Too Sweet for Me [Was: Gums (Guar & Xanthan), Cellulose and creative low cal foods?]

[Guest guest]

Andy Wrote:

Regardless, although *occasional* use of non-caloric sweeteners (as

well as the " treat desserts " you allude to) won't " harm " you in terms

of weight control or disease, regular usage of them may involve a

negative side-effect in that they will probably continue to condition

your tastebuds to want - and expect - extreme sweetness rather than

that which comes " naturally " from nature.

Hi Andy & ALL

I personally use quite a bit of Splenda or sucralose for baking, smoothies,

& beverages, but I don't think it has tainted or retarded my taste towards

enjoying other foods. Because of the lack of added sugar calories, I think

using Splenda helps prevent " sugar hits " or cycling binges. Sugars combined

with other carbs in the form of desserts definitely were habit forming if

not addictive in my case. Splenda seems to cut that brain link with

addiction or binge cycling, but I don't understand why this happens. I can

avoid those pitfalls with desserts now, yet it is still difficult to eat out

or buy groceries avoiding added sugars.

Most fruit tastes way too sweet for me, so I seek out the least sweet

tasting fruits I can find. If I eat at a restaurant, especially oriental, I

request no sauces with sugar or msg. I've tasted beautifully cooked

veggies, meat, and seafood at many types of restaurants that ruined such

items by the (sweetened) sauces.

It is " shocking " to me all the types of sugars being used in our packaged or

restaurant foods. I'll bet fast foods are much worse such as a Big Mac or a

standard slice of junk bread which would taste way too sweet for my

enjoyment.

Always read the ingredient lists for various hidden sugars using different

names & sodium contents.

BTW, tell us about the " custom bread " you have made when you have time. Got

a recipe for it?

numi

..

[Guest guest]

> Hi Andy & ALL

>

> I personally use quite a bit of Splenda or sucralose for baking,

> smoothies, & beverages, but I don't think it has tainted or retarded

> my taste towards enjoying other foods.

*****Good! As I said, I have found for *me*, when I reduce my intake

of all non-naturally sweet substances, I find my craving for non-

naturally sweet foods (cakes, cookies, ice cream, etc.) virtually

diminishes. Some of that may be " brain-washing " on my part: re-

conditioning my belief system. I can't tell. All I know is that I

am happy with a " non-natural " sweet " treat " once a week, whereas I

used to have (and crave) them 3 times a day! As Sheehan, the

late running guru and cardiologist wrote, " We must each be an

experiment of one. "

> Because of the lack of added sugar calories, I think using Splenda

> helps prevent " sugar hits " or cycling binges. Sugars combined

> with other carbs in the form of desserts definitely were habit

> forming if not addictive in my case. Splenda seems to cut that

> brain link with addiction or binge cycling, but I don't understand

> why this happens. I can avoid those pitfalls with desserts now,

> yet it is still difficult to eat out or buy groceries avoiding

> added sugars.

*****For me, I have found that cutting out 90% of the refined (or, at

least overly-refined) foods has reduced the cravings for sweet

desserts. A small serving of dark chocolate, a few times a week,

satsifies me. But often fruit does a better job (it fills me up

more).

In regard to binging...I have not begun any conscious CR at this

point...having aggressively implemented ON and eating as much as I

want (without stuffing myself), I am losing about 1 lb./week.

painlessly, effortlessly. As a result there has been no yearning to

binge on anything...there is no sense of Deprivation here. Once I

begin cutting calories (probably by 10% or so, in a few months, once

the weightloss stablizes for a few weeks), I may find that my body

chemistry (and concomitant psychological states) alter the entire

profile. As I said, " an experiement of one. "

> Most fruit tastes way too sweet for me, so I seek out the least

> sweet tasting fruits I can find.

*****Really???? Wow. Yes, I've found, having eliminated nearly all

refined foods, that fruit certainly tastes " sweet, " but not too sweet

for this boy's sweet-tooth! Hahaha!!!!

> If I eat at a restaurant, especially oriental, I

> request no sauces with sugar or msg. I've tasted beautifully cooked

> veggies, meat, and seafood at many types of restaurants that ruined

> such items by the (sweetened) sauces.

*****Ditto! Although I eat mainly vegetarian (except for low-mercury

fish 2 x per week), I do frequent oriental restaurants. I found one

near me, years ago, that actually serves BROWN rice as an alternative

to the traditional white rice. In addition, the places I visit are

happy to steam my veggies and provide a non msg sauce on the side

which I can use to " season to taste " the veggie-rice dishes.

Yummers! (I don't find the sauces too sweet!)

> It is " shocking " to me all the types of sugars being used in our

> packaged or restaurant foods. I'll bet fast foods are much worse

> such as a Big Mac or a standard slice of junk bread which would

> taste way too sweet for my enjoyment.

*****You understand the psychology behind such market-place " ploys, "

right? (A) Sugar is very inexpensive and by weight, cuts the

manufacture's costs; and ( it " sparks " most people's tastebuds

(perhaps not yours as you are apparently very sweet-sensitive), so

they tend to crave, and therefore eat, more food. And, of course,

this leads to bigger and better sales (and bigger waistlines too!

Hahaha!!!!).

> BTW, tell us about the " custom bread " you have made when you have

time. Got a recipe for it?

*****I wish I made this myself. And that is one of the downsides of

CRON: to eat nutritionally well (the ON part of the diet) requires

diligence and FAR more time making foods than I used to spend. I've

found shortcuts (well-stocked local salad bars for example), but it

still is very time-intensive. Making bread would only add to the

time deficit. So I'm glad I found this alternative.

The bread I was referring to is made daily by a New York City dude,

by the name of Eli Zabar (he owns several spots known, to all New

Yorker's, as " Zabars " ). Here's a link:

http://www.elismanhattan.com/bread.html

This bread, which I buy in New Jersey (it's shipped here daily and

available at Costco's and a few larger supermarkets) is

called " Hearth Baked Bread " (alternatively as " Eli's Health Bread. "

Here are the sole ingredients: stone ground whole wheat flour, water,

natural sour, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, flax seeds, honey,

yeast, and salt. A single (dense and chewy) slice serving is about

130 cal., 2 gm fat (0 sat), 24 gm carbs (3 gm of which are

sugar...but note that the bread does NOT taste " sweet " ; and 6 of the

carb gm are fiber!!), and 5 gm of protein. The bread is not " hard "

like stale bread; it is moist and " chewy " but it is not " soft " like

the mass-marketed " 100% stoneground WW bread " put out by Arnolds and

Pepperidge Farm. One slice of this sucker requires some serious

chewing...it really fills you up! I've tried several of the high-end

breads in the frozen area of some health-food stores. And while

their ingredients look fine and their nutrient profile is excellent,

I personally find them " dull " tasting compared to this bread.

~ andy