Aspartame-free alternative to Canderel

esperanza1

Given the dangers of aspartame, I am looking for an alternative to Canderel. Are there any aspartame-free alternatives available in Ireland? Thanks.

mrsoundie

And those dangers are?

Piglet85

Try xylitol if you've got a health food shop near you, or Splenda if you want to go for one of the supermarket brands.

Mellor

esperanza1 wrote: »

Given the dangers of aspartame,

Do you have a reliable soyurce for this. Any thing I've seen is speculation at best

cormie

Fruit sugar, coconut sugar (delicious!), agave syrup, stevia drops. You probably wont find any of these in a supermarket, some in health shops and some speciality shops only.

teacosy

how much canderel do you use? if it's not a great deal, just use table sugar.

metamorphosis

There's no hardcore evidence on aspartame, although i rarely use it myself. Xylitol would be a great alternative

esperanza1

cormie wrote: »

Fruit sugar, coconut sugar (delicious!), agave syrup, stevia drops. You probably wont find any of these in a supermarket, some in health shops and some speciality shops only.

Thank you very much, this has been the best sugestion. Coconut sugar does sound nice! Down to my local health shop tomorrow to get this!

cormie

Doubtful your local health shop will have it to be honest, however they stock it at http://www.coconut-oils.net who are based in Co. Wicklow and ship nationwide.

esperanza1

cormie wrote: »

Doubtful your local health shop will have it to be honest, however they stock it at http://www.coconut-oils.net who are based in Co. Wicklow and ship nationwide.

Thank you for the advice, alas I cannot order online as I don't use credit cards. I'll see what alternatives they have in my local health food shop.

cormie

Well I'm not sure where you're based but the website I linked to have a stall in the Dublin Food Co Op every Saturday and would probably have the coconut sugar there, by the way, it's expensive. It's organic and raw and you're looking at about €14 per 500gm. They also sell it in Healthy Habits, Quarantine Hill, Wicklow Town.

eilo1

Im not sure why you are looking for a sugar substitute but in case it is to do with blood sugar levels you should know coconut sugar still contains carbohydrate.

ps aspartame isn't bad for you (sorry couldn't help myself!):P

nice_guy80

aspartame doesn't cause health problems????

http://aspartame.mercola.com/

http://www.sweetpoison.com/

but then again... it is supposedly not bad for you

http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/index.php/aspartame-truth-vs-fiction/

http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/CancerCauses/OtherCarcinogens/AtHome/aspartame

Who to believe?
The FDA and European Food safety crowds both say it is safe.

eilo1

nice_guy80 wrote: »

aspartame doesn't cause health problems????

http://aspartame.mercola.com/

http://www.sweetpoison.com/

but then again... it is supposedly not bad for you

http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/index.php/aspartame-truth-vs-fiction/

http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/CancerCauses/OtherCarcinogens/AtHome/aspartame

Who to believe?
The FDA and European Food safety crowds both say it is safe.

The two stating its negatives are opinion pieces dressed up to look like science. If you dont want to believe organisations like the FDA here is a peer reