Fat drinks vs Skinny drinks - what do you do?

[OoohShiny]

Sitting in a coffee shop I've not been to before, I ordered a double machiatto with vanilla syrup.

I forgot to ask if the syrup was 'sugar free' or not.

It was.

YUK




I cannot stand the chemical after-taste and weird dry mouth I get after having artificial sweeteners, yet nearly every bloody 'soft drink' over here is swapping sugar out and swapping sweeteners in (because of the government's sugar tax and because they want to be seen to be doing something for the obesity crisis the west is facing) and even syrups for coffee are now laden with them.

I would much prefer to stick with sugar but just have less!!

And that's not to mention that I am sure I have read/heard a theory put forward that our bodies are getting fatter because they do not know what to do with all this artificial crap (although I have no scientific evidence to hand for this, and there may not even be any).


So what do you do? Guzzle down the 'good for you' artificial stuff or stick with natural stuff?

I personally avoid artificial stuff as much as I possibly can and I always feel crappy when I do have some, so although it's hardly a comprehensive study and overwhelming empirical evidence, I am sure there is something to be said for sticking to natural foodstuffs.

IIRC there was a 'back to the old days' experiment with a family living in NZ for several months, and when the kids had McDonalds for the first time when they cam out, they were sick!


Anyway... I just had to rant, because I am British and therefore don't feel able to complain to the lady behind the counter LoL

 

[missy]

I prefer my coffee black so am probably not the one to ask. But since you are asking I would say enjoy what you want in moderation (or smaller amounts) and just get the real thing. Perhaps that would be the most satisfying and then you wouldn't get the after taste or feel like you are depriving yourself. That way you are not setting yourself up for a possible binge like some people do when they feel deprived. Does that make sense?

Enjoy the real thing in small amounts. My advice.


And yes you are right. There are studies showing that when one does the artificial sweetener thing one can become even less healthy because the body does not know how to interpret that.

 

[rainydaze]

I have never been able to stand the taste/aftertaste of artificial sweeteners. I use the real thing (pure maple syrup or sugar in the raw if real ms is not available), and try to adhere to using it in moderation. Sugar is addictive for me, so it takes some work at times. There was a time that I ordered hazelnut coffee often, but once they switched to flavoring it with syrup, I was out. I also ordered flavored lattes often, but had to recognize it was too much sugar and I still didn't like the idea of having them created with syrup. Now flavored lattes are a once in a while (once every 3-6 months) treat, which for me is moderation.

 

[lissyflo]

I agree - ‘proper’ sugar but in moderation. I drink my coffee with just oat milk though (love the almost nutty kind of taste), having weaned myself off adding sugar a few years ago.

I have admittedly just had my lunchtime coffee along with a scone loaded with clotted cream and strawberry jam though, so take my opinion with a pinch of salt!

 

[chrono]

I take mine with plain cream only, no sugar or sugar substitutes. I do take sugar and substitutes occasionally and find the artificial sugar has that distinctive taste which I can pick up on immediately. Like everyone else above mentioned, all in moderation. Even too much cream in my coffee is probably not good so I'm reducing my coffee intake as well. One cup per day only.

 

[Ally T]

I don’t have sugar in my tea or coffee, however if I have a sweet treat, it will always be the real stuff. I am pretty adverse to chemicals & try to steer my children away from them too.

So we have the real deal, but in a sparing manner.

 

[baby monster]

Artificial sweeteners taste bitter and/or sour to me so I avoid as much as possible. I recently purchased a pancake mix at Costco that had monk fruit extract as sweetener which is supposed to be a natural option. It was on sale so I decided to give it a try. The pancakes were so overly sweet that I couldn't eat them so I'm taking the package back to Costco.

As far as coffee goes, I drink mine black if it's good or with cream if it's needs some help.

