Stevia as a sweetener?

[My Butt Hurts]

I was just browsing the food/diet area, and a thought came to mind.
Since sugar is supposed to be one cause of inflammation, has anyone had any luck with sugar substitutes? I haven't cut out sugar, but it might be worth a try.

I remember before I was diagnosed with Crohn's, I started getting bellyaches immediately after a sugary drink - kool aid or soda. The doctor said "stop drinking sugary drinks then". Thanks a lot - I was looking for a reason that out of no where this started happening. (That was probably a first sign of Crohn's actually. Less than a year later, the diarreah snd cramping started kicking in.)

Anyways, my "granola" mom suggested stevia. It's made from sugar, and has been used in Asia for many years. (Not to be confused with all the lead paint toy recalls - I think stevia is a good one.) It supposedly doesn't have any of the other side effects as some of the other sugar substitutes. I used it with unsweetened kool aid mix, and it wasn't too bad. No aftertaste, and similar to sugar. I found it in the natural section of my grocery store. It comes in a box, like sugar, or in packets. I think it was around $10 for 100 packets.

I have heard that the FDA and whomever grows/makes/sells sugar have some sort of secret pact not to label it as a food product. It is called a dietary supplement, but I don't know if that's true.

Just a thought, you may want to try.

 

[Kev]

Hey MBH.. I have switched to using honey instead of sugar whenever I can. I opted for it over artificial sweeteners because the artificial ones have had some bad stories connected to them... plus the honey is all natural, doesn't spoil, and I can use it in a one for one scenario.. i.e. like, I used to use 2 teaspoons of sugar in my oversize mugs for tea/coffee.. instead now I use 2 teaspoons of honey. I recently read some reports on food & IBD where i 'THINK' they were saying that 'they' don't believe there is a connection to IBD and some foods. IF I read it right, 'they' think 'fructose' is A-OK in connection to those nastly lil bugs in our digestive systems. I understand that some of the sugar substitutes are made using fructose instead of sucrose... Now, like I said, I may have mis-interpreted it, and even if I got it right, there is always the chance that 'they' may turn around and say just the opposite this time next year. Ever notice how the 'experts' are always changing their minds each and every time you turn around.
Only real advice I can offer is that you keep a food joural, and watch to see what is ok with your illness, and what isn't. Everybody is slightly different in diet woes.

 

[D Bergy]

Onions absolutly kill me. I had chicken with Lipton's onion soup mix on it and it made me so sick I just about blew lunch. My first symptom occured after eating a Blooming Onion. Nothing else has such a negative effect on me. I think finding these allergic foods is important.

I also substitute honey for sugar when possible. I just read where some kind of wound dressing for burns and such has just been FDA approved using Manuka Honey as the healing agent on the dressing. Many people have been using this for hundreds of years before, especially the Chinese. I remember doctors thinking you were some stupid hick if you put Honey on a burn.

Dan Bergman

 

[DanSJVDavis]

mom suggested stevia. It's made from sugar,

Actually, Stevia is made from the sweet extract of the stevia leaf. It's supposed to be a little sweeter than sugar and far better for you than those other sweeteners that are chemically derived from table sugar. It's one of the substitutes that a lot of naturalist diabetics are switching to. I haven't tried it myself because of the price (and the fact that sugar really doesn't give me the issues it gives some people), but I've heard it's pretty good.

Another is that Sweet Cactus Farms sweetener that was posted on here a while back while we were having that big glitch. The post disappeared during that time and never came back, alas. I requested a sample and loved the stuff. The light version tastes very mildly of Sorghum (not the crap they sell in Corporate grocery stores that tastes like licorice, but the good stuff they sell in country markets). The Dark is supposed to taste even moreso.

The sweetener is a little thinner than honey and is derived from the nectar of the agave cactus. It's the same stuff they ferment to make tequila. The price is on par with honey. It's got a good taste, is far sweeter than table sugar, and has a pretty low glycemic index so it's good for diabetics to use.

I've been thinking of being bad and ordering a bunch of it if I ever get some disposable cash and making mead with it. (and nope, red beans nor alcohol really bother me much in the guts unless I overindulge or take it for multiple days).

 

[kpratte]

Hey MBH.. I have switched to using honey instead of sugar whenever I can. I opted for it over artificial sweeteners because the artificial ones have had some bad stories connected to them...

Ahh yup, Nutrasweet and aspartame kick up my heart arrhythmia. For my dad that stuff and caffeine completely mess up his heart.

I stay away from all carbonated drinks as they give me gas / burps and wicked heartburn. Drinks like Gatorade don't bug me luckily.

Lipton's onion soup mix

It may not be the onions and may be some of the other ingredients in it.

My first symptom occured after eating a Blooming Onion

Yikes, that doesn't go over well with me either, too much fat and spices.

- Ken

 

[Kev]

Yeah And going back even further, there was a controversy over cyclamates. There is one made from fructose that apparently hasn't had any 'bad' press as of yet, but it is different... takes only a small amount so it's tricky getting the right amount, and I find it has a bitter aftertaste. As for onions, I can tolerate real onions, in small doses as long as they are mild... and for some reason, the larger they are, the milder. Like really large white or spanish onions are OK, but garden variety yellow onions kill me. I also, pre illness, noted I was OK with real onions, but onion salt, or powder, or the onion flavour that they put in soup mix was bad. Every time I ate any of that, it would cause me tremendous stomach upsets.

 

[AbstractDonut]

I'd go with Honey as well, there is controversy around all the fake sugars. Though you can read about them all on wikipedia as well. Though the problem with honey is that its kinda expensive compared to just sugar.

 

[Mazen]

From my side, I also try to only use honey, as it's natural, and has several health advantages. Just don't over do it.

 

[Kev]

True, it is expensive... but stop to consider it only comes from bees with bulemia ;-)

 

[brianncc]

The one thing about thread is that Stevia is natural and not a artificial sweetner. I am going to go to it for making cookies around the holidays. I do not know if sugar is a trigger, but why risk anything.

 

[vonfunk]

Stevia is a good sweetener, I find I can "taste" it if there is too much of it, it's hard to describe, but I'm the same way with splenda.

I've heard the same thing about it being labeled as a supplement as opposed to a sweetener due to the sugar industry as it takes far less of it to produce the same level of sweetness and it doesn't require the same quantity of land and farming.

 

[chrisnsteph1022]

My holistic doc recommended switching to Stevia (from sweet 'n low). That's what we use now to make our (decaf) iced tea.

 

[EmAitch88]

i have never used Stevia, but i would choose it over any artificial sweeteners. i was told that if you consume too much of any artificial sweeteners, it's not good for you at all. very small amounts is okay..but i try to stay away from them. and my nutritionist told me to stay away from them, too!