Speaking of Atkins -- question re: Splenda

[Guest guest]

Hi All,

I've got a friend who recently started Atkins -- it's nice to have a

friend who willingly eats saturated fats!

However, he says that Splenda is a fine to eat because it doesn't

affect blood sugar levels.

I know nothing about Splenda, but I'm convinced of the wisdom in

eating the NT way and sticking with whole foods.

So, can anyone tell me any specific problems (aside from it being a

processed food) with Splenda? I'd like to pass along the info to my

friend.

As an aside -- I just got back from having carpaccio (sp?) at an

organic restaurant. My FIRST time eating raw meat. It was

*delicious*!! I'm not sure if anyone I was eating with appreciated

what a bold step this was for me (or appreciated how healthy it is),

so I thought I'd share.

[Guest guest]

Here's some info on splenda (a.k.a. sucralose)

http://www.mercola.com/2000/dec/3/sucralose_dangers.htm

http://www.holisticmed.com/splenda/

,

----- Original Message -----

From: <lm324@...>

< >

Sent: Monday, January 27, 2003 10:58 PM

Subject: Speaking of Atkins -- question re: Splenda

> Hi All,

>

> I've got a friend who recently started Atkins -- it's nice to have a

> friend who willingly eats saturated fats!

>

> However, he says that Splenda is a fine to eat because it doesn't

> affect blood sugar levels.

>

> I know nothing about Splenda, but I'm convinced of the wisdom in

> eating the NT way and sticking with whole foods.

>

> So, can anyone tell me any specific problems (aside from it being a

> processed food) with Splenda? I'd like to pass along the info to my

> friend.

>

> As an aside -- I just got back from having carpaccio (sp?) at an

> organic restaurant. My FIRST time eating raw meat. It was

> *delicious*!! I'm not sure if anyone I was eating with appreciated

> what a bold step this was for me (or appreciated how healthy it is),

> so I thought I'd share.

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi,

This is my experience with sweeteners. They cause me to have panic attacks, bad

ones! Also, they give me yeast infections. Even Splenda gives me problems.

Actually, Splenda is the worst on the yeast front. Also, they increase my

appetite, even Splenda. So, while they don't seem to affect blood sugar or

insulin output, they cause cravings and increased appetite for me. Fishy.

Check Dr. Mercola's website. He has a section on the dangers of Splenda.

Basically, it was never accurately tested on humans, until now, with thousands

of unsuspecting guinea pigs.

As a low carb dropout, I would recommend that your friend look into NT first and

give that a go. You can do it and lower your carb count, without going to the

extreme of Atkins. My experience and that of others I know is that the first

time out you lose weight, but if you ever gain it back, it is not going to work

that well the second time. Also, I have heard of people staying low carb a long

time and having their weight creep back up anyway. Then they are stuck. I

guess you could go from 30 carbs a day to zero, but that would eliminate all

veggies from your diet. Just my two cents.

FWIW, I think Schwarzbein II, the Transition is a safe low carb book. Worth

reading.

Maureen

" kili94 <lm324@...> " <lm324@...> wrote:Hi All,

I've got a friend who recently started Atkins -- it's nice to have a

friend who willingly eats saturated fats!

However, he says that Splenda is a fine to eat because it doesn't

affect blood sugar levels.

I know nothing about Splenda, but I'm convinced of the wisdom in

eating the NT way and sticking with whole foods.

So, can anyone tell me any specific problems (aside from it being a

processed food) with Splenda? I'd like to pass along the info to my

friend.

As an aside -- I just got back from having carpaccio (sp?) at an

organic restaurant. My FIRST time eating raw meat. It was

*delicious*!! I'm not sure if anyone I was eating with appreciated

what a bold step this was for me (or appreciated how healthy it is),

so I thought I'd share.

[Guest guest]

Hi all,

I occasionally use small amounts of Splenda precisely because it

doesn't affect blood sugar levels. I consider it a lesser evil than

aspartame- at least for me. I haven't had any noticeable effects of

cravings. I will read the latest. I realize it's not natural, and

therefore don't go shouting out at the street corner, " Splenda!

Splenda! "

I also occasionally use small amounts of organic sugar (all table

sugar is half glucose, half fructose.) If you want the best of both

worlds (i.e. only a *relatively* minor effect on blood sugar (esp. if

you eat protein and fat in the same meal), in the form of something

natural), you might consider pure fructose. Fructose needs to be

processed by the liver in order to convert it to glucose, a process

which takes time, and therefore doesn't spike your insulin (at least

with moderate to small amounts, relatively speaking).

Maureen said: <<<As a low carb dropout, I would recommend that your

friend look into NT first and give that a go. You can do it and

lower your carb count, without going to the extreme of Atkins. My

experience and that of others I know is that the first time out you

lose weight, but if you ever gain it back, it is not going to work

that well the second time. Also, I have heard of people staying low

carb a long time and having their weight creep back up anyway. Then

they are stuck. >>>

*This* makes sense to my current understanding. I had understood

that " the extreme of Atkins " for any extended period can " turn your

cells into fat magnets " . This might explain the experience you

describe, Maureen.

I don't know if this is related, but also I *understood* that high

levels of saturated fat cause cell rigidity, causing a necessary

increase in insulin to push nutrients in. This increase in insulin

could also lead to weight gain, since insulin is the storage hormone.

I'm sure many here may disagree, but that explanation *could* also go

a long way towards explaining Maureen's experience - don't know for

sure.

I would find it interesting if anyone who has done " the extreme of

Atkins " for any extended period of time (I guess this would

necessarily include his maintenance diets) could comment (on this or

another thread---- or perhaps better left for another discussion

group????? - don't want to get too off NT....) on their weight, blood

profile, and/or general health (energy levels, well-being, etc,)).

The diet has been around for about 30 years, hasn't it? If a

significant number of people have been following it for 5, 10, or 20

years, with little or no weight problems, and good health and energy

levels, that would put a serious dent into the common critiques given

(notwithstanding any individual experiences to the contrary). Have

any long-term studies been done?

In conclusion, I would second Maureen's recommendation of trying NT

and lowering one's carb count (without going to the extreme of

Atkins). Personally, I was easily able to reduce my carb count by

minimizing (not eliminating) bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, cereals,

etc. and focusing on lots of vegetables (except corn and carrots-

smaller amounts), and fruits (except fruit juices, bananas, and dried

fruits, which I still enjoy, but in smaller amounts). In fact, it was

by this method, including eating moderate amounts of animal protein

at every meal, and not worrying about fat, that I was able to lose

weight (from 25 to 15% body fat). Since my carbs were always slightly

higher than protein, I believe that I did this by avoiding ketosis,

but that may be another story. (Still trying to put the pieces

together.)

[Guest guest]

-

>However, he says that Splenda is a fine to eat because it doesn't

>affect blood sugar levels.

There are two primary ingredients in Splenda, sucralose and

maltodextrin. Whatever the relative merits and dangers of sucralose, and

I'd much rather avoid it than not, maltodextrin is a health

nightmare. It's a superb food source for a legion of undesirable organisms

in the digestive tract, and as such will cause serious problems.

-