 

[lambskin]

When I started to drink coffee my mom said learn to drink it black (I had poured a ton of sugar and milk.) She said the extra calories and sugar were not good for weight and teeth. She also said that there would be times when milk and sugar would not be available or only unhealthy chemical substitutes (artificial sweeteners and nondairy creamers) were available or neither one was available. She was right. I love a good, hot cup of black coffee. And I would rather chew my calories. But that being said, if I drink ice coffee, I can only drink it with cream and sugar. (Vietnamese cafe suh da made with sweetened condensed milk and strong drip coffee is awesome) Trying to drink cold black coffee is not tasty to me at all.

 

[jaysonsmom]

I'm an artificial sugar junkie. Everything I buy is zero sugar (and artificially sweetened). I use flavored creamer with zero sugar for my coffee, for soda, the whole family drinks coke zero, and even for cooking, I use liquid splenda (sucralose) to sweeten any sauces etc. I also have "no sugar added" jams and jellies, sugar free maple syrup etc. I buy candies that are made with maltitol (for diabetics), and sugar free chocolate bars to curb dessert cravings. I think I'm just so used to artificial sweetener taste that "real sugar" actually tastes weird to me, especially in sodas.

As for artificial sweeteners, they are not all created equal, I do not like saccharin or ace K, I only like products made with sucralose, erythritol or maltitol.

 

[jaysonsmom]

I'm an artificial sugar junkie. Everything I buy is zero sugar (and artificially sweetened). I use flavored creamer with zero sugar for my coffee, for soda, the whole family drinks coke zero, and even for cooking, I use liquid splenda (sucralose) to sweeten any sauces etc. I also have "no sugar added" jams and jellies, sugar free maple syrup etc. I buy candies that are made with maltitol (for diabetics), and sugar free chocolate bars to curb dessert cravings. I think I'm just so used to artificial sweetener taste that "real sugar" actually tastes weird to me, especially in sodas.

As for artificial sweeteners, they are not all created equal, I do not like saccharin or ace K, I only like products made with sucralose, erythritol or maltitol.

Forgot to add, for "cocktails", I prefer skinny versions: Jack and Diet, skinny margaritas, and Vodka with sugar free spritzers.

 

[Austina]

I don’t drink coffee, so I have Stevia in my tea which is a natural sweetener made from a leaf. We have skimmed milk, because I don’t like the taste of full fat milk anymore. Long gone are the days when there’d be a fight over the cream from gold top to put on our cereal.

I don’t drink fizzy drinks and avoid anything with artificial sweeteners in.

 

[sledge]

I'm not a coffee drinker at all, so I can't comment there.

My morning caffeine comes from Mt. Dew or Dr. Pepper. Several years back I switched from regular to diet as it was supposedly better. Now it's the opposite, lol.

Problem is, when I drink the regular versions I get a headache as I think they have too much sugar. I'd like to see a low (real) sugar version be available.

 

[YadaYadaYada]

For coffee I will drink it black either hot or iced, you can't screw up black coffee so that's why I learned to drink it black.

We avoid artificial sweeteners as much as possible. The kids only drink water on a day to day basis so we don't have to worry about sodas and the like.

Once in a while I'll get a fancy coffee drink from Starbucks but again no skinny, it has to be the real stuff.

 

[LJsapphire]

I take 1 teaspoon of sugar in my tea/coffee. When I was dieting with Slimming World last year I switched to sucralose based sweetener. I tried Stevia but it tasted horrible in coffee. I did manage to lose 10lbs temporarily (with other changes). I still use the sweetener but I don't suppose it has any benefit. Am finding it harder to lose weight now I'm 40.

 

[MaisOuiMadame]

I'm not a big coffee drinker, but like the occasional cappuccino (think twice a month) ... the combination of coffee+sweet makes me nauseous however, worse if artificial. So this settles it for me. No sweeteners. If I crave flavour for my coffee , there are flavored beans that deliver the taste without any sweetness. Many artificial sweeteners upset my stomach (which is generally pretty sturdy) , so I avoid those as much as possible. After reading a bit about the topic, I'm inclined to think that artificial sweeteners are better avoided.

