Giving Up Diet Soda....

I hate energy drinks, too. I wouldn't even drink them if I liked them. They scare me. I was talking about iced tea sweetened with splenda. They sell gallon jugs at our supermarkets next to the milk in the fridge or you can make your own tea, sweeten it with splenda and keep a pitcher in your fridge. Every restaurant around here has unsweet tea and usually has splenda but I also carry my own packets.

I just LOVE my splenda tea! lol. I can't even drink real sweet tea anymore. It leaves the grossest feeling and aftertaste in my mouth.

:rofl1:
I love sweet stuff! I frequently buy random candy that I'm not all that crazy about in the end, but just HAVE to have in that moment. I did that with those spice gum drop things the other night. About half way through the bag I was like, "WTF, why am I even eating this?"

Have you tried Truvia? I have found that I like that way better than splenda.

Alton Brown told me to stay away from anything with the word DIET in front of it, as in sodas and juice blends. i've started listening to him more on various things.
some more than others,

I used to use splenda, but now IT tastes gross lol. I have went to a straight up liquid sweetner (just water and sucralose) much better.

You should listen to Alton Brown on just about everything.
I <3 him so much.

I tried it but for one, they don't make my tea with it (and I make horrible tea, lol) and secondly, I found that is doesn't dissolve in cold tea AT ALL. I still have some that I bought to try but I have since switched back to splenda. I us the truvia in hot drinks (which I don't drink a whole lot of) and sometimes on fruit.

I was never a fan of sucralose. It's so much of a foreign chemical that I have a hard time using it. Just it's origin, unexpectedly found while researches were trying to derive a new insecticide, is a bit.... . And it's a chlorocarbon. And what it is not is derived from sugar itself (a misleading claim that those without a deep knowledge of chemistry do not comprehend).

My doctor said to either use a very small amount of natural cane sugar for my tea (this is the south....iced tea is a staple!) or to use Stevia. Since hubby's uncle is a sugar cane farmer, it's not odd to find me with a small piece of sugarcane in my large glass of tea. lol

But honestly? I've tried every artificial sweetender (minus Stevia) out there on the market. I have to be careful as I found I have an addiction to Sweet-N-Low.

As someone about to have a chemistry degree I am not at all worried about sucralose. The fats in margarine scare me far far more.

LOL. I don't necessarily worry about because I see it all as a "pick your poison" type of situation. None of it is good for you. It's just a personal choice as to which poison you choose. I already mentioned that I could pour 5 packs of Sweet-N-Low is a standard glass of unsweet tea. :rofl1: I have to stay away....far, far away.

Oh, and I've used spray butter for about 10 years now. opcorn:

LOL at the addiction to saccharin! Its totally a pick your poison. I love a little sweet in my diet, I can't stand the taste of stevia, truvia I cant' find here. So sucralose it is!

i'm glad i'm not the only one that uses so much sweetener. i use about 4 or 5 packs of sugar in a cup of hot tea (which i only started drinking after coming here from the south, i really adjusted how i drank tea when i came here) and about 3 or 4 in coffee. both in good sized mugs, not little teacups. i do use an organic raw sugar or whatever, though. i always ask if i'm out if the place at least has sugar in the raw, if nothing else. i'm convinced it tastes better haha.

i have a bad kidney stone problem though so i have to watch my tea intake, among other things. i've started drinking lots of water though. and now, really the only soda i drink is ginger ale. it's one soda i honestly cannot kick.

I have one diet mountain dew 4-5 days a week- I really can't cut the habit!

I drink a TON of seltzer water, which is just sparkling water with flavor. Zero calories, so it's basically the same as drinking water. I just need that fizz.

Other than diet soda, I don't use sweetener. I drink a cup of coffee every morning without adding sugar, since creamer already contains sugar.

I definitely agree with picking your poison.

Me too... I love really sweet coffee/tea. Now time to go make some. YUM

I HATE diet soda, but regular soda I LOVE.

I am a huge root beer and strawberry fanta fan, more so fanta than RB. I will have one maybe once a week and that's it.

it absolutely a pick your poison. ALL stimulants cause your body to burn it's stored sugars and crave sweets (that's why coffee & donuts are traditionally served together). coffee & tea are in their own way just as bad for you as diet sodas. for example the coloring component of coffee & dark teas is tannic acid. tannic acid is the component that turns a nice creamy white cow hide into the brown leather of your work boots. there is some correlation between long term coffee & tea consumption and GI problems later in life.

I actually don't have any problems quitting cokes. I used to drink 2 a day then the next day cut them out entirely and have been fine. There have been occasional cravings when I go out to eat with my friends or something and one gets a Diet Dr Pepper. But I can usually get past them in about 5 minutes. I went years without drinking a coke.

For tea and coffee I'm slowly weaning off of sweeteners. Coffee is harder for me so I'm finding I am just avoiding it entirely. For tea though I've started putting ice into green tea because I can drink that without sweeteners much easier than regular tea.

I find if you can get past the first few weeks sodas start tasting bad.

I'm glad I don't like sodas in the first place. That way, I don't have to give them up and feel deprived. I told someone once a long time ago that I gave up having one or two drinks every evening and lost 10 lbs, just like that! She said that she wished she drank so she could give it up and lose 10 lbs. lol.

Caffeine in reasonable amounts is suppose to be good for you. It makes you smarter because the more awake you are, the more you learn. That may be funny sounding but it's true. Coffee and tea both have have anti oxidants. By adding milk or cream, that neutralizes the effects of the anti-oxidants. So, some...not to excess is thought to be healthy. I don't think the same can be said about soda pop, diet or sugary. Soda water has a lot of sodium I believe. Seltzer may be better that way. Another way to spruce up water, at least I like it...is to stack the glass up with cucumbers and pour cold water on that. I often like a wedge of lemon or lime in the water, which gives it a little zing.

Yes, the research out there is spotty....but I see it as a "do I really want to risk them being right?" type thing. I haven't seen anything about eating wholesome organic vegetables & quality free-range meats being bad for you (yet)....so I think I'll stick with that stuff (as the bulk of my diet).

Obviously I splurge every now & then. If I'm at a tailgate, I'm not going to turn down some diet coke & doritos. Ya know? It isn't an "all or nothing". Eat as healthy as you can, as often as you can.

Really tasty alternatives to soda, btw:

-tea (been covered)
- flavored perrier (omg, the grapefruit is to DIE for - I HATE perrier & I hate grapefruit, but for some reason, the combo is perfection)
- La Croix (comes in a can, just like soda) - lots of flavors & very affordable (unlike perrier)