# Sugar vs Sweetener



## Tombo (Feb 21, 2009)

Which is better??

Regular Sugar (Sucrose) can lead to diabetes and cause cavities in teeth

However, sweeteners, such as aspartame, can cause cancer and liver damage but have less of an effect on teeth.

Which is the best to use? I'm currently using brown sugar but I'm not sure what I should be using. I don't use it much though. I've heard of a natural sweetener called stevia but then I heard that it is bad.


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## ShrinkingViolet (Jul 19, 2009)

Tombo said:


> Which is better??
> 
> Regular Sugar (Sucrose) can lead to diabetes and cause cavities in teeth
> 
> ...


Aspartame is something I avoid like the plagiur; however there is NO evidence it causes cancer, none whatsoever (if there was, the FDA in the States and the FSA here, wouldn't have approved it safe for human consumption). What annoys me is that all these sodding tests are done on mice! Mice are herbivores, humans omnivores, therefore their physiology is completely different!

However, it gives me headaches and sets my IBS off something chronic!

I don't know what you mean when you say you've heard that "stevia is bad" bad in what way...? I do believe that there have been trials run, but only on rats, no human studies have been conducted, as far as I'm aware.

There are 2 low-Gi, natural, sweeteners I know of:

Agave nectar: - This comes from the pith of the agave plant (surprisingly!) and has a taste similar to that of maple syrup. Whilst being low GI, it is still very high in carbs, so not suitable for those low-carbing or doing keto.

Splenda (sucralose): - this is my choice. Again it's low-GI, and is suitable for those on a low-carb/keto diet. In fact, as our bodies cannot extract any nutrition from sucralose it is, in effect, calorie free. Both Bulk Powders and My Protein use it in all their flavoured proteins.


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## blutak (Jul 6, 2009)

ShrinkingViolet said:


> However, it gives me headaches and sets my IBS off something chronic!


x2!! I never realised what an effect aspartamine had on me till i used it for like a week straight, just getting over the IBS effects now. Also makes me bloated so now use honey or sugar instead!


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## skinnyfat (Mar 30, 2010)

I use agave, theres no spike(pardon the pun) from it.


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## B-GJOE (May 7, 2009)

You could try palatinose from MP. Or just use dextrose/glucose, but at the right time, ie after training. We just havn't evolved enough yet to cope with the massive amount of fructose in sucrose, the liver just don't like it, and it turns into a triglyceride factory.


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## Cliff (May 2, 2010)

when on the atkins diet (pre-training), i'm sure i read somewhere that aspartame prevented weight loss.


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## davidturner151 (May 19, 2010)

sugar wins by a knockout


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## Burner (Jun 22, 2010)

How important is limiting sugar intake when cutting? Specifically white sugar cubes in tea.


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