The big sugar or sweetener debate!

[Toria09]

I have a little bit of a sweet tooth, not too bad but I would rather have something sweet than savoury.

When it comes to tea I like to have 3/4 of a spoon of sugar in it. Now obviously sweetener doesn't have the same amount of calories as sugar but I keep being told that having sweetner in my tea is counter productive as I am just going to end up craving more sweet things.

So my question is (and I really do need advice on this) do I stick to my 3/4 spoon of sugar in my tea or do I switch to a sweetener tablet instead??

Answers on a postcard :sign0163:

Thanks

Vicky x

 

[Toria09]

Doesn't anyone want to talk to me :wave_cry:

 

[Lostris]

Doesn't anyone want to talk to me :wave_cry:

Maybe we just don't have the answer you're looking for. Good luck though,

x

 

[MissusB]

Well, I have been using sweetner for over 2 years now and I haven't seriously craved a sweet thing.
I prefer savoury lol

 

[Toria09]

Thank you, I don't know whether I should switch to sweetener in my tea or not - maybe I should just stick to water then I wouldn't have this problem.

Sorry didn't mean to sound like I was nagging for an answer

 

[KD]

I keep being told that having sweetner in my tea is counter productive as I am just going to end up craving more sweet things.

That's incorrect. The study that was done that caused the controversy, was flawed.

During the study it was decided that sweeteners caused a cephalic insulin response. There is a chance that type 2 diabetics get an insulin repsonse to sweet tastes, but not the average Joe or Jane Blog.

We also now know that any flavour that lacks calories can cause overeating. It wasn't just sweeteners. Much of it is psychological. Oh, the diet coke was zero calories, which means we can eat this and that.

The most important thing is to make sure that whether 'real' sugar or artificial sweeteners form part of a daily calorie allowance. So have whatever you prefer, but if you drink a lot of sugared tea, you need to cut down on calories elsewhere.

Personally, I avoid artificial sweeteners, but only because I try to moderate artificial foods, whether it's sweeteners or low fat yoghurt.

 

[crazylilblondie]

I always have splenda in my porridge in the morning - it gives me just enough sweetness to satisfy my craving - and i dont find myself craving sugar afterwards (well, no more than usual!)

x

 

[jane_doe]

I also like to use the same quantity of sugar in my tea and i promised myself when i started dieting that this will be the only thing i wouldn't change. So a cup of tea a day satisfies my cravings. I never liked sweetner, it's just awful.

 

[Jim]

Personally, I avoid artificial sweeteners, but only because I try to moderate artificial foods, whether it's sweeteners or low fat yoghurt.

I totally agree KD, I hate anything artificial, I try to stick to unprocessed food as far as I possibly can.

Blondie, I have berries with my porridge, I like that.

 

[Patchninja]

Well, to add to the debate, I use sweetners in my coffee. I wouldn't like it with nothing to sweeten it, but this hasn't increased any cravings! Try it for a week and see how you get on.

 

[dehli]

I find if I have something sugary it makes me crave more sugary things. I have splenda in my cocoa and on my cereal. Try it for a day and see how you get on.

 

[Toria09]

I'm still in two minds, I used to have sweetener in my tea a few years ago and had no problems with (I was also single and didn't have a b/f who thought being horrible was an olympic sport but hey ho) I tend to only have sweetener at home for porridge etc I dont keep sugar in the house it mostly at work I have sugar in my tea becuase we have a tea rota it seems unfair to ask people to put sweetener in as it might confuse them.

Sorry I know that was a fairly pointless comment really. Thank you all for your advice though

x

 

[Melanie]

Re tea rota, you could keep your sweetner in your desk and add it yourself when your tea has been made for you, just say you don't want anything adding. Problem solved. If you want sweet tea, go for the sweetner in place of sugar, maybe reduce the amount you have in a cup over time, eventually you may prefer it unsweetened anyway.

 

[Toria09]

Thanks Melanie that thought did cross my mind I'm going to give that a go from next week, I might just be difficult and leave my sweeteners on the tray with a label on them saying whoever makes tea to put one in mine in place of sugar.

(If that avatar is your kitty cat can I steal him please hes lovely)

x

 

[Melanie]

Yes the avatar is of my little kitty - but she's a girly. She is soooooooo pretty and so spoilt! There are some more pics of her in my album but she's a lot bigger now.

 

[crazylilblondie]

Your litty kitty is actually the cutest thing ever!!

 

[saraian24]

I enjoy my sweet things, ie desserts and choc but i have sweetners - purely becusse there less cals and taste the same as sugar and thats it!

 

[Georgiestar]

it sounds like your dieting is going to exstream level, thats what happend to me I used to have sugar before, then I started dieting, I changed to sweetners, now I stick to nothing in my tea and i dont miss it, but if i did, I wouldn't really care weather I have sweetners or sugar.. as for the porrige I have honey on it but sometimes I have golden syrup, it depends how I feel.