artificial sweetners

i peeked at old threads first, but thought i might give this topic another go.
i do my best to avoid any artificial sweeteners  (among other additives) and wondered how others felt about them being so prevalent..especially here it seems to me.
(not to say they aren't EVERYWHERE).
Maybe others could share choices of food they know for sure do or do not have them here in the uk?  I try to label read, but sometimes sweeteners are in things i don't expect and i get home & find a nice place for it in the back of the cupboard.

I am avoiding anything ocntaining aspartame, which for some reason doesn't carry the health warning in the UK, though it does in several other countries.  It means I have had to give up my passion for Robinson's Lemon Barley Water 

I'm investigating Splenda though, as it claims to be a sugar derivative, and therefore natural.  I'd welcome thoughts on this.


Vicky

The longer you're here, the more you'll get used to brands that don't contain that junk.  Although from time to time some will switch and start adding artificial sweetners to them.  This happened to me with Lilt and Oasis drinks.  Ugggh.

You just read labels and get used to it.

Now I am starting to see more things that don't contain artificial sweetners.

I avoid anything that's 'diet' or advertised as 'no added sugar'.

If someone gives that crap to my kids, I don't let them have it.

This is a HUGE problem for me as I don't get along with aspartame at all. Frankly, I don't really like the taste of any artificial sweetener, though, including Splenda.

I think there's going to be less aspartame in drinks, though. Up until recently Sainsburys' cloudy lemonade had it (the regular version) and now it doesn't!

I think someone mentioned that the EU doesn't allow it, so if you look for drinks at Lidl, you might have more success.

I am not bothered in the slightest.  I think we, as a society and as of lately, have been making a big deal out of everything we put in our mouths.  This is bad for you, that is bad for you, you shouldn't eat this, you shoulnd't eat that.  Every month is seems the results of some study or other comes up  and often another study will contradict those results.

I stopped using sugar a few years ago for the sole reason that I went on weight watchers and I didn't want all the calories of the sugar but I still wanted sweet stuff.  I'd rather have artificial sweeteners than calories but that is just a very personal choice.

I have gotten flamed for that before but it's just a matter of picking what is for you the lesser of two evils.

June

PS.  I meant to say that I have now gone back to using sugar reguarly, mostly for baking, because it's better to cook with but if I'm drinking say tea, I still use Splenda.

This is a HUGE problem for me as I don't get along with aspartame at all. Frankly, I don't really like the taste of any artificial sweetener, though, including Splenda.

I think there's going to be less aspartame in drinks, though. Up until recently Sainsburys' cloudy lemonade had it (the regular version) and now it doesn't!

I think someone mentioned that the EU doesn't allow it, so if you look for drinks at Lidl, you might have more success.

i was very hopefull when we moved here because it was mentioned on BBC and i thought that would be the beginning of change...maybe it's just slow to come?  Guess i'll be looking for the nearest Lidl store near me...

Pretty sure Sainsburys is planning to phase aspartame out of most of it's regular drinks. Diet ones, however, I'm not sure.

I also avoid artificial sweeteners. I haven't had much problem finding things without them in the UK, but you do have to look pretty hard sometimes because the labeling isn't very clear. Then again, I don't often eat/drink the type of things that would be likely to contain sweeteners. Yogurt is the major exception. I mostly eat M&S's organic yogurt, which is lovely and has the added bonus (for me) of not being oversweetened.

One thing I really appreciate about the UK is that corn syrup and high fructose corn syrup, which I also have to avoid, are not dumped into everything.

I just read the label on the Pepsi Max I'm drinking (and am addicted to!) it has aspartame.  I had never heard of it before though.

June

Edit: just looked it up on wikipedia....I HAVE heard of Equal before.

I'm pretty ignorant of the whole artificial sweetners.  Most (i'd say 80%) of meals that i make are made from fresh ingredients, i tend to stay away from anything ready made.  But aside from the fresh ingredients i wouldn't have a clue what was in the other ingredients?  

I don't have a sweet tooth so i don't eat sweets or drink juice of any description (oh, and crisps - they are loaded with sugar i think)...but that stems from a problem with my teeth, i have an incredibly high decay rate and can feel them going if i even look at a glass of coke.

I am not bothered in the slightest.  I think we, as a society and as of lately, have been making a big deal out of everything we put in our mouths.  This is bad for you, that is bad for you, you shouldn't eat this, you shoulnd't eat that.  Every month is seems the results of some study or other comes up  and often another study will contradict those results.

I stopped using sugar a few years ago for the sole reason that I went on weight watchers and I didn't want all the calories of the sugar but I still wanted sweet stuff.  I'd rather have artificial sweeteners than calories but that is just a very personal choice.

I have gotten flamed for that before but it's just a matter of picking what is for you the lesser of two evils.

June

PS.  I meant to say that I have now gone back to using sugar reguarly, mostly for baking, because it's better to cook with but if I'm drinking say tea, I still use Splenda.

I do agree with you to some extent...we have to eat SOMETHING afterall...
But the initial reason I gave up sweeteners was while still living in the states and trying to find a source for my headaches.  after self researching on the internet and talking to my doc I finally shed the migranes when i stopped drinking diet dr. pepper & flavoured waters (both of course having artificial sweeteners.)
it may very well be that i'm susceptible to them for some reason as anyone can be to random items...who knows

Ditto, aspartame for me means migraines and upset stomachs.

IMO, there's really no need for them. I'd rather go without than put funky chemicals in my body.

I get migraines too and when I started getting them, caffeine was the only thing that made them go away and that's how I got hooked on Pepsi 12 years ago.  I have switched to diet and now to Max since then but if I a day without pepsi, I get killer headaches and I'm tired all day.  That is how addicted to Pepsi I am.  I realize this isn't good either though so I'm thinking about weaning myself off.

June

If you need to add sweetner to something, try Agave Nectar.  It is organic, vegan approved, and Kosher.  It also will not spike your insulin levels so good if you are diabetic.  I use it in tea and in smoothies in place of honey or Splenda.  I don't bake sweet things so I am not sure about baking.

http://www.wildorganics.net/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=65

I am sure there is place that sells it in the UK.

I won't eat any artificial sweeteners. Are they bad for you? Most likely. But, for me, the deciding factor is how absolutely disgusting they make food taste! BLECH! No, thank you!!

You just read labels and get used to it.
I avoid anything that's 'diet' or advertised as 'no added sugar'.

Yup. You just have to read labels. I also avoid anything that says it contains "sweeteners," as this does not mean sugar. It can be misleading, but I'd rather spend an extra 2 minutes examining a label than get something home and find that I've bought rubbish by mistake.

It isn't that difficult, though, to get by without buying/consuming products with artificial sweeteners. Maybe it's easier for me because I don't drink fizzy drinks - only water, juice or booze!