safe, like Splenda, the "danger" comes from the fact that it may work opposite of what you want.

A lot of people see fake sugar as a way to eat sweet foods without the consequence of empty carbs from sugar (empty if you don't use them ).

However, it tricks the body, and the body doesn't like it. Insulin balances can destabilize as the body receives a signal that something sweet has been consumed, yet no sugar is found. The body gets extremely confused, and essentially, the last thing you want is a biochemically confused body.

You can never avoid all carbs, as well.. if you did, it wouldn't last long - necessary to survive. Based on how well you handle the body requesting sweet foods, or carb-loaded foods, is how well eating or drinking fake sugar will end up working for weight loss. It's one method to consume less carbs, but you'll still need to consume a proportionate amount of carbs throughout the day so as to allow the body to keep insulin levels in check and not effect your cravings. Because that's all it is essentially, managing your cravings. It's not simply a willpower issue, as when the body wants something, it makes you feel like you need it, or at least really really really want it.

Actually, if I remember correctly, sucralose does not effect insulin levels like some other sweeteners do. Just thought I'd mention it.

 

[spamsk8r]

Originally posted by: destrekor
For the sweeteners that are essentially conclusively safe, like Splenda, the "danger" comes from the fact that it may work opposite of what you want.

A lot of people see fake sugar as a way to eat sweet foods without the consequence of empty carbs from sugar (empty if you don't use them ).

However, it tricks the body, and the body doesn't like it. Insulin balances can destabilize as the body receives a signal that something sweet has been consumed, yet no sugar is found. The body gets extremely confused, and essentially, the last thing you want is a biochemically confused body.

You can never avoid all carbs, as well.. if you did, it wouldn't last long - necessary to survive. Based on how well you handle the body requesting sweet foods, or carb-loaded foods, is how well eating or drinking fake sugar will end up working for weight loss. It's one method to consume less carbs, but you'll still need to consume a proportionate amount of carbs throughout the day so as to allow the body to keep insulin levels in check and not effect your cravings. Because that's all it is essentially, managing your cravings. It's not simply a willpower issue, as when the body wants something, it makes you feel like you need it, or at least really really really want it.

Carbohydrates are *not* necessary for survival. The human body can make glucose from amino acids just fine. It just takes a little while for the body to get acclimated to such a diet. The Inuit's traditional diet included almost zero carbohydrates.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Originally posted by: spamsk8r
Carbohydrates are *not* necessary for survival. The human body can make glucose from amino acids just fine. It just takes a little while for the body to get acclimated to such a diet. The Inuit's traditional diet included almost zero carbohydrates.

I wouldn't exactly suggest going on a keto diet though

 

[Deeko]

Originally posted by: SociallyChallenged

Originally posted by: spamsk8r
Carbohydrates are *not* necessary for survival. The human body can make glucose from amino acids just fine. It just takes a little while for the body to get acclimated to such a diet. The Inuit's traditional diet included almost zero carbohydrates.

I wouldn't exactly suggest going on a keto diet though

Yea I was going to say...necessary for survival? Maybe not, but it sure as hell isn't healthy.

 

[AyashiKaibutsu]

I'd advise against getting information about sugar substitutes from the internet... Almost all information about it when traced back far enough will lead to some old hippy lady in a herbal supplement shop.

 

[skace]

Don't lump all sugar substitutes.

And the study with Sucralose and Rats wasn't holes in the head. It destroyed their thyroids, which controls your metabolism. However, in the study the rats were given a diet of 100% sucralose, it was their only source of nutrition. That study goes back probably ~10+ years now. Before Very Fine was even using it, and before the "Splenda" product line.

 

[Rewdoalb]

Originally posted by: AyashiKaibutsu
I'd advise against getting information about sugar substitutes from the internet... Almost all information about it when traced back far enough will lead to some old hippy lady in a herbal supplement shop.

including all the advice listed on this thread.


BTW, I've found that squeezing some lemon juice in water makes it easier to drink water frequently.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Originally posted by: Rewdoalb

Originally posted by: AyashiKaibutsu
I'd advise against getting information about sugar substitutes from the internet... Almost all information about it when traced back far enough will lead to some old hippy lady in a herbal supplement shop.

including all the advice listed on this thread.


BTW, I've found that squeezing some lemon juice in water makes it easier to drink water frequently.

Oh great one, please tell us the ways of sugar substitute knowledge. :roll:

We research here... I dunno about where you're from

 

[Titan]

Splenda gives me the runs.

That's all I need to know. So I avoid it the best that I can. YMMV.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Originally posted by: Titan
Splenda gives me the runs.

That's all I need to know. So I avoid it the best that I can. YMMV.

Hm, that's interesting. Haven't heard that symptom before.