Natreen vs. brown sugar vs. honey

fadedbear8 said:Sure, but we have to look at the actual dosage being discussed when people bring up these health risks, don't they?
I mean, I find it hard to believe that taking, say, two packets of Aspartame a day—just enough for my morning coffee and an afternoon pick-me-up—is going to be the thing that actually kills me... When you consider everything else we deal with in our daily lives, like constant stress, a diet that isn't exactly balanced, environmental pollution, the general chaos of a busy schedule, and not getting nearly enough sleep... am I really supposed to sit here and obsess over whether those two little packets of Aspartame (which, honestly, I don't even use every single day) are going to lead to cancer?

The real issue lies in how these substances build up in the body over time, specifically regarding the formaldehyde produced by Aspartame. Besides, why bother with artificial stuff if you can just opt for natural alternatives?
Kyle Moore55, would you mind expanding on that a bit?

Kyle Moore55 said:H.J. Roberts, M.D., F.A.C.P., F.C.C.P: "Aspartame disease an ignored Epidemic" – we're talking a massive 1,000 pages with roughly 700 references and thousands of people facing actual diagnoses.

...diagnoses for what, though? I can't even get the page to load.

The truth is, you see people all over the internet bringing up Aspartame, even in threads where it isn't even the main topic.

I mean, look at why they’re specifically highlighting "Aspartame free" on products like these here http://www.n101.com/aspartame_free_1396.html... what's the deal with that?

There are tons of victims out there testifying about how dangerous Aspartame actually is.
Like this: http://www.presidiotex.com/aspartame...s/victims.html

Usually, these victims are the ones slamming Diet Coca-Cola, where Aspartame levels hit over 350 mg/L, and they're drinking about a liter of it a day. (Honestly, seeing those trucks with "Zero Sugar" Coca-Cola written on them just makes my blood boil.)
Those amounts are well below the "safe" daily limit of 40 mg/kg of body weight that everyone claims won't cause health issues— but it could easily cause major problems at just 10 mg/kg per day.

But then you look at a single Saccharin tablet or a piece of gum. They don't have nearly as much Aspartame as a liter of Diet Coca-Cola does. So, is one Saccharin tablet actually safe?

There's no straight answer. It depends on how small the doses are, how long you've been consuming them, and who you are. Can the cumulative effect of artificial sweeteners cause health issues over many years, even with small amounts? (A single Saccharin tablet in one day shouldn't be an issue, surely)

A much better question would be whether sugar is really the monster we make it out to be, necessitating total avoidance, and if using artificial sweeteners is actually the best way to handle extra pounds.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...0630081825.htm
Turns out, it doesn't really help.

Jerry Phillips2 said:The whole issue is how these substances build up—specifically those formaldehydes coming from Aspartame. Why even bother with artificial stuff when you could just go natural?
Kyle Moore55, care to elaborate on that?

There's this really interesting study done by chemists over in Barcelona http://www.presidiotex.com/barcelona/index.html

Those links are a great way to back up what you're saying!
But honestly, I think only a tiny fraction of the folks here will actually click them.
Between people struggling with their English or just being too busy to dive into deep reading, most will probably skip it.

If you're up for it, maybe just give us a quick little summary of the main points first, then drop the link!

Kyle Moore55 said:A much better question is whether sugar is actually such a monster that we absolutely have to avoid it, and if using artificial sweeteners really offers the best way to tackle extra weight?

Personally, I think sugar is the best choice!
Though, it’s easy for me to say since I don't put any sugar in my coffee or tea at all. I rarely crave sweets unless it's chocolate, and whenever I bake, I only use about a quarter of the sugar the recipe calls for—plus, I only pull out the baking sheets once or twice a year!

The real solution for losing weight is just hitting the gym! 😁
Nike uses all those "health hacks" (like swapping sugar for sweeteners or white bread for multigrain) as marketing tricks...

Lisa Nelson96 said:...diagnoses for what? I can't even get the page to load.

