Being diagnosed with diabetes is a life changing event. One of the ways diabetes can alter a person’s life is by suddenly having to adhere to a strict diet. These diets used to include foods that lacked sugar, resulting in less taste and enjoyment. In more recent years, sugar substitutes and a number of artificial sweeteners became available, but many of these substitutes had health concerns associated with them as well as issues with an aftertaste. Diabetes care has advanced through the years, and products such as Splenda have given diabetics more options both at the supermarket and in the kitchen.

Splenda helps make it possible to manage your diet by avoiding excess sugar and calories without having to sacrifice the taste. Splenda is an artificial sweetener, but it tastes similar to natural sugar. Splenda is created from natural sugar and this is one reason why it is used by individuals with diabetes.

Foods made with Splenda retain the sweet taste while providing the necessary health benefits required by a diabetic. The processing that the sugar goes through removes calories and carbohydrates, leaving the taste of the sugar behind. It also eliminates portions of sugar that causes problems for diabetics. The end-result is a sweetener that has the sweet taste of sugar without causing an increase in blood sugar levels or excessive calories that can lead to unwanted weight gain.

Because of the ever-growing popularity of low-sugar and low-calorie foods, a number of food manufacturers have started using Splenda in their products. Due to the availability of sugar-free and low-calorie alternatives to popular food items, individuals with diabetes are able to enjoy foods that they would otherwise have had to do without, including a number of soft drinks and snack foods. Although sugar-free versions of these items existed prior to the creation of Splenda, artificial sweeteners were used in these items that left a bitter aftertaste that limited their popularity. Now that many of these products are being changed to incorporate Splenda as a sugar substitute, it is almost as though an entirely new section of the market is being opened up for diabetics to enjoy.

With an increase in available food options and the availability of Splenda as a sugar substitute, it is much easier for diabetics to have complete control over their diet when cooking at home. This allows individuals with diabetes to eat foods they enjoy without having to worry about the effect that it may have on their blood sugar. It also presents them with the opportunity to cook a number of their favorite foods that they previously could not enjoy. Products such as Splenda make it much easier to control diabetes, since those with the disease no longer feel like they have to watch everything that they eat and they are able to live a more normal life.

Going out to eat has become more accessible to individuals with diabetes since Splenda became a popular sugar alternative. A number of restaurants have started using Splenda to make low-calorie and sugar-free menu items. The popularity of Splenda in restaurant settings seems to be growing by the day. This enables diabetics to enjoy a meal at their favorite restaurant without worrying about their health. It is even possible for them to order dessert and enjoy the same type of snack items that they enjoyed before being diagnosed with diabetes.

Splenda improves the taste of foods, but this is not the only way that it helps those who are living with diabetes. Splenda is also a no-calorie sweetener, meaning that it can be used to help control weight and prevent excessive weight gain. Since increased weight can be dangerous for diabetics, this property of Splenda can literally be a lifesaver. The use of Splenda not only improves the taste of foods for diabetics, but also improves the overall health benefits of the food.

By incorporating Splenda into a regular cooking routine, it is easy to prepare healthy meals that taste great. A solid diet that is low in calories and free of excess sugar can make controlling diabetes much easier, and can quickly help diabetics control their high blood sugar. When combined with careful monitoring of blood sugar, a healthy diet can reduce or eliminate the need for some or all diabetes management medications and can drastically improve the quality of life for those with diabetes.

If you are diabetic, Splenda and other sugar substitutes are an excellent way to enjoy your favorite foods. They are healthy alternatives that provide exactly what you need to enjoy food. Restaurants and special products at the local grocery store are using sugar substitutes. This makes it easy to enjoy many great foods once again.

Health food enthusiasts often question Splenda. Is this sweetener really safe? Does it taste as good as regular sugar? Can I use it in all of my desert recipes? The fact of the matter is that Splenda is actually extremely easy to use, and it is as safe as regular sugar. Actually, there are even health benefits to using Splenda that you don’t find with regular sugar or other kinds of artificial sweeteners. Using Splenda regularly instead of sugar can help make some of your favorite sweet treats better for you. Here are some of the major health benefits of baking with Splenda:

Foods made with Splenda have fewer calories.

Splenda in and of itself is not completely calorie free. This is a version of sugar, but it is hundreds of times sweeter than actual sugar. That means for every calorie of Splenda you use, you are getting a much greater concentration of flavor. So, to add the same amount of sweetness to your food, you are adding a much lower number of calories. Many of the diet foods on the market today, including diet sodas, actually use Splenda instead of sugar so that they are sweeter. Remember, sugar is not the only source of calories in food, so replacing the sugar in a product with Splenda does not necessarily mean it is good for you, it means it can be actually be BETTER for you.

Splenda helps you care for your teeth.

