Fake sugar warning!

[Moon]

This subject may have come up before on this forum. And I'm guessing most of you know that artificial sweeteners are very bad for you? In particular if you suffer from any kind of digestive disorders. When I was first diagnosed with Chron's disease some 20 years ago I first learned that artificial sugars are very bad for your gut. I've always tried to stay away from diet drinks, low cal. options etc. although I sometimes forget (I'm sometimes so concerned worrying about gluten in food that I forget about all the other dangers for a person with a 'sensitive tummy') In trying to cut down on sugar a bit recently I came across Pura Via in Whole Foods. They were promoting it as a 0 cal. natural sweetener. So I bought a pack and have been using it in tea and coffee for a few days. The past few days I've been very stomach upset. I figured I must have been glutened, so I cursed my carelessness and spent an hour today checking every single label of everything I've eaten recently. No gluten as far as I could detect. And it turns out I was blaming the gluten unfairly. The Pure Via does not just contain the natural sweetener the label claims. It also contains a host of other ingredients and it's not said how much of what is in each 'sugar' cube. I googled and found several controversial articles about Pure Via and similar products. And several more articles confirming what my doctors first told me 20 years ago: that artificial sugars can worsen symptoms of people with digestive disorders and autoimmune diseases, it can actually cause IBS, diarrhea, bloating etc. etc. etc.

Rant over. But it just goes to show that not all tummy pain and feeling is gluten's fault. I've also been reminded that the best, and tastiest, sweetener is honey. Preferably locally produced honey. Here's one of many sites that explains the health benefits of honey: bees-online.com/HealthBenef...

Down with fake sugars - go bees!!!

[FionaGFG Administrator]

Good point we always recommend that coeliacs on here think in the round about what could be triggering their symptoms. I discovered my calci-chew tablets packed with artificial sugars were the trigger for me. Likewise some coeliacs will find raw salad etc hard to digest as the stomach heals. Moral is 'don't always blame it on the gluten'.

[clarabella]

Been thinking about stopping using artificial sugar in my tea for a long time due to so many people saying its full of horrible chemicals, and as I drink so much tea i'm consuming a lot of the stuff. Don't want to use ordinary sugar as looking a little porky at the moment from gorging on too many fat/sugar laden gluten free goodies over the winter. So, its down to good old will-power from today, no more sugar in my tea, wish me luck!!

[witchofthewest in reply to clarabella]

Hi Clarabella, have you ever tried Earl Gray tea or Lady Gray tea? They are delicious to drink without milk or sugar...and very good for a thirst.

[Moon]

Good luck Clarabella! I'm in the same situation, trying to stick with honey in tea although I would love a couple of teaspoons of sugar instead.

[Lynxcat]

I would say to anyone please avoid using anything 'artificial' .... your bodies aren't designed to digest chemicals. If you eat chemicals what can your body do with them? They are not fats, they are not proteins, they are not carbohydrates. Your body only has the capacity to digest these three main food groups. It uses them to repair and maintain itself. If you add any chemicals to the mixture what is it supposed to do? The chemicals with swirl around every part of your body travelling in every direction whilst your body is trying to digest these foreign articles. You may think that your body will logically dispose of chemicals through its waste system, your body doesn't have a manager telling each and every part what to do and where to go and instead your body will do its utmost to try and diget the chemicals. It will try to push them through the wall of your gut into your bloodstream where they will travel to muscles and organs. If by chance the chemical gets dragged into a fat cell, nerve cell, brain cell, etc the chances are that the chemical will cause disruption as like hydrogenated and transfats it/they will become stuck.

[Hidden]

What I think users of these artificial sugars should be aware of is that many are wheat deriv's and to the supersensitive and wheat intolerant are best avoided.

Also aspartame is well worth avoiding, just google it and make your own mind up!

I use unrefined sugar and honey.