Back in 1994. 10,000 people filed complaints about Aspartame with the FDA, and that’s usually just 1% of the people who actually bother to report their issues. You have to realize that

1) More than 75% of all adverse reactions reported to the administration are linked back to Aspartame
2) If 10,000 people represent 1%, we're talking about numbers closer to a million people!!!
3) The reality is most people don't even realize Aspartame is the root cause of their problems.

I'll just list some of the 92 total symptoms:

asthma, arthritis, panic attacks, blood sugar issues, chest pain, depression, fatigue, confusion, headaches, memory loss, vision problems.

Certain diseases are either 1) caused by Aspartame, 2) made worse by it, or 3) where Aspartame causes symptoms that lead to the disease being misdiagnosed:

Lupus, DIABETES (!!!!!!), epilepsy, Parkinson's, MS, Alzheimer's, increased chemical sensitivity, birth defects, etc.

http://www.dorway.com/badnews.html#symptoms

(Aspartame is the massive problem here in the USA, luckily it isn't used nearly as much elsewhere)

Lisa Nelson96 said:...diagnoses for what? I can't seem to get the page to load.

Well, you see, it isn't really just some simple webpage; it is more like an incredibly massive, sprawling book. 😁

Can someone please tell me if all the sweetener tablets sold here in the States (like Aspartame, Snowy Peaks, and I can't even remember the rest) actually contain aspartame?

Honestly, I’m getting a little tired of the constant runaround. First, for years, the big trend was "just switch to brown sugar instead of white," only to find out later that "it isn't even really brown sugar—it's just white sugar with coloring." So now you're just left trying to figure it out for yourself.

And look, most of us aren't nutritionists or biochemists—we can't all be expected to navigate this stuff on our own.

fadedbear8 said:Can someone just tell me if every single sweetener tablet sold here—you know, stuff like Aspartame, Snowy Peaks, whatever else they call them—is actually loaded with aspartame?

Look, not all of us went to school to become nutritionists or biochemists so we can spend our lives decoding ingredient labels.

Exactly!
I only have about one coffee a week🙄 , but I'll drink three or four cups of tea every day. I put Aspartame in my coffee (I assume one little tablet isn't going to kill me!), use honey in my tea, and when I'm baking—which I do a lot, even if I don't eat much myself—I just use regular sugar. I do cut the amount by about a third, though, just because my family absolutely loves things super sweet!!

fadedbear8 said:Now, don't go telling me that every single sweetener tablet you find on the shelves here in the States—you know, things like Aspartame, Snowy Peaks, or whatever other brand names they're pushing lately—is packed with Aspartame. I’d love to believe otherwise, truly, but I have my doubts.

I have to admit, I’m starting to feel a bit weary from all this constant maneuvering and mental gymnastics. It feels like we’ve been taken on quite a ride, doesn't it? For years on end, the prevailing wisdom was always that same gentle nudge toward health—you know, the whole "let's just switch to brown sugar instead of white" movement. We all bought into it, thinking we were making a more wholesome choice. But then, after all that time passing, the rug gets pulled out from under us with the sudden realization that much of what we thought was brown sugar was actually just white sugar with a bit of coloring tossed in. Honestly, it leaves you feeling a little lost; you're left standing there wondering which way is up, trying to make sense of how we're supposed to navigate these shifting goalposts.

It’s not as if we all went out and earned degrees in nutrition or biochemistry just so we could navigate these topics with ease. Most of us are just regular folks trying to make sense of it all without a PhD in hand.

I truly believe that every single sweetener on the market should be required by law to clearly list its full ingredient profile. It really shouldn't be a guessing game, so please, do me a favor and actually read those labels before you toss anything into your cart. In my own experience browsing the aisles at Whole Foods, I've found that while saccharin might be slightly less concerning than aspartame, the margin of safety isn't exactly wide. And don't even get me started on cyclamate or acesulfame—those are absolute disasters in my book.
I am fairly certain that Aspartame is definitely present in Natreen, though as for that other one, I really can't say for sure.

fadedbear8 said:I really don't think taking, say, two Aspartame tablets a day (to sweeten two coffees) is actually going to kill you...