Dentists love Splenda! While this product does not prevent problems if you do not take care of your teeth and will not fix problems if you already have tooth decay and other dental problems, it is a way to ward off the bacteria that causes cavities. Sugar left in your mouth after eating serves as a food for this kind of bacteria. Splenda does not have the same effect, so there is less “food” in your mouth to attract dental problems.

You can cook with Splenda even if you have diabetes.

Splenda is a type of sugar, but the body does not recognize it as sugar in the blood stream. Therefore, you can eat Splenda even if you have diabetes or another sugar-related medical problem. Eating foods made with Splenda should not cause your blood sugar levels to spike. Be careful, however, because many times, the foods using Splenda as a sugar replacement are filled with other ingredients not healthy for someone with a blood sugar problem. Splenda itself is safe, however, even for future mothers dealing with gestational diabetes.

Splenda can help you lose weight.

Because it adds few calories to food and does not have the same effects on the body as sugar, Splenda can actually help people lose weight. Unless you eat lots of sugar and switch entirely to Splenda, you may not see a significant different in your weight, but combined with a healthier diet and exercise, using Splenda can help you achieve weight loss goals. Losing weight is a great way to help you avoid more serious medical conditions like heart disease.

Some Splenda products contain fiber.

If you purchase Splenda with fiber, you will be consuming one gram of fiber for every packet of Splenda you add to your food. Fiber is necessary for help with your digestion, and many people do not get enough fiber from their daily diets. Splenda with fiber does not taste any differently than Splenda without fiber.

Splenda has been found to be completely safe for consumption.

Other the past several decades, artificial sweeteners have been under fire for causing cancer, headaches, depression, and many other problems. However, hundreds of studies have been conducted to measure that safety of Splenda, and these studies showed that it is not a cancer-causing agent, nor does it cause health problems for the average person. Splenda is safe for anyone to consume, from children to pregnant mothers to senior citizens.

There are other benefits, unrelated to health, to using Splenda as well. Compared to other artificial sweeteners, Splenda is quite affordable. It also comes in a number of varieties, such as white granulated “sugar,” brown “sugar,” and a mixture of Splenda and regular sugar. Splenda can be used as a sugar replacement in most recipes, and in recipes that need sugar (like yeast breads); you can add a mixture of Splenda and regular sugar to reduce the calories in the recipe. Splenda reacts differently to heat than most artificial sugars, making it the perfect product to use in your baked goods. Your family probably won’t even notice the difference, so try Splenda today for a sweet new way to manage your health while still enjoying your favorite baked goods.

Americans on average consume large amounts of sugar daily. This is a big problem in our society because increased sugar intake leads to numerous health problems. If you do not reduce the amount of sugar you consume, you may put yourself at risk for developing heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure or obesity. Sugar can be consumed in moderation, but to live as healthy as possible it is recommended to stay away from sugar as much as you can. If you are interested in eliminating sugar from your diet, a great place to start is with sugar substitutes. Sugar substitutes are beneficial to your health because they allow you to avoid the added calories provided by sucrose, which is table sugar.

<b>Reasons to Avoid Sugars</b>

Heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure are all serious problems that affect Americans daily, but child obesity is a new problem in America. This is a serious problem because it can lead to further health problem later in the child’s life. A study performed by researchers at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health found that children and teens consume sugar-sweetened beverages regularly and these drinks provide an extra 356 calories each day. The main cause of weight-gain is the added calories provided by sugar. Sugar is present in many foods and drinks that are consumed every day and most people eat more sugar than they realize. In order to help reduce the amount of sugar consumed daily; the following is a list of reasons for reducing sugar consumption a healthy alternative such as Splenda.

<b>Research on Excessive Sugar Consumption</b>

Research published in the United States has found that those who drink one cup of soda a day have an increased risk of gaining weight or developing type 2 diabetes than those who consume one cup per month. This study has also proven that type 2 diabetes and obesity are caused by sugar and high fructose corn syrup. This is the main reason one should consider a sugar substitute because more Americans are trying to live healthier lives by limiting sugars. It is also not necessary to sacrifice the flavor of your food and drinks. There are many types of sugar substitutes available on the market; you just need to find one that is best for you.

<b>Sugar Free Alternatives to Sugar</b>

Sugar-free foods may contain an ingredient called polyols. Polyols provide the quality of sugar based foods without the negative health risks. The main benefits of choosing foods sweetened with polyols are that they taste like sugar, provide less calories, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is allowing foods that use polyols to provide the claim “does not promote tooth decay.”

<b>Splenda as a Sugar Alternative</b>

Splenda, the artificial sweetener is a popular product that can benefit one’s health significantly. Splenda contains zero calories and it is beneficial to those who suffer from heath issues. One disease in particular that can be caused by sugar intake is diabetes. Diabetes is an illness that affects many Americans and those with the disease have to be extra careful not to consume too much sugar.

