IBD and Sweeteners

[David]

I'm curious what sweeteners everyone here uses when they cook? Are you ok with refined sugar or are you all about organic pure cane sugar. Does sugar cause you issues so you use agave or honey? Has anyone noticed if any sort of sweetener is better or worse for their symptoms?

 

[Entchen]

Hi David: I haven't noticed any problems with sugar. (If I were to notice a problem...I'd probably ignore it!) I like to use agave in tea, or locally produced honey, and then I use the regular refined sugar in baking.

 

[Silvermoon]

Sugar doesn't irritate me a LOT (in fact, it tends to make me constipated) - however, I have been using Splenda for a lot of different things - cooking/baking - (as a few people in my family are diabetics so I am doing my "nursey educator-y thing" but trying to indtroduce them all to the world of artificial sweetners) - and find that it bothers me even less than sugar! It's not the same story with other artificial sweetners - Sugar Twin for example - they tend to upset my tummy a bit....

But yeah, I use Splenda more often than not......(plus it is cheaper and more available than some of the other options, like raw sugar and more "natural" alternatives....

 

[David]

Silvermoon, have you seen this thread?

 

[sawdust]

I use regular sugar and honey whenever possible, but not for any kind of concrete reasons I can point to. When I relapsed, I started reading food labels and ingredients again, and it's nice to read these labels and see "sugar" and "honey." There are so many theories and studies for IBD, but I figure it can't hurt to minimize some of the "chemistry experiments" in our foods. It's so hard to get away from though, and is the reason I think I might try my hand at a vegetable garden this year.

OTOH, I don't think sugar irritates me particularly, and I haven't switched to sweeteners for other health reasons. In fact, after th$%&#! years, I just found out about a month ago from reading the bag that it's molasses that makes brown sugar - I always thought it was its own "kind." :ywow:

 

[Guest9283]

honey + agave nectar. no problems with these 2, for me.

 

[Rebecca85]

I stick to regular sugar for the most part (don't like the taste of most artificial sweetners, also diet drinks have had a lot of bad press). I do have some 'diet' recipes that use honey instead. Since diagnosis I have been gradually weaning myself off sugar- like I no longer put sugar on my breakfast cereal, and I put less sugar in my baking, and I try to drink more plain water rather than flavoured.

 

[effdee]

I don't think sugar causes issues for me, but I almost always opt to use honey. I'd use real sugar (just less of it) before artificial sweeteners, though.

 

[endibd]

But yeah, I use Splenda more often than not

You're better off using white refined sugar than Splenda.

If you're adding sugar to something, post heat, then 'unpasturized' honey is the way to go. At least you're getting some active compounds that are really good for you - anti fungal, anti bacterial, healing, anti inflammatory.

Make sure it's 'unpasturized' it's harder to find but you would never tell the difference in taste or price.

Once you heat it through cooking though, much of the goodness goes away.

 

[Grumbletum]

Sugar sets me off almost straight away. I was suspecting it might be a trigger and am sure after making jam the other day and that was just from testing a couple of spoonfuls. Guess I will try unrefined next and honey if need be.

 

[endibd]

Sugar sets me off almost straight away. I was suspecting it might be a trigger and am sure after making jam the other day and that was just from testing a couple of spoonfuls. Guess I will try unrefined next and honey if need be.

Ok I'm curious, if it causes you pain and discomfort and lifelong disease and you know that ... why use sugar at all?

 

[Grumbletum]

Endibd, good question Cos I'm a newbie. I know there's something wrong with my bowel, but not what yet. I've got a consultation at the surgical clinic at the end of the month.
So I'm still experimenting to see what the triggers are. I don't take sugar in hot drinks, but have cut out sweeties as they definitely set me off. After the jam episode, I think I will have to cross sugar off my 'able to have list.' I'm interested to know if some people are OK with non-refined sugar?
I'll be honest as well, I think it hasn't quite sunk in yet that I may have to redefine my whole diet and that this will probably have to be a permanent thing. But I'm learning ................... This forum is a great source of knowledge for a numpty newb - lol.
Helen x

 

[Fog Ducker]

With me it's the artificial sweeteners and sugar that get me. If I even have a sip or bite of something with either in it I get a serious pain in my upper right abdomen. I'm ok with sugars in fruit though as long as I don't eat too much, and honey seems to be ok, although I don't have a lot of it. It sucks too cause I used to be such a sugar freek!! I could sit down and demolish anything chocolate in no time! Lol! The girlfriend always busts me for eating sugar, cause I get really gassy and stinky!!! Lol!! But I have learned to enjoy foods with out all the sweetness. I pretty much have a bland diet and am WAY healthier now! And to be honest, I don't miss the sugar and I enjoy the "bland," natural taste of foods! Still have some tweaking to do with the diet, but I'll ge there!

 

[Crohn's 35]

I was on a Splenda kick there for awhile but then found out it is worse than sugar. Now I use Stevia and I am used to it. Not all Stevia is created equal and not cheap.

 

[endibd]

But I have learned to enjoy foods with out all the sweetness. I pretty much have a bland diet and am WAY healthier now! And to be honest, I don't miss the sugar and I enjoy the "bland," natural taste of foods! Still have some tweaking to do with the diet, but I'll ge there!

When you stop sweetening food, you start to notice the flavours in food. Same with salt, same with adding fat.

 

[Crohn's 35]

When you stop sweetening food, you start to notice the flavours in food. Same with salt, same with adding fat.

This is so true! When I quit smoking I hated salt. Not good for us anyways.

 

[vonfunk]

This is so true! When I quit smoking I hated salt. Not good for us anyways.

Smoking kills the dulls the taste buds, so people who smoke tend to over salt. Once you quit they eventually come back to life. If you ever eat at restaurant and soething is over salted, it means the cook smokes.

 

[ameslouise]

I have gotten worse at oversalting since I quit smoking!! I guess I just replaced one vice with another.

I did give up artificial sweeteners and now use agave, raw honey (LOVE!) and sugar in the raw instead.

PS When I had my colon removed my doc told me I had to increase my sodium intake. Thanks, Doc!!!!

 

[DanaDeadPetals]

I can't tolerate artificial sweeteners or refined sugar at all (although I do cheat occasionally). I tried Stevia and well, let's just say it's an acquired taste that I just can't seem to get into. I use agave nectar (lower on the glycemic index), pure raw local honey, and brown rice syrup to sweeten teas and cereals. The brown rice syrup kinda of has a caramel/butterscotch flavor that is yummy, would probably be good on pancakes