I was wondering if anyone here uses sweeteners? I was dx with type 2 last year. I closely monitor my sugar and noticed a spike whenever I use splenda. I also eat alot of sugar free stuff and noticed a dramatic jump with some of those items, especially Jello. That got me to researching and found that there was a common link in all these food items....maltodextrin. I did alot of research on the web and found that maltodextrim has a glycemic index of 105 (some reports were as high as 150). It has one of the highest numbers on the index, higher than sugar. One report I read said that "it is metabolically equivelant to sugar".
Can anyone explain this or know anything about it? I contacted the ADA by phone and email and they basically put me off. I am just really confused as to why this is in ALOT of our foods, especially foods that are made for diabetics.
I read in my IR Diet book that even though it isnt sugar-your body processess it like sugar because it equivilates that sweet taste on your tongue with the sugary food eaten in the past. I still cant say no to splenda in my coffee though.
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Acrowe, I know what you mean. I have to put something in my AM coffee. I am just confused as to why the FDA would allow maltodextrin in diabetic foods, knowing that it causes bloodsugar to spike. It is labeled as "carb-free" and "sugar-free", but our bodies process it just like sugar-maybe even worse! What does your book say about it?
On a different note..I see that you joined Curves...I did too..in March. How do you like it? I love it....I lost 1.75 lbs of body fat after 5 workouts!
I am very intolerant to any sweetner,except for stevia,stevia is a natural extract from a leaf,and is a thousand times sweeter then table sugar.There is zero carbs,zero calories,and the best part is there is no side effects like the aritificial sweetners.
I don't know if you have read anything by Dr. Richard Bernstein, but he advocates avoiding anything w/ maltodextrin in it. After I read the book, I tired to watch the foods I was consuming for Maltodextrin. Just about every sugar free product contains it! Ready to eat sf Jello doesn't have any, but the powdered mke your own kind does. SF Kool-Aid, Crystal Light, and even powdered Splenda contain it.
I have read that the liquid forms of sweetner (think SF Davinci syrups) and the tablet form don't contain maltodextrin. So far you can only buy tablet aspartame and sacchrine(?) but not Splenda in the US. Other countries have liquid Splenda. I have seen Fiberfit liquid advertised as liquid Splenda, but I have never tried it. I have tried Stevia and liked it. The nice part was that the stevia was mixed w/ powdered fiber, so I was getting 5 grams of fiber w/ every packet. The downside is the expense, but if you don't use much it may be worth the additional price.
I think it is completely ridiculous that a corn derivative (maltodextrin) that can cause a blood sugar spike is used in so many sf products. How about someone making a product that is truly sf and good for diabetics!!
I also want to recommend Stevia. I buy it in the powdered from in a bottle. I noticed that the packets were more expensive, and this way I can add as little or as much as I want - normally not too much since it is so sweet.
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When I first found out I was a diabetic my doctors sent me to a nutrition class. There I learned a lot about different foods and there effect on sugar levels. I learned that most of this stuff that they have out on the market which is labled sugar free or carb free really isn't. The manufacterers can get away with saying this because in essence it is without sugar. But if you read the lables a lot of it sweetened with by products of sugar which in essence has the same effect as sugar on the blood levels. My nutritionist basically told me that if I want ice cream go ahead and eat the real thing because the others are not really sugar free and to do so in moderation. That is what I have done over the last three years and I am in good control. The manufacterers put this stuff on the market because they know we will buy it . I hope that I was helpful.
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I can't stand the taste of stevia. It tastes bitter to me. Anyone else?
Aspartame gives me headaches, so all I can use is Splenda or agave nectar.
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Hi there. Im not diabetic but I work for Splenda here in the UK! Splenda has 2 main ingredients- sucralose (which will have no effect on your blood sugars or insulin levels) and maltodextrin (which is used as a bulking agent). Most of Splenda is maltodextrin. They say it is suitable for ppl with diabetes as long as you account for the carbs and calories in your daily allowance. I think the confusion comes from the fact that sucralose is pretty much calorie free but its just the maltodextrin which may have an effect on you.
If you have any questions about it PM me I can get you info etc..
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I use splenda and I've noticed a spike in my sugars but I've alos noticed the same level of a spike when I eat certain fruits that are supposed not high on the gi scale. It depends on how ripe the fruit is. As a chef, I use splenda in everything I bake or can, and I've also tried other sweetner options and they taste horrible. I figure I count the carbs and excercise a little more to counter act the spike. I've lost 30 pounds in the last two months, and I use splenda everyday. BTW, splenda now has a brown sugar alternative out and it kicks butt
Cindy
At my last endo appointment, he told me to try to use artificial sweeteners as little as possible because you are still feeding your sweet tooth habit with them, not retraining your palate, and if I absolutely had to have them, to always have something with sweeteners as part of a meal or snacvk, to help buffer the insulin spike.
thanks for posting this i got alot of info from posts responses to you
love
Letisha
p.s. i am almost to the post where i will get type 2 but they put me on met so i wont get it love
L
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it is for moniques Miss F.A.T Chance 2006 Sweep stakes if i am number one by june 30th i will win $10,000it would help me alot!! (right now on the 24th i am #29 out of thousands to some of ur guys help i was 102!! thanks girls!! please keep em commin! love ya)
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ChefCindy,
I'd be interested to know if you have any recipes to share? Have you posted them already? I can't stand the taste of any artificial sweeteners, I've even tried Stevia. However, I've never baked with Splenda.
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...I have read that the liquid forms of sweetner (think SF Davinci syrups) and the tablet form don't contain maltodextrin. So far you can only buy tablet aspartame and sacchrine(?) but not Splenda in the US. Other countries have liquid Splenda. I have seen Fiberfit liquid advertised as liquid Splenda, but I have never tried it...
Good news! I bought some Splenda tablets at Wal-Mart!! No bulking agent and I put one tablet in my coffee every morning...Yay! It is fantastic!
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Sweeteners 
thanks 