Diabetes is a disease where blood sugar levels become abnormally high. This results in those suffering from type 1 diabetes to inject insulin into their blood. Many who suffer from diabetes have switched to sugar substitutes because of the low carbohydrates and low amounts of calories present in these products. Artificial Sweeteners are also highly beneficial to diabetics because they provide the flavor of sugars without raising glucose levels.

<b>Sugar Substitutes are Excellent for Cooking</b>

When it comes to cooking and baking, sugar is an important ingredient. Because of the health risks associated with sugar, you may want to consider a sugar substitute such as Splenda. Splenda acts like a sugar and allows you to bake or cook your favorite meals without sacrificing the flavor provided by sucrose.

Many consume sugar daily and this provides added risks of serious health problems. Switching from sucrose to Splenda can change your life completely by lowering your chance of developing heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity. These problems come from the extra calories present in table sugar. Artificial sweeteners also help reduce one’s blood sugar by helping to control diabetes. There are many ways to avoid these health issues and the easiest is to avoid products with large amounts of sugar. There are numerous recipes available to help you begin the path to healthy sugar-free baking. You may also want to begin by considering the substitution of sugar with Splenda or other artificial sweeteners. 

Next time you decide to eat a candy bar or drink a soft drink, remember the health problems associated with excessive sugar consumption or choose sugar alternatives as your sweetener. Although sugar in small amounts is not bad for your health, it is best to avoid it altogether.

These days, choosing to substitute Splenda for other types of table sugar can make a huge difference for many people.  From cutting calories to making it possible to enjoy foods that would otherwise be off hazardous to our health, Splenda is well worth the consideration to include in your daily diet.  There are many benefits associated with Splenda that make it the ideal choice over other sugars.

Without a doubt, one of the most appealing benefits of using Splenda over other sugars is the taste factor.  Compared to other artificial sweetening options, Splenda is easily considered the better option.  Because the taste is almost identical to that of granulated sugar, many people are hard pressed to tell the difference. In fact, there are plenty of people that tend to report less of an aftertaste with Splenda, an effect that is often experienced by anyone who tries to use an artificial sweetener instead of table sugar.

Splenda is capable of providing health benefits for you that other sugars simply could not adhere to.  While there are a number of sweeteners that work well in cold substances, finding something that will retain a pleasant taste when used for baking is very difficult.  Splenda can function equally well in both cold and hot recipes.  While the applications vary, the sweetener does make living without sugar a lot easier to manage.

Because Splenda measures exactly like granulated sugar, it is easy to substitute the product in many different recipes.  Along with sweetening drinks, it is also possible to substitute the sweetener in any recipe, where the sugar does not add to the texture.  For example, preparing meringues and whipped toppings for desserts are simple, requiring nothing more than minor alterations to the original recipes.  Baked goods such as cakes and muffins can be prepared by using Splenda with a decreased amount of sugar or honey, effectively cutting the caloric intake by half or more.  Pies, custards, and even homemade ice cream can remain delicious while still keeping the calories within reason.

Calories are one of the main concerns of people who desire to slim down.  With zero calories per teaspoon, Splenda can help cut daily caloric intake in a variety ways.  For example, this sweetener can be used instead of sugar in your morning coffee and perform the same function in iced tea later in the day.  People who love soda but want to avoid the extra calories found in most soft drinks can easily choose a diet drink that is sweetened with Splenda.  Dry, soft drink mixes can also be prepared using this artificial sweetener instead of table sugar.

1. When paired with an alternative flour, such as garbanzo bean or oat flour, the use of Splenda produces a low carbohydrate treat that helps satisfy the sweet tooth without causing blood sugar levels to soar.

With the approved endorsement from The American Diabetes Association, Splenda is also ideal for use in puddings, cheesecakes and different types of custard.  It is even possible to bake a cake using Splenda by adding in a half cup of dry milk and a half teaspoon for every cup of Splenda used in the recipe.  This approach eliminates more carbohydrates from the final result, making it possible for anyone with diabetes to enjoy a slice of their favorite cake from time to time.

There is one other area where Splenda has an advantage over other sugars.  Unlike table sugar and similar options, Splenda does not leave behind a residue on your teeth that can help promote tooth decay.  As a result, the specific bacterium that actually causes the decay never has a chance to develop.  People who want to enjoy sweets, but are trying to watch out for their dental health, would highly benefit from using Splenda instead of other options.

As the popularity of Splenda has grown, cookbooks containing recipes using the beneficial sweetener have become very common.  The manufacturer of Splenda, McNeil Nutritionals, has also offered many recipes to interested customers. Other recipes have been developed by the consumers, people who know and work with this amazing product daily.  If you need to cut calories, or watch your intake of carbohydrates, learning to cook with Splenda can greatly benefit you in many ways.