 

[JPie]

I don't drink coffee. I usually have my tea hot with no cream or sugar, but I do indulge in cold boba teas with 25% sugar or iced tea with a single packet of sugar. I'm generally not a fan of overly sweet drinks or food.

 

[Gussie]

I live on coffee! Half and half with Sola sweetner. Absolutely no taste difference in Sola and sugar.

 

[monarch64]

I’ve never been a big coffee drinker but there have been phases in my life (jobs I actually had to get up early for, yuck) when I have succumbed to the lure of caffeine in the morning. I could never drink it black. I use Sugar in the Raw and unsweetened almond milk. I am so sensitive to caffeine that 8 ounces of coffee in the morning makes me jittery and shaky for half an hour after drinking. I very rarely drink a half-caff these days, and only ever before 10 am. I have no idea how people drink entire pots of coffee nor how they drink Starbucks with all those shots of syrup and whipped topping. That would probably give me a heart attack at the third sip.
Now that I think of it, I never even learned to make coffee until I was 27! Someone at my job asked me if I’d mind making some in the break room and I had to find another coworker to show me how to do it. I remember everyone having a good laugh over that. Surely I can’t be the only person in earth who isn’t addicted to caffeine?

 

[JPie]

Surely I can’t be the only person in earth who isn’t addicted to caffeine?

Are you sensitive to all caffeinated beverages or just coffee? I also avoid coffee; it makes me uncomfortably jittery. I once had it at 9:30 am and I still felt unsettled when I went to bed at midnight.

Tea, on the other hand, I can drink from morning to the early evening, but I don’t think I’m addicted to it. I don’t get cranky or feel off if I don’t have it.

 

[mellowyellowgirl]

Everything will kill you eventually so I just eat real sugar and have full fat dairy (love my dairy).

I too am very sensitive to chemical tastes. It tastes yuck!

I so have my tea black though unless it's sweet thai tea. Then I go the whole hog with condensed milk and evaporated milk for a rich milky taste.

 

[LinSF]

I don't drink coffee, only tea. I don't have the taste for coffee and the caffeine doesn't affect my body at all in a beneficial way or even negatively. No sugar or other sweeteners in my tea or anything else. I've always tried to stay away from the fake sweetness because if how chemically infused/processed they are. I imagine it's very difficult for our bodies to process unnatural substances.

I definitely just eat sugar, but in moderation.

@Austina Have you ever tried an actual stevia leaf? It's crazy to pop a leaf in your mouth and taste the sweetness!

 

[MaisOuiMadame]

I’ve never been a big coffee drinker but there have been phases in my life (jobs I actually had to get up early for, yuck) when I have succumbed to the lure of caffeine in the morning. I could never drink it black. I use Sugar in the Raw and unsweetened almond milk. I am so sensitive to caffeine that 8 ounces of coffee in the morning makes me jittery and shaky for half an hour after drinking. I very rarely drink a half-caff these days, and only ever before 10 am. I have no idea how people drink entire pots of coffee nor how they drink Starbucks with all those shots of syrup and whipped topping. That would probably give me a heart attack at the third sip.
Now that I think of it, I never even learned to make coffee until I was 27! Someone at my job asked me if I’d mind making some in the break room and I had to find another coworker to show me how to do it. I remember everyone having a good laugh over that. Surely I can’t be the only person in earth who isn’t addicted to caffeine?

Haha, you basically describe me as well. Any caffeine after noon and I won't sleep at night! Don't know how how people use coffee to work because the caffeine will make me unable to focus and a shaky mess...

 

[Austina]

@Austina Have you ever tried an actual stevia leaf? It's crazy to pop a leaf in your mouth and taste the sweetness!

