How bad are diet cokes?

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4824

Houston

Subject: RE: How bad are diet cokes?

Stevia is not created in a lab with chemicals. Stevia is a plant, you can grow it yourself and use the leaves to sweeten tea, cofee, smoothies etc. The stevia they sell comes from the leaves of the plant, you can get it in liquid or powder form. I prefer liquid when adding to drinks. A little goes a long way. Diabetics, pre-diabetics and folks with hypoglycemia can use stevia.

Edited by KeriKadi 2009-06-06 11:46 AM

My Race Log

Lafayette, CO

Subject: RE: How bad are diet cokes?

Just to clarify stevia is another sweetener like honey or agave nectar which are naturally occurring in their own form and are not a chemically altered traditional sugar.

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Pro

4824

Houston

Subject: RE: How bad are diet cokes?

COSkiGirl - 2009-06-06 11:56 AM Just to clarify stevia is another sweetener like honey or agave nectar which are naturally occurring in their own form and are not a chemically altered traditional sugar.

She said it better than I did.

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8936

Subject: RE: How bad are diet cokes?

The implication that natural is better than artificial isn't anything that's been validated to date. Hemlock and cyanide are all natural too.

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Lafayette, CO

Subject: RE: How bad are diet cokes?

DerekL - 2009-06-06 12:12 PM

The implication that natural is better than artificial isn't anything that's been validated to date. Hemlock and cyanide are all natural too.

Well, certainly natural isn't a guarantee of safety but if someone is looking to not bring chemicals or chemically altered items into their diet stevia is an option. Now, while I am trying to reduce chemicals or processed foods in my diet more I am not categorically opposed to them depending on their ingredients. As I stated earlier I do still have some in my house and will continue to. I just don't have the desire to make everything I eat. While I have the time right now once I find a job that will change again.

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4824

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Subject: RE: How bad are diet cokes?

DerekL - 2009-06-06 1:12 PM

The implication that natural is better than artificial isn't anything that's been validated to date. Hemlock and cyanide are all natural too.

You crack me up

But I am sure you feel the same way about me - we need a smiley holding a peace sign

Now you're comparing stevia to hemlock and cyanide? That's interesting. Of course there are things in nature that are bad for us nobody is debating that but when there is something natural that we already know is safe vs something chemically derived it seems natural to go with nature, at least to me. We aren't telling anyone to stop using HFCS, aspertame, crystalline fructose, NutraSweet or any other artificial sweetener, we are simply stating our preferences and the decisions we have made for ourselves and our families.

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Subject: RE: How bad are diet cokes?

KeriKadi - 2009-06-06 6:29 PM

DerekL - 2009-06-06 1:12 PM

The implication that natural is better than artificial isn't anything that's been validated to date. Hemlock and cyanide are all natural too.

You crack me up

But I am sure you feel the same way about me - we need a smiley holding a peace sign

Now you're comparing stevia to hemlock and cyanide? That's interesting. Of course there are things in nature that are bad for us nobody is debating that but when there is something natural that we already know is safe vs something chemically derived it seems natural to go with nature, at least to me. We aren't telling anyone to stop using HFCS, aspertame, crystalline fructose, NutraSweet or any other artificial sweetener, we are simply stating our preferences and the decisions we have made for ourselves and our families.

So you know Stevia is safe for you? Interesting. I've seen quite a few health concerns regarding it. Ironically, since it's classified as a dietary supplement, it won't be as extensively scrutinized as the other stuff.

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4824

Houston

Subject: RE: How bad are diet cokes?

So FDA approval is good enough for all your artificial sweeteners but not good enough for stevia?
Can you point me to some of the health concers? I'm not doubting, I just haven't seen any. I think we can agree there are health concerns with a lot of foods we eat. I do my best to inform myself and make the best decision, life is not without risks.

ETA: I am a sugar girl, I like the real thing and I am pretty sure it has been proven safe.
However, if I were to use an artificial sweetener as I do occasionally in teas I would reach for liquid stevia over splenda, nutrasweet, equal, sweet n low, etc.

Edited by KeriKadi 2009-06-07 8:52 AM

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Subject: RE: How bad are diet cokes?

KeriKadi - 2009-06-07 8:41 AM So FDA approval is good enough for all your artificial sweeteners but not good enough for stevia?
Can you point me to some of the health concers? I'm not doubting, I just haven't seen any. I think we can agree there are health concerns with a lot of foods we eat. I do my best to inform myself and make the best decision, life is not without risks.

ETA: I am a sugar girl, I like the real thing and I am pretty sure it has been proven safe.
However, if I were to use an artificial sweetener as I do occasionally in teas I would reach for liquid stevia over splenda, nutrasweet, equal, sweet n low, etc.

I was simply pointing out the irony of your position. "Life is not without risks" doesn't jive with what you've said. Nor does ignoring the widely publicized concerns over Stevia (which is why it hasn't been approved as a sweetener but simply as a dietary supplement) but continuing to point out concerns over other sweeteners (of which none have been validated by controlled trials). I admire your effort to inform yourself. You should continue to do so, but I would hope that you could step back and look at things objectively rather than pigeonholing things into "natural" and "artificial" with the attached implications that I see.

I think we're all trying to be healthy here. Knowingly putting something unhealthy into my body routinely isn't a choice that I make, and I'm perfectly comfortable with Splenda in my coffee daily. If I ever have health issues because of it, or if they come out with something that shows a genuine concern, I'd be the first to ditch it.

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4824

Houston

Subject: RE: How bad are diet cokes?

DerekL

I was simply pointing out the irony of your position. "Life is not without risks" doesn't jive with what you've said. Nor does ignoring the widely publicized concerns over Stevia (which is why it hasn't been approved as a sweetener but simply as a dietary supplement) but continuing to point out concerns over other sweeteners (of which none have been validated by controlled trials). I admire your effort to inform yourself. You should continue to do so, but I would hope that you could step back and look at things objectively rather than pigeonholing things into "natural" and "artificial" with the attached implications that I see.

I think we're all trying to be healthy here. Knowingly putting something unhealthy into my body routinely isn't a choice that I make, and I'm perfectly comfortable with Splenda in my coffee daily. If I ever have health issues because of it, or if they come out with something that shows a genuine concern, I'd be the first to ditch it.

I don't think trying to eat the foods nature provides rather than things that come from a box is piegeoholing, it is simply my choice. There are plenty of other natural things I do not partake in simply because they are natural.

You are right we are all trying to be healthy here and for each of us that can be something different. We can read the same information and come to different conclusions and that is great.
I Googled Stevia and dangers because you didn't provide any links of the "widely publicized concerns" you said I was ignoring. Of course there are naysayers and studies just like there are with every other sweetener on the market, you will find dangers of Splenda (sucralose) as well.

As far as FDA approval when I heard that both Coke and Pepsi got approval to use their version of Stevia I thought this was FDA approval as a sweetener. http://healing.about.com/b/2009/01/02/fda-approved-stevia-zero-calorie-natural-sweetner.htm http://www.foodprocessing.com/articles/2008/455.html

It can also be found in the grocery store under the name Truvia (Stevia) http://truvia.com/where-to-buy.html in the same isle as sugar now, not just at health food stores or in the supplements section.

Peace out.

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