If you are used to baking with sugar, it may take a little getting used to stocking your pantry for a low-sugar or sugar-free lifestyle. Once you realize that your sweet life is not over just because you are cutting back on sugar, you will be just fine. Here are some tips to help you stock a pantry with baking supplies needed to make sugar-free desserts.

Sweetening the Pot without Sugar

The most obvious ingredient for baking sugar-free desserts is a substitute for sugar. There are a number of artificial sweeteners that are widely available, including aspartame (Equal), acesulfame-k (Sweet One), saccharin (Sweet ‘n’ Low) and sucralose (Splenda). They can be a little tricky to use in baking because they have different properties than sugar, but there are many sugar-free dessert recipes using each of them. Because each of them differs from the others in the way they react to heat and the amount of sweetening power they have, it is also important to use the artificial sweetener that is called for in the recipe. Aspartame, for instance, loses its sweetness in when it is subjected to high heat for long periods of time as it would be if you use it in cakes or cookies that are baked in the oven. Splenda, on the other hand, is stable in heat and can be used in baked recipes, but may need additional liquid.

In addition to artificial sweeteners, there are natural sweeteners that you can use for no-sugar-added desserts. These include long-established favorites such as honey, Stevia, molasses and corn syrup, but are not limited to the obvious sweeteners. Fruit juices can add sweetness and enhance flavors when used in place of water in recipes. Apple and grape juice are the sweetest, but not the only fruit juices that you can use to sweeten desserts. Try sweetening with pineapple or orange juice for a bit of tang, or pear juice for a light sweetness.

Keep a package or two of sugar free gelatin and pudding in the pantry as well. They make moist additions to cake and cookies, adding both flavor and color. Do not forget unsweetened chocolate squares, cocoa powder, and flavored extracts – the staples are vanilla, almond, rum, butter and peppermint.

Adding a Little Spice to Dessert

When your senses are not overcome with sugar, you will find that a little spiciness goes a long way. Cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and ginger are the so-called “sweet spices”. They will bring out the sweetness in smaller amounts of sugar or other sweeteners and are especially flavorful when used with fruit juice or puree.

Savory spices can also add an unexpected flair to dessert. Do not be afraid to experiment a little. Chili adds an unexpected bite to strawberries, for instance, and herbs like peppermint, lavender and rosemary do a wonderful job of enhancing the flavor of ice cream and fruit sorbets.

Sugar Does More than Make Things Sweet

Keep in mind that sugar provides more than just sweetness in a lot of recipes. It can be the reason that cakes and cookies brown when they bake, aid rising and provide moisture and texture. That is why a favorite pantry staple for sugar-free cooking is baby food – pureed bananas, pears, plums or applesauce – just about any kind of baby food fruit puree will do. It will add both sweetening and moisture to cakes, muffins, breads and cupcakes along with extra nutrition.

Flaked coconut is another pantry staple that will do double duty in your sugar-free pantry. It adds sweetness and flavor to cakes and cookies, and browns nicely when sprinkled on baked goods and run under the broiler.

A jar or two of sugar free fruit spread are handy to keep in the pantry. They can be stirred into plain yogurt for a quick snack or easy dessert, or spread on pound cake instead of frosting to add flavor and extra sweetness.

Peanut butter is another staple that should be in every sugar-free pantry. It will add flavor to muffins, cookies or cakes, as well as substituting for part of the fat. Thinned with a few tablespoons of milk and stirred over low heat, it makes a quick dessert topping or sauce, and pairs very well with chocolate or bananas. Be sure to read the label carefully, since a lot of peanut butters have a surprising amount of sugar in them.

The more you cook without sugar, the easier it will be to create tasty, healthy desserts. As your taste buds – and those of your family – adjust to less sugar, you will find that other flavors come more and more to the fore. It will not be long at all before you find that you prefer desserts that are fresher and lower in sugar because they naturally taste better.

Many natural foods have some form of sugar in them, almost all plant-based foods have at least a little sugar, and fruits, of course, have quite a bit. While it may be virtually impossible completely eliminate sugar from your diet there are many ways to marginalize your sugar intake and significantly reduce the amount of sugar you use when cooking.

However, it is definitely possible, and tasty, to eliminate added sugar. This is very much a health advantage, because reducing your overall sugar intake is not only an excellent way of markedly reducing your risk of diabetes, stabilizing your blood sugar, and managing your weight. It is also a good way of reducing the amount of processed food you eat.

Many processed foods contain added sugar, simply because adding sugar makes food taste sweeter and more palatable. However, many so-called diet foods have added sugar to mask the fact that eliminating fat from food reduces its appeal. Many “diet” foods have reduced fat, but are high in sugar and that is definitely not healthy.

