Sweetener

[Clarissa Dalloway]

Hi all- am starting full on tomorrow  and my one caveat is that, while I can have coffee with almond milk -- I cannot have it without sweetener. I have lived on those pink packets( sorry to say) for ever and, as they aren't what's causing my menopausal tummy - I am hard pressed to see what giving those up is meant to accomplish.  Eating healthily- yes.   Has anyone actually continued with artificial sweetener? I find equal bothers me- as does gum- but sweet and low never has.

 

[ShannonM816]

If you give up the sweetener, you will more than likely find that your taste buds change and you'll notice the sweetness in natural foods.

Also, sweeteners may not seem to affect you, but if you've never gone without them for an extended period of time, you don't really know how you'd feel without them. It may or may not be contributing to digestive issues, but it could be doing other things, like affecting energy or cravings for other foods or hunger levels.

Plus, there's not really a Whole30 plus the stuff I don't want to give up. There's just Whole30. All of us who have done it have given up things we didn't necessarily think we could live without for 30 days, and we survived, and most of us saw positive results and don't regret giving things up for a while. Personally, I couldn't tolerate coffee without cream and sugar before my first whole30, and couldn't get used to it with coconut or almond milk, so I gave up coffee completely a few days in. Caffeine withdrawal sucks, but that only lasted a few days, and I ended up realizing I don't need coffee to survive, and when I went back to having some occasionally found that while I still like fancy sweet coffee drinks occasionally as a treat, I'm fine with coffee with coconut milk as my usual choice, or I'm fine with not having it every single day, or occasionally even having it black and unsweetened. 

Just try the plan, as written, and see what happens. In 30 days, if you don't feel any different, you can go back to your packet of pink stuff.

[ArtFossil]

Well, you can start with the Whole30 Manifesto on Sugar and Artificial Sweeteners:

Quote

When thinking of foods that provoke an unhealthy psychological response (including cravings), sugar comes to mind first. Because the sweetness of sugar is addictive, eating an excess amount is easy. The more we eat, the more we get acclimated to high levels, and the more we want. Artificial sweeteners are also commonly problematic, as they are hundreds of times sweeter than the sugar found in nature but lack any genuine nutritional qualities.

Added sugars are one of the quickest and easiest foods to provoke an unhealthy hormonal response, causing disruptions in leptin and insulin levels, primary reliance on sugar as fuel, and accumulation of lipids in the liver, bloodstream, and on the body (as body fat). This drives systemic inflammation, a major risk factor for many lifestyle diseases and conditions. In addition, these sugars are calorie-dense, but nutritionally barren — the very definition of “empty calories.”

Sugar (and studies suggest some artificial sweeteners) also disrupt the environment in our gut, specifically altering the delicate balance of “good” bacteria and “bad” bacteria. This condition (called dysbiosis) can lead to digestive distress and inflammatory symptoms like fatigue, body aches, and joint problems, and can worsen pre-existing inflammatory or autoimmune conditions.

Numerous studies have associated the use of various artificial sweeteners with various health conditions, including cancer, migraines, autoimmune conditions, and neurotoxicity. There have not been enough long-term studies on humans to definitively confirm these associations or prove a causative relationship, but we recommend a cautious approach when confronted with data that suggests there may be a problem. With potential downsides and no significant advantages, we recommend avoiding non-caloric sweeteners in general.

Then, consider that a Whole30 is only 30 days and is a priceless opportunity to find out how the foods you eat affect you. Artificial sweeteners of any kind aren't doing you any favors and may be doing you harm. Why not try life without them and see for yourself how you feel? You may find after a few days that you don't even miss them.

[Crastney]

you're starting tomorrow, and you have a caveat.  and it's a biggie.  Clearly you've either not read the book, or the rules, or you've not understood the plain simple concept of what is (and isn't) Whole 30.

give up that added sugars, give up the sweeteners, give up the alcohol, and tobacco, and grains, and everything else.  Live the next 30 days to the plan.  see how you feel.

Contraty to popular opinion, you're not going to die by eating healthily!

[laura_juggles]

If it's a huge deal-breaker to not be able to have coffee without artificial sweetener, then maybe it's time to give up coffee? Try tea instead or start the day with a nice big glass of water. I love the flavor of coffee so drinking it black is perfect for me, but if you love the creamy sweetness of your cup of joe, maybe keeping that in your routine isn't necessary.

[PatriciaNY]

When I first started W30 I thought "drinking coffee black?" But you know what it's ok I drink my coffee with Hazelnut unsweetened Nutpods I get from Amazon.  Since I've given up the artificial sweeteners food tastes better!  The nutpods don't give it sweetness but makes it nice and creamy with NO dairy and NO sweetners.  Good Luck!  another hint watch the ingredients in your almond milk!