I'm trying to avoid sugar, and am experimenting with Stevia and sugar alcohols. Have you tried these? What is the current thinking on the saftey of sugar alcohols? If I bake my kids will eat it too, so I'm looking for info that would be safe for everyone. Thanks, Lisa
Posts: 24 | From California | Registered: Jan 2006
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posted
Not sure about the answer to your question, but I've been doing great with organic unrefined evaporated cane sugar. It's sweeter than regular refined sugar (so you use less) and much safer than anything I know.
Posts: 159 | From CT, USA | Registered: Jan 2005
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posted
Stay away from any product that contains Aspartame.
Aspartame is turning out to be a very dangerous chemical especially for Lyme infections....
I believe Stevia contains Aspartame as does most all diet soda drinks...
If you must have to have sweets, I use moderate amounts of sugar. Plus, I use virgin coconut oil for all cooking. (use web to buy... about $10/lb) Coconut oil is very good for kids and helps prevent diabetes...
Vegetable oils don't have the nutrition children need for building their brains and nervous systems. Plus they contain lots of transfats which is turning out to be a long term poison. Google Dr Mary Enig for more info....
Aspartame caused numbness in my hands. I was drinking 3 cans of diet soda a day. I read an article on the web and stopped diet sodas and the numbness went away... Also, Aspartame will put weight on you and mess up your blood sugar.. The body doesn't have a method to digest it and puts it into fat....
It seems junk carbs (donuts, pancakes, cookies and cakes) cause more problems (high blood sugar) than sugar itself.. Mostly caused by highly processed flour....
There is no safe sugar substitute that I know of...
Tj
Posts: 192 | From Phoenix, AZ | Registered: Apr 2005
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robi
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posted
Stevia is an herbal and as far as I know does not contain aspartame. I use it in my protein shakes. If it does contain aspartame I would like to know because that stuff is poison.
Thanks, robi
-------------------- Now, since I put reality on the back burner, my days are jam-packed and fun-filled. ..........lily tomlin as 'trudy' Posts: 2503 | From here | Registered: Apr 2004
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johnnyb
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posted
I am still on the fence about some of these.....
Xylitol gum, for example, supposedly helps prevent tooth decay, and might be a better choice than sugar gum.
Splenda is supposedly made from sugar, but I think they change the structure so as to make it slower or non-absorbed.
I do agree that small amounts of sugar in your coffee, etc... would probably be much less harmful than eating white bread, donuts, etc...
- JB
Posts: 1197 | From New Jersey | Registered: Jul 2005
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My LLMD said the only sugar we -lymies- can use is Stevia is all natural, he was the one that actually sugested to me. I use it a lot, it does have a little bit of after taste but better than nothing.
Take care, Lymster in WA
PS. My LLMD is in CA, maybe we have the same one.
Posts: 303 | From WA | Registered: Jul 2004
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posted
Splenda is sugar with a chlorine molecule attached. I don't want to eat chlorine, and I also heard people who use it and pee it out are contributing to putting that much chlorine into the environment. Also, I read something about it having a higher glycemic value than sugar, or acts that way in your body. It will most likely be proven toxic at some point.
I heard stevia is totally safe, and other countries have been using it for a long time with absolutely no ill effects. The makers of Splenda have tried to raise questions of safety to ensure their place in the market.
But the one I'm most interested in is the sugar alcohols. They are most palatable, and many makers of chocolate and other cookies, candies, and goodies use them. Anyone know the latest research on their safety?
Stevia might work, but it doesn't taste exactly like sugar and may take getting used to.
With my yeast situation, I'd be afraid to try even the purest type of sugar!
thanks for the replies! Lisa
Posts: 24 | From California | Registered: Jan 2006
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posted
STEVIA is safe, but not everyone likes the taste/aftertaste. i don't eat that much sugar, and my younger son is type 1 diabetic so we generally try to limit carbs somewhat. sugar alcohols can be useful, but they have their drawbacks; most are VERY laxative, so you can't eat too much of them at one time. my son has tried xylitol and LoHanSweet(Chinese fruit sweetener), which are good, but rather expensive. i would never knowingly use man-made sweeteners; to me, they're like everying else man has tampered with-toxic. all sick people should avoid eating non-organic foods if at all possible, and CLEANSE!
-------------------- ~*~ Carole ~*~ Young at Heart Grandmother of 4 Posts: 140 | From Morristown, NJ, USA | Registered: Jan 2004
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groovy2
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Member # 6304
posted
Hi Lisa
Real- grade B maple syrup can be used in place of sweetners--
The sweet taste is Very Strong and it is packed with minerals- It is actually good for you--
If used in moderation it seems to not cause bad effects like regular sugar---
Grade B maple syrip is from the bottom of the barrel and is Very dark brown in color--
It is a little expencive but alittle goes a long way--
I did not have good luck with artifical sweetners and after awhile I had reactions like regular sugars--
To me steiva tastes horiable but I know many how like it- --Jay--
Posts: 2999 | From Austin tx USA | Registered: Oct 2004
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posted
Stevia and Xylitol are completely safe for Lymies.