Health Benefits of Sugar-Free Cooking

Cooking sugar-free has a number of health benefits, all of which are excellent reasons to start cutting the added sugar out of your life. If you reduce your sugar consumption, and in particular cut out foods with added sugar, you can look forward to some of the following health improvements:

• Stabilization of blood sugar levels

When you routinely eat lots of added sugar (particularly as part of a low-fiber diet that includes lots of processed food), your blood sugar levels are constantly up and down, peaking right after you eat, and then quickly dipping to low levels as insulin floods your system to prompt your body to store the excess sugar. This is why you typically feel hungry soon after eating a high-sugar meal, insulin has cleared the sugar from your system, leaving your blood sugar levels very low.

The problem is, over time this constant peaking and dipping of blood sugar levels leads to insulin resistance and eventually, the development of diabetes. Eliminating excess sugar helps stabilize blood sugar levels, reduce insulin resistance, and prevent or delay the onset of this chronic disease.

• Weight management benefits

With excess sugar gone from your diet, improved blood sugar control can help stabilize your weight, too. Insulin helps your body store blood sugar as fat, and when you eat a high-sugar meal, the excess sugar is converted into fat quickly, due to the spike in insulin levels. In addition, those constant blood sugar highs and lows actually mean you end up eating more overall, because low blood sugar promotes binging. This means eliminating added sugar can actually help you reduce your weight (but remember that added sugar is not the only factor contributing to being overweight, so it is important to examine other factors of your diet too, such as lack of exercise, etc.).

• Nutrition benefits

If you eliminate from your diet the foods that contain added sugar, it is likely that you are eliminating processed foods that do not contain much in the way of essential nutrients. Replace those foods with high-fiber fruits and vegetables, and healthy complex carbohydrates, and you will find that you not only improve your health by eliminating sugar, but also because your diet now includes lots of tasty, nutritious natural foods.

• Oral health

Oral health is a benefit of a sugar-free diet that is often overlooked. A diet high in sugar promotes tooth decay by providing oral bacteria with plenty of the food they need to grow on teeth and gums. Tooth decay, gum disease, and cavities are problems that can arise very quickly on a sugar-rich diet, even with regular tooth-brushing. Eliminate the added sugar, keep up with a good oral care regime, and you will definitely benefit.

How to Cook Delicious Sugar-Free Food

Successfully cooking sugar-free, especially baking, simply was not possible two or three decades ago, but with the advent of products such as Splenda, it can be a breeze. The following are some quick tips for cooking with artificial sweeteners.

• Don’t fully replace sugar with artificial sweetener in recipes that use a large amount of sugar. In these recipes, using 100% artificial sweetener can be problematic, as the sugar is not only providing sweetness; it’s also helping improve the texture of the food. In recipes such as fudge and angel food cake, for example, replace no more than half the sugar with artificial sweetener.

• If you’re adding yeast, you need to add sugar. The yeast will not activate unless you add sugar, so yeast breads will not work unless you add some sugar. A good way of achieving this is to activate the yeast with sugar before adding it to the recipe. Up to half the remaining sugar in the recipe can be replaced with artificial sweetener.

• Using artificial sweetener can affect baking times, so check your baked goods at least fifteen minutes early, and check cookies about five minutes early.

Sugar is often the main ingredient when baking sweet treats. Also, since artificial sweeteners used to cause a bitter taste, these snacks were not a good choice for those on a reduced sugar diet. This generally meant that individuals who were trying to reduce their sugar intake had to forego some of their favorite treats because of the lack of sugar alternatives available that could be used for baking. With the introduction of Splenda, this has changed. Splenda is made from real sugar instead of a chemical combination to prevent bitterness, but a variety of Splenda designed especially for baking allows individuals to make their favorite sweet treats without having to worry about excessive sugar content.

The reason that Splenda is able to replicate the sweet taste of sugar much better than other artificial sweeteners is that it is actually related to standard table sugar. Splenda is made with sucralose, a sugar derivative that uses real sugar at the beginning of its creation process. The end result is a no-calorie sweetener that still maintains the sweetness of sugar without the calories and carbohydrates. Unlike standard sugar, Splenda does not cause an increase in blood sugar levels. It can be used by individuals who are on reduced-sugar diets or those whose bodies have trouble processing increased amounts of sugar in the blood.

In addition to reducing the sugar content of sweet treats, Splenda also makes it easy to reduce the calories in baked goods without sacrificing taste. Because Splenda is a no-calorie sweetener, using it in baked goods can drastically reduce the caloric content of the foods and snacks that are made. Though the version of Splenda most commonly used for baking combines Splenda with sugar, the calorie content of treats made with this mixture is still significantly reduced over that of using simply sugar.

