Question:
Does anyone use Granulated Fructose in their coffee or recipes?

I had RNY and can't stand the taste of artificial sweeteners. Splenda is OK... I was told by the nutritionist that natural sugars are OK to eat and that they are tolerated well. I found granulated fructose in the store and it has 4gr sugar/tsp. and 15 cals. I use 2 tsp. in my coffee and it is very good. I was wondering If I could also use it in baking, on cereal etc. and would it be a GREAT hinderence to my weight loss?    — Karen B. (posted on January 21, 2002)

January 21, 2002
I have used fructose and it seems to bake up well. It does fine in cereal or coffee but personally, I think that if you use it to make food with empty calories, it would be defeating the purpose of the surgery. I just use real sugar and when I have had enuf my body lets me know. That way I don't cheat! Just one person's opinion! :)
   — ctyst

January 21, 2002
Sorry...but I didn't see anything in my post that would've led the previous poster to deduct that I sit around eating "empty" calories all day. I know that fructose is a RNY tolerable sugar. If I make a rare dessert for my family...I would like THEM to enjoy it as well as myself in limited quantities. I mostly wanted to know if anyone else uses fructose and do you feel it slowed your loss down at all. Do you feel that actually enjoying what food you do get to eat is more important than staying completely faithful to artificial sweeteners.
   — Karen B.

January 21, 2002
I HAVE dumped on fructose. More than once. (What does that say about my brain?). I always figure if it'll make me dump, it'll make me full sized again. I use SugarSlim for baking--no one knows it is not sugar and it is a natural product. I still use "pink 'n blue" sugar for a drink. SugarSlim does have sugar alcohols, but not sugars. Comes in brown & granulated & it has been a lifesaver for me. I went completely back to all my old original recipes with this stuff.
   — vitalady

January 22, 2002
Sorry! Didn't mean to imply that. I knew it sounded wrong after I wrote it. In response to your clarification, I personally don't use very many artificial sweetners. I use real sugar and eat only as much as I can tolerate. That keeps me honest as I can only eat so much sugar. I don't dump on fructose (or haven't yet) and did use it before when my tolerance for "real" sugar was very low. If you really can't tolerate sugar at all, fructose is a good substitute. If you can tolerate small amounts of sugar, I say there's nothing wrong with just making the darn dessert and having a couple of bites! :) I didn't mean to imply that I am a hard-liner. If you look at my profile you will see I eat out all the time! I just tend to push the envelope and if you are also that way, then fructose may allow you to eat more empty calories than sugar. Hope that sounds better than the first time! =)
   — ctyst

January 23, 2002
Cheri, thank you for your response. Your second post gave me a much better understanding of what you meant. I am TRULY afraid to even attempt real sugar. I don't want to dump or even KNOW whether I can or not. LOL I don't dump on juice or the granulated fructose so far, but I realize it is the caloric equivalent to refined sugar. I am still a fairly new post-op, but eventually I would like to enjoy (1) piece of cheesecake or a slice of my kids' birthday cake etc. I think I could live with 1/2 Splenda and 1/2 fructose, but I really don't like the taste of them straight. I think watching EVERYTHING I eat is going to be for life, but I think the occasional treat is normal living. That is what I wanted this surgery for...to be NORMAL! LOL I don't think I will EVER be a hard-liner. That kind of restrictive lifestyle isn't something "I" can't live with long term. Through this surgery, I hope I can find that balance between total deprivation and gluttony! I guess I already had the answer to my question...Thanks!
   — Karen B.

January 23, 2002
I meant to write "that kind of restrictive lifestyle isn't something I CAN live with long term." Sorry!
   — Karen B.