Stevia is as "man made" as xylitol. It always takes some form of processing to reduce sugars out of their original sources.
Xylitol every other day or so will succeed at destroying some Bb as it and other pathogens have a very difficult time adapting to digest it. This is because it's a five-carbon "sugar" (as opposed to a standard six-carbon sugar like sucrose.) which is recognized by the pathogen as a "sugar" and an attempt is made to "consume" it. However, once the attempt is started, there is no reverse, and the pathogen dies from basically "choking" on an undigestable "food".
Xlitol is also beneficial for some probiotic bacteria. Because some of the less beneficial bacteria can't digest it, there will be some laxative effect based on consumption levels and individual biological terrain.
Posts: 294 | From nevada | Registered: Sep 2005
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posted
I do know that Splenda is supposed to be very, very bad for you. It especially causes nervous system problems, as I recall.
If you go to www.mercola.com and enter splenda at the top of the web page to search in mercola.com, it will come up with a lot of articles on that web site about it.
Posts: 856 | From Texas | Registered: Jan 2005
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posted
Are the sugar alcohols the ones that end in 'tol'? (I.e., sorbitol, maltitol, etc.) I've found them to be HORRIBLE for causing diahrrea... just putting that out there in case it might help someone else be forwarned!
Posts: 40 | From Arizona | Registered: Dec 2005
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johnnyb
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posted
quote:Originally posted by welcome: Stevia and Xylitol are completely safe for Lymies.
Stevia is as "man made" as xylitol. It always takes some form of processing to reduce sugars out of their original sources.
Xylitol every other day or so will succeed at destroying some Bb as it and other pathogens have a very difficult time adapting to digest it. This is because it's a five-carbon "sugar" (as opposed to a standard six-carbon sugar like sucrose.) which is recognized by the pathogen as a "sugar" and an attempt is made to "consume" it. However, once the attempt is started, there is no reverse, and the pathogen dies from basically "choking" on an undigestable "food".
Xlitol is also beneficial for some probiotic bacteria. Because some of the less beneficial bacteria can't digest it, there will be some laxative effect based on consumption levels and individual biological terrain.
Good, I hope they choke away on it! I think xylitol does occur naturally in small amounts in some foods, from what I've heard. They extract it from birch bark (?) to produce comercially.
- JB
Posts: 1197 | From New Jersey | Registered: Jul 2005
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lymeHerx001
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posted
Mercolas site talks about Splenda but those studies were using HUGE amounts. The equivelent to 200 packs a day.
Now stevia tastes like chemicals to me,, dont like it.
Aspartame is bad for you (formic acid) and (formaldehyde)
I use splenda cause I have no problems with it,, as far as I can tell.
If I used sugar instead of Splenda I get stabbing burning pains , depression , ETC
With splenda I have none of that.
Posts: 2905 | From New England | Registered: Sep 2004
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posted
Yep you got it xylitol is made from "birch bark" and some other plant (forget now)......it occurs naturally in other plants as well.
Stevia is an herb and it's fine, I just don't like the taste.
Hey Welcome......where did you find your info. on : Xylitol every other day or so will succeed at destroying some Bb as it and other pathogens have a very difficult time adapting to digest it. This is because it's a five-carbon "sugar" (as opposed to a standard six-carbon sugar like sucrose.) which is recognized by the pathogen as a "sugar" and an attempt is made to "consume" it. However, once the attempt is started, there is no reverse, and the pathogen dies from basically "choking" on an undigestable "food".
If this is the case I'm gonna do an i.v. of xylitol !!! .....
Never saw that before and would like to read up on it some more, thanks!!
Gail
-------------------- Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will ~ Gandhi Posts: 562 | From Wellsville, PA, USA | Registered: Jan 2004
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JimBoB
Unregistered
posted
You are very right in that Asparteme is BAD for you, Lyme or not. Just as the phospheric acid in sodas is VERY bad for you.
I used to drink a lot of Colas with both in them, and my teeth are destroyed from them. I learned too late.
IF I have a soda now, it is 7-Up Plus, and I rarely have one of them.
I do love my sugar though, and am having trouble giving that up. Hopefully some day.
quote:Originally posted by dontlikeliver: Stevia is an herb which comes in a ground up form and an extract. I can't see how that can be manmade.