Splenda can be used in almost any recipe where sugar is required with little or no difference in the taste of the resulting baked goods. One of the primary complaints that many people have in regards to the use of artificial sweeteners is that they can cause an unpleasant taste. Even when the sweetener does not turn bitter from baking, the fact that an artificial sweetener was used is often difficult to conceal. Splenda’s unique taste is evident in foods and baked goods which taste sweet but do not have the calories that would be added if ordinary sugar was used in the recipe.

Splenda Baking Blend

Baking with Splenda is easy, since few if any changes have to be made to the recipes. The biggest concern that most people have before baking with Splenda is deciding whether they should use standard Splenda no-calorie sweetener or if they should use the Splenda baking blend. The baking blend combines the Splenda artificial sweetener with real sugar. While some people prefer to use one or the other for everything that they make in the kitchen, there are some situations where standard Splenda is adequate and other situations where a better result can be achieved from using the baking blend.

Standard Splenda can be used with no problems in any baked goods that call for sugar simply as a means to add sweetness to the product. It can usually be substituted in a 1:1 ratio with natural sugar. This makes the baking process much easier than most other artificial sweeteners since adjustments do not have to be made to the recipes beforehand. Even in cases where modifications are called for by the recipe, they are generally minor and the only reason for this is to better match the sweetness of Splenda to the required sweetness of the snack being created.

In recipes where sugar is used to sweeten the foods while adding to the overall texture, color, or consistency of the product, Splenda baking blend can generally produce better results. This is because there are some properties of sugar that cannot easily be replicated while baking, and standard Splenda is unable to hold up as well in the heat of the oven while maintaining these properties. The baking blend can be used in the same amounts as standard sugar, and still allow bakers a low-sugar and low-calorie alternative to using only sugar in the sweet treats that they produce.

If you enjoy baking cookies, cupcakes and more, but avoid those treats because of a low sugar diet, Splenda may be a the solution. By using Splenda you can bake your favorite snacks while retaining the same great taste that you would expect from these foods. Splenda replaces sugar at a perfect 1:1 ratio, which makes the baking process much easier. If you are diabetic or just want to live a healthier life, Splenda can help you enjoy the same great foods with the great taste that you would expect.

Americans are drinking more diet drinks than ever before and Americans are also fatter than ever before. Coincidence?

Sometimes I think there is and sometimes I think there’s not!Do diet sodas really make you fat? Is it really be artificial sweetener?

Since diet sodas have no nutritional value they in of themselves should not make you fat.

They have no calories! Each side of this debate continues as the Americans and worldwide population continue to consume artificially sweetened products and continue to gain weight.

There are some things that contribute to overweight people and “yes” you can include diet soda consumption. But do not get confused between correlation and causation. So yes artificial sweeteners can change the dynamics of your brain chemistry to desire more calories containing sweet foods and/or drinks. But is that what made you fat or is it the extra food in calories you consume that made you fat.

My good friend and college Tom Venuto pointed out a study from the San Antonio health conference started all of this “hype” was just a “correlation” as these people were just surveyed and never experimentally followed to justify artificial drinks cause weight gain.

So again do not get confused with correlation and causation.Their many studies and institutions that frown upon artificial sweeteners some of the information is below. You need to make your own call on what you should do about the products.

Scientists at Purdue University say that the number of Americans who consume sugar-free, and artificially sweetened products has risen from fewer than 70 million in 1987 to more than 160 million in 2000.

The saying “The road to hell is paved with good intentions” couldn’t be more true when it comes to diet drinks. We think we are doing ourselves a favor by cutting out those added calories and switching to diet. In all fairness, this is partially true. If you have a big addiction to pop, juice and sweetened ice teas, then switching to diet could be the first step in helping you slim down. But these drinks aren’t as harmless as they appear to be.

Why? Caffeine – These diet sodas still contain caffeine which is addictive and leeches water from your body. You could think you are loosing fat when in fact you are only loosing water.

You are tricking your brain! Our body-weight allows us to consume a certain amount of calories a day without gaining weight, as a result of our metabolism. HOWEVER, when we are drinking artificially sweetened drinks, we are sending our brain signals that it is getting calories when in fact it isn’t.

Researchers at Purdue University says your body will compensate for those perceived calories, and will cause you to overeat later.

Ruins your palate Artificially sweetened drinks are much much sweeter than sweetened wit h real sugar. Therefore you are training your palate to become accustomed to the hyper-sweet flavor of something fake. As a result, you are likely to have a higher “sweetness threshold” and cannot get pleasure from a naturally sweet fruit like a pineapple, your palate will only be satisfied with something hyper-sweet like candy.

Artificial Sweeteners could harm your health.Controversy has been brewing over artificial sweeteners for years. Recently the sugar industry has filed a lawsuit, alleging that Splenda does not have the same effects as sugar, and it may also damage the DNA of those who consume it.