No, I’ve never seen the leaf, just the tablet sweetener, plenty sweet enough for me.

 

[monarch64]

Are you sensitive to all caffeinated beverages or just coffee? I also avoid coffee; it makes me uncomfortably jittery. I once had it at 9:30 am and I still felt unsettled when I went to bed at midnight.

Tea, on the other hand, I can drink from morning to the early evening, but I don’t think I’m addicted to it. I don’t get cranky or feel off if I don’t have it.

Ugh, yes, all caffeinated beverages. I remember a couple years ago stopping at a Wendy’s which was all that happened to be open late night and ordering a green tea. It tasted great and hit the spot thirst-wise. And then I was up ALL night. Like, did not sleep at all until the following night. I didn’t realize most tea is caffeinated. Now I’m very careful about checking labels or asking specifically what teas are decaf when I order one someplace. Hotels always have a couple decaf options. Restaurants are a different story. I mainly stick to water.

 

[JPie]

Ugh, yes, all caffeinated beverages. I remember a couple years ago stopping at a Wendy’s which was all that happened to be open late night and ordering a green tea. It tasted great and hit the spot thirst-wise. And then I was up ALL night. Like, did not sleep at all until the following night. I didn’t realize most tea is caffeinated. Now I’m very careful about checking labels or asking specifically what teas are decaf when I order one someplace. Hotels always have a couple decaf options. Restaurants are a different story. I mainly stick to water.

Yikes, that’s rough!

 

[PintoBean]

Ugh, yes, all caffeinated beverages. I remember a couple years ago stopping at a Wendy’s which was all that happened to be open late night and ordering a green tea. It tasted great and hit the spot thirst-wise. And then I was up ALL night. Like, did not sleep at all until the following night. I didn’t realize most tea is caffeinated. Now I’m very careful about checking labels or asking specifically what teas are decaf when I order one someplace. Hotels always have a couple decaf options. Restaurants are a different story. I mainly stick to water.

I'm slowly becoming desensitized to caffeine again. One cup gets me through a few hours then I need a little something in tbe afternoon or else I will face plant on my laptop. And then I've been chasing that cup sometimes eith a frappuccino. Sucks... miss when I was sensitive to caffeine.

 

[dk168]

I too dislike the aftertaste of artificial sweeteners, and would rather go without sugar than to buy or use artificial ones.

I find it harder and harder to get hold of cough syrups made with sugar, hence I usually stockpile and have a few in the cupboard at home.

Time will tell how long sugar will remain as the bad guy before some scientists announce it is actually good for health to have a bit of sugar from time to time.

DK

 

[OoohShiny]

Ugh, yes, all caffeinated beverages. I remember a couple years ago stopping at a Wendy’s which was all that happened to be open late night and ordering a green tea. It tasted great and hit the spot thirst-wise. And then I was up ALL night. Like, did not sleep at all until the following night. I didn’t realize most tea is caffeinated. Now I’m very careful about checking labels or asking specifically what teas are decaf when I order one someplace. Hotels always have a couple decaf options. Restaurants are a different story. I mainly stick to water.

Don't forget that decaffeinated drinks do still have some caffeine in lol

A woman I work with can't even have decaff or a cola drink because she apparently goes super-hyper!

 

[Arcadian]

I will hurt somebody if I can't have my coffee. (I have 2 cups max a day) There's no sunshine without it. That said, I had to learn to drink with milk because I have GERD. I use a half pack of sweetener sugar or artifical, but generally its sucralose or stevia if I'm desperate.

 

[GliderPoss]

Everything will kill you eventually so I just eat real sugar and have full fat dairy (love my dairy).

THIS 100%. I loath artificial sweetener/flavourings etc. I Drink my tea/coffee with real milk and no sugar. Everything in moderation...

My MIL (nurse) has done some thorough studies into these alternative sweeteners and the effects on the body and as far as legitimate scientific studies go, her advise is AVOID THEM.