DLL
"The process involves the aqueous extraction of dried Stevia rebaudiana leaves, two stages of adsorption, purification, concentration and drying. Water and alcohol are the only solvents used in the process, which was tested at a scale of 7 kg of leaves. The yield is from 7 to 10% of dried weight i.e. 1 kg produces 70 to 100 g of steviosides."
or...
"Production of Stevioside involves water extraction from the dried leaves, followed by clarification and crystalization processes. Most commercial processes consist of water extraction, decoloration, and purification using ion-exchange resins, electrolytic techniques, or precipitating agents."
etc... in other words both Stevia and Xylitol don't just wash up on the shoreline in their ready to use state. They require human directed processing techniques to bring them to their useable state.
posted
Sounds great! Why don't more people know about Xylitol? How do you purchase it? I have never seen it sold in health food stores, though I've never looked. Has anyone used it in baking, and other ways you'd use sugar? Is it as good as it sounds? Lisa
Posts: 24 | From California | Registered: Jan 2006
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treepatrol
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posted
After a bit of searching I found this site that sells xylitol produced in the US from organic hardwood trees. It seems the other brands are made from corn grown in China. SmartSweet, as it is called, is also free of genetically modified ingredients.
quote:Originally posted by HEATHERKISS: Liqueid form of flavored stevia drops taste good in selzer and plain yogurt.
I have the vanilla cream flavor. If I put it in selzer it taste like a cream soda. There rootbeer and other flavors.
Heather turned me on to the flavored stevias. I had my health food store order some. You can call 1-800-899-9908 or go to www.sweetleaf.com to see about where you can order it online or buy it locally.
Before finding this product, I HATED the taste of stevia!! YUCK!
now....about those sugar alcohols. They may be "safe" [and yes, in large quantities they can cause diarrhea] but they can make the YEAST worse!!!! bigtime!!. I found this out the hard way. Now I ingest sugar alcohol very rarely.
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96222 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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I use ground stevia leaf. I orger it in bulk from mountain rose herbs and it just the natral dried leaf ground up into a powder.
I tried the white processed stevia and didnt like it at all. I never add it to drinks or anything like that but do take 1/2 tsp daily with my cocoa, flax, walnut etc breakfast concotion.
Lots of health food stores carry bulk ground stevia so you can buy just a little bit to try it but after that its waaay cheaper to order it by the pound.
Posts: 561 | From connecticut | Registered: May 2004
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5dana8
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Per post by welcome that xylitol can help kill BB Is this true? & how much everyother day do you need? Does any one know? Thanks
-------------------- 5dana8 Posts: 4432 | From some where over the rainbow | Registered: Sep 2005
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Areneli
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posted
Stevia in large quantities is cancerogenic for animals. Use it sparingly, please.
Posts: 1538 | From Planet Earth | Registered: Jan 2005
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posted
US, Canada and the EU haven't approved Stevia yet. You won't see it on supermarket shelves. Only in health food stores as a herbal food supplement.
Not enough information about long term use.... Seems to cause reproductive problems.... web page
Diabetes: It seems that a major cause of diabetes are junk carbs like cakes, donuts, pancakes, and super corn syrup(used in non diet sodas).
As a diabetic, I noticed that junk carbs (high glycemic index) cause my blood sugar to jump far more than a can of regular soda pop... (Love pepsi. I can drink only 1 or 2 a week and must be with a meal.)
I use saccharin in my ice tea. Saccharin does not cause cancer as reported by a faulty study years ago... (About the time Aspartame hit the market)
I would not use any artifical sweetner for baking because no one mentions what happens chemically when this stuff is heated.... Plus, look at all the other stuff that is added to the sweetner.
Veggie cooking oils: Get rid of all veggie cooking oils, especially canola, and start using coconut and olive oils. coconut oil will boost your immune system...
The man made veggie oils are chemically unstable and turn into transfats, which is very bad for your body...
Tj
Posts: 192 | From Phoenix, AZ | Registered: Apr 2005
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quote:Originally posted by Tj33: Diabetes: It seems that a major cause of diabetes are junk carbs like cakes, donuts, pancakes, and super corn syrup(used in non diet sodas).
---------------- I use saccharin in my ice tea. Saccharin does not cause cancer as reported by a faulty study years ago... (About the time Aspartame hit the market)
I would not use any artifical sweetner for baking because no one mentions what happens chemically when this stuff is heated.... Plus, look at all the other stuff that is added to the sweetner.
Veggie cooking oils: Get rid of all veggie cooking oils, especially canola, and start using coconut and olive oils. coconut oil will boost your immune system...
The man made veggie oils are chemically unstable and turn into transfats, which is very bad for your body...
Tj
I agree!
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96222 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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