Bottom line, you are at your healthiest when you consume foods and drinks that are as close to their natural state as possible. Whether these allegations have any credence or not, it is always a good idea to have as few chemicals in your diet as possible.

So if you are convinced that diet drinks are hurting your waistline and your health, what should you do? A great alternative is a combination of sparkling water with just a splash of fruit juice.

Make sure you are getting pure fruit juice and not a fruit cocktail loaded with fake sugars. Mix these in with some ice cubes and give it a good stir and you have a refreshing drink. Sure, you might get a few calories from this drink, but trust me, these calories from the fruit juice will do you a lot more good than all the junk that you are getting out of those diet drinks.

The Ugly Truth about Artificial Sweeteners

                Every week there is talk about a new artificial sweetner on the market. There is aspartame, splenda, truvia, stevia, and next week there will be a new “natural” artificial sweetner that is all the rage. Many people make the diet move to cut out sugary drinks and high calorie liquids from their diet only to switch to  calorie free versions of their old favorites. When you switch to beverages containing calorie free sugar substitutes you may be losing the calories but not all of the negative effects of sugar. Artificial sweetners are broken down by the body the same way as sugar. It causes your blood sugar to spike and drop and can also trigger real sugar cravings causing you to consume even more calories than you would have with the original beverage.

Water and tea are the two beverages naturally containing no sugar unless you add to them. Tea comes in all different types of flavors from black, herbal, green, peppermint, and fruit flavors. Tea can be enjoyed hot or cold. Switching out water and tea for your usual calorie free or sugar laden drink will leave you feeling more refreshed, energized, and keep your thirst satisfied longer. Because sticking to water and tea can become very boring I have included five recipes to give your water a burst and adds no more than ten calories per serving.

Spice Up your H20!

Cucumber melon water

Slice up a cucumber and 7-9 cubes of honey dew melon. Place in bottom of pitcher and fill with water. This is a cool and refreshing drink and is also a great choice to serve for guests instead of regular water.

Citrus

Slice up a lemon, lime, and half an orange. Place in bottom of pitcher and fill with water. This is a tangy but sweet taste and one of my all time favorites

Berry Delight

Place handful of raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries in bottom of pitcher and fill with water.  The berry flavor is the sweetest water created and while it’s not my favorite it is loved by many.

Coffee Fixer-Upper

When eliminating artificial sweetners from their diet many people struggle with what to add to their coffee. Skim milk just doesn’t add enough sweetness. Try some vanilla flavored PROTEIN POWDER! Or another flavor of your choice. It doesn’t take much and adds a sweet and creamy flavor.

I challenge  you to make the all natural beverage switch today. Water and tea does not have to be boring and the effect it will have on your diet and well being is insurmountable. Replace sugary or artificially sweetened drinks today with one of these delicious and flavorful recipes. Cheers!

So you’re determined to lose weight and you’re going to use artificial sweeteners to help you do it. Well hold on! Before you reach for that diet soda, think about this. Habitual users of artificial sweeteners tend to gain more weight than users of the real thing! And diet drinks are the worst! Artificial sweeteners contribute mightily to raised insulin levels. On top of that, you need larger amounts of food and drinks made with artificial sweeteners to feel satisfied, partly because artificial sweeteners don’t have much taste to begin with. In order to make their processed foods taste better, manufacturers often combine two or more artificial sweeteners in their products. When these foods hit your mouth, your brain signals the pancreas that sugar is coming in and the pancreas shoots out a load of insulin to handle the sugar that isn’t there. Your stomach is disappointed, you’re still hungry, and you eat more to compensate for that lack of fullness. Now let’s take a look at some of the artificial sweeteners used in these chemical creations.

SACCHARIN – THE GRANDADDY OF THEM ALL
Sacharin, a petroleum derivative has been around for a long time. Saccharin is still found in little pink packets on restaurant tables even though it is well known to have carcinogenic potential. To many people, saccharin has a bitter after taste. Saccharin is the first chemically formulated artificial sweetener ever produced and today is being rather rapidly superseded by competing artificial sweeteners.

