Question:
How many of you avoid aspartame? I read about it in Dr. Atkins book.

I realized it was in my sugar-free jello, sugar-free hot chocolate, and Crystal Lite. Dr. Atkins said it can cause some to "hold on" to the weight. Anyone had any experience with this?    — raye (posted on October 19, 2003)

October 19, 2003
I asked my nutritionist about this one because I was using Equal in my decaf and she said that chemically there is no reason for that to happen. I have heard that for some people artificial sweetners can trigger the same cravings that real sugar does. I have not noticed a difference in loss with aspartame or Splenda. Neither one keeps the weight from moving. Perhaps people who are doing a lot of aspartame goodies and not losing are just eating more calories or just simply eating foods with no real nutritional value.
   — Carol S.

October 19, 2003
I love splenda BUT I use all artificial sweeteners with fair regularity and have not had any problems. I've lost 200 pounds in 14 months. Sure I may have lost more in that amount of time if I'd not touched the stuff...but you couldn't prove it by me.
   — [Deactivated Member]

October 19, 2003
Being a former diabetic (I just lover to say "former"!), I've used Equal for many years, with no bad side effects. Since it came out, I prefer Splenda, but still use Equal when I can't get Splenda. There's no discernable bad effect on my weight loss. This may be another one of those individual things that affects some people and not others, or it might be as another poster suggested: the allure of "sugar free" makes people eat more of the item, and as we all know, sugar free isn't calorie free. I say try for yourself and see if it's a problem or not for you.
   — Vespa R.

October 19, 2003
When I was a very early post op, like within the first month to month and a half I could not tolerate it. It would give me diarreah and smelly gas. That eventually went away. Just every once in a while will it affect me. I am now almost 6 months post op. I do not feel that it causes me to "hold on" to any of my weight, I use very little of aspartame. I mostly eat protein, with a very rare breakfast cereal thrown into the equation.
   — ChristineB

October 19, 2003
Any kind of artificial sweetener makes me dump, BADLY....I have to read labels if I even think that there might be artificial sweetener...when injested, my ears ring, I sweat terribly and get so nauseous that I practically have to lay down right where I am....so I am careful....I tasted a desert at Costco one day not knowing that there was artificial sweetener and I found myself on the back isle where the big bags of dog food are, sprawled out on the dog food....couldn't even make it out of the store.....
   — Joi G.

October 20, 2003
I use aspartame with no problems. I get mine at Aldi's where it is very cheap and good. I prefer Splenda but that is so expensive I try to use it just for cooking. I did use alot of Splenda as a new post op and found it triggered sugar cravings so I had to cut down. I also thought that by using artifical sweetner that my body was NOT producing insulin. Well seems I was wrong. Read the link below. http://www.carbohydrateaddicts.com/nonsgr.html Anyway, I wish I had the control to stop even the artifical kind. I think I'd be better all the way around.
   — Danmark

October 20, 2003
I'm unable to use aspartame because it gives me terrible migraines. In order to eat yogurt, hot cocoa, etc, I found brands with Splenda and seem to tolerate that ok. It's hard to find a protein bar without aspartame or sugar, but I was able to find some at GNC.
   — Tammy R.