Look, those two tiny spoonfuls of sugar aren't going to drop dead or make you gain weight like a prize hog either, so you might as well swap them for sweeteners you don't even understand. 🙂

I'm not entirely sure why you're reaching for Aspartame in the first place, but most people do it because they're obsessed with "cutting calories." It’s like that one little spoonful of sugar is some massive dealbreaker. Personally, I’d rather take my chances with a potential little devil than consume something that actually packs a caloric punch.

Emily Hayes said:Two little spoonfuls of sugar aren't going to kill you or make you gain weight like a cow. You're just swapping them out for pills you don't even understand. 🙂

I honestly don't get why you're drinking Aspartame, but I guess a ton of people do it because they're "watching calories." Like, as if those two spoons are some huge deal. Personally, I’d rather take my chances with a potential evil than consume something that actually *has* calories in it.

For the record, I actually followed Dr. Montignac's advice and started drinking my coffee black. I was incredibly cranky for the first two days, but now? It’s totally fine.

And I'm with Emily Hayes on this one: two spoons of sugar won't put five pounds on you, and at least you know what's in it.

Kate Sullivan22 said:Just for the record, I actually took Dr. Montignac's advice to heart and started drinking my coffee totally black. Honestly? For the first two days, I was in a foul mood and snapping at everyone in sight. But now? It’s actually pretty fine.

And I'm with Emily Hayes on this one: two spoonfuls of sugar aren't going to make you gain two pounds, and besides, you know what's actually causing the weight gain.

I've gone completely sugar-free myself—coffee, instant coffee, tea, lemonade... everything. 😁

I have to agree with Kate Sullivan22 here; she really knows how to make a point. 👍 😁

Emily Hayes said:I go sugar-free with everything—coffee, instant coffee, tea, lemonade, you name it... 😁

And I’m totally with Kate Sullivan22 on this one. She knows what she's talking about. 👍 😁

I used to be obsessed with my sweet instant coffee. Now? I’m basically drinking black coffee (RIP me!) with zero sugar. Plus, lemonade and stuff should be sugar-free anyway.😉

Honestly, lucky people who can handle artificial sweeteners. Me? My stomach goes into total revolt, I start sweating, and I feel like I'm in a coma...

Kate Sullivan22 said:I used to absolutely love my instant coffee loaded with sugar. These days, though? I’m drinking it almost black—no sugar at all (it's wild, right?)! Plus, lemonade and everything else is better without the extra sweetness anyway.😉

Honestly, I don't know how people deal with artificial sweeteners. If you don't have an issue with them, you're lucky, because they absolutely wreck my stomach. I end up breaking out in sweats and feeling totally wiped out... it's a mess.

It's funny, so many people look at me like I'm crazy for not putting sugar in my lemonade. Meanwhile, they're basically dumping pounds of it into their own drinks! I haven't touched sweetened water in years, and now the taste is just repulsive to me—especially if someone slips sugar into my drink without realizing.

I’ve actually never even tried artificial sweeteners, so I can't say for sure. I just try to steer clear of anything that feels too "processed" whenever I can. 🙂

Emily Hayes said:A ton of people get weirded out because I don't put sugar in my lemonade. Meanwhile, they’re basically dumping pounds of it into their soda. I don't know, man—I haven't touched sweetened water in years, and now the taste just hits me wrong if someone sneaks sugar into my drink without asking.

I've never even messed with artificial sweeteners, so I can't really say. I just try to stay away from the "chemical" stuff whenever I can. 🙂

Yeah, I'm right there with you on that one.😁

Bone Structure said:(I just had to, I really 😁 😁 😁 had to!)

🙂

We've definitely
covered white sugar, colored sugars, brown sugar, various sweeteners, Stevia, and even Bone Structure😬
but what about Splenda?

jadesailor14 said:🙂

Alright
we've covered white sugar, colored sugar, brown sugar, sweeteners, stevia, and Rachel Brooks63😬
but what about Splendid?

I mean, Splendid is basically the same stuff, right?

Is it the same thing?
Sugar?
Stevia?
An artificial sweetener?
What exactly?

The label says it's made from sugar, but claims it's 10 times sweeter and has 10 times fewer calories
But they can pretty much write whatever they want on those labels, right? 😬
Honestly, this is a question for our food scientists, not for us home cooks just reading labels at the grocery store😁