ASPARTAME
Aspartame, commonly known as NutraSweet or Equal is an excitotoxin for your brain. You will find aspartame in many diet sodas and other bottled drinks. Aspartame can cause all kinds of brain disfunction. Many users of aspartame have complained about headaches, mood disorders, and even skin rashes. Aspartame is a very poor sugar substitute! Here are some other reasons for staying away from it: Aspartame is made up of 50% phenilaline, 40% aspartic acid, and 10% methanol. Phenilaline is a substance many people cannot metabolize and they pass this trait on to their children, causing mental retardation in those children. Aspartame can stimulate your brain to death, trigger tumors and brain cancer, and interact adversely with prescription drugs. We said that Aspartame contains methanol. Methanol is wood alcohol. Methanol distributes itself throughout your body, including your brain, muscle tissue, fat, and nerve tissue, and that’s not all. When Aspartame gets into your body and reaches a temperature of 86 degrees Fahrenheit, the methanol converts to Formic Acid and Formaldehyde, commonly known as embalming fluid. Since you know that your normal body temperature is 98.6 degrees, you now know that you can have embalming fluid in your cells binding to proteins and DNA. Drink a lot of soda and you risk vision, brain, heart, nerve problems, and pancreatic inflammation. And if that’s not enough to convince you to stay away from it, Aspartame was once on a Pentagon list of bio-warfare chemicals submitted to Congress. Our government at work, looking after our welfare! There’s more, but we’re going beyond the scope of this article.

SUCRALOSE (SPLENDA)
Splenda, as an artificial sweetener, tastes better than Saccharin or Aspartame and has heat stability that enables its use in cooking. The claim that Splenda is made from sugar is only partly true. Splenda starts out as sugar, true enough, but then three parts of the sugar molecules are chemically replaced with chlorine atoms. This process creates a chlorocarbon very similar to insecticide. While the manufacturer is very quick to call Splenda “natural,” this artificial sweetener is still nothing less than a chemical concoction. The manufacturer of Splenda claims that his artificial sweetener is “not absorbed,” but the truth is that about 15% of Splenda, about 6 calories per tablespoon is absorbed. These calories come from a mixture of carbohydrates needed to stabilize this chlorocarbon compound.

SUGAR AND WEIGHT LOSS
Sugar, in contrast to artificial sweeteners, has really taken a bad rap when it comes to the weight loss question. It’s not the teaspoon of sugar you put into your morning coffee that’s doing all the damage. It’s all that sugar that other people are putting into the food you eat that’s making the waistband of your jeans too tight. Forget that those “Cocoa Krispies” are “organic” or that the “Krispy Kreme” donut is “”whole grain.” They’re loaded with a big sugar blast. Commercial processing of almost any whole food will blunt its flavor. Processors get the taste back into it by putting in sugar. (Most ingredients listed on the label that end in “ose” contain sugar. Any “syrup” contains sugar.) Too much sugar is not good for your body. Sugar adds calories. Sugar has no helpful nutrients and forces your body into insulin and inflammatory responses that can eventually backfire as asthma, gout, rheumatoid arthritis, and diabetes, among other health disorders. Some processed foods have as much as 300% of the recommended daily allowance for sugar.

THE UBIQUITOUS HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP
The number one source of calories in America is high fructose corn syrup, or HFCS in sodas. There are about 40 grams of HFCS in each can of soda, far more than the American Medical Association’s recommended daily maximum consumption of all the sweeteners you consume during the day. And we haven’t even considered all the high fructose corn syrup that is included in just about everything that comes off the packaged grocery shelf. Twenty five percent of the calories consumed by the average American is in the form of manufacturer added sweeteners and the majority of those sweeteners are high fructose corn syrup. High Fructose Corn Syrup is known to raise your trigliceride and LDL cholesterol, putting you at increased risk of heart disease. The unbound fructose in HFCS, which contains zero vitamins, can in itself interfere wqith your heart’s use of copper, magnesium, and chromium, minerals vital to its functioning. HFCS interferes with your feeling of fullness when you eat, so you tend to eat more than you need, and to top it all off, HFCS is addictive! High Fructose Corn Syrup affects Leptin, a hormone made by the body’s fat cells. Leptin tells your body to stop eating! Processed fructose fails to stop the action of Ghrelin, a hormone that increases hunger and appetite. You fail to get the message to stop eating!

ONE SWEETENER THAT’S ACTUALLY BENEFICIAL
Without a doubt, the very best sugar substitute available to us today is XYLITOL This plant based sugar alcohol has the look and texture of sugar. Xylitol is slightly less sweet than sugar, but only slightly so. Essentially, Xylitol can be used one on one in recipes calling for sugar. It will not feed yeast however. Xylitol is metabolized much more slowly than sugar, and most diabetics, after consulting with their doctor, should be able to use it safely.

Xylitol of course, is priced somewhat higher than sugar. In fact the prices for it run all over the road and if you decide to try it, then you might want to do some exhaustive shopping for it. Or you can take our word for it when we say we’ve spent a lot of time looking for the best prices on Xylitol and the hands down winner for this on the basis of price, service, and quality of product is ProExercise.com Discounted prices on nutritional supplements, vitamins, herbal supplements, and much more. Those interested in bodybuilding should check out their Sports Nutrition formulas. The rest of us will have to be content with diet books, Weight Loss and vitamin stuff. Or nothing. The service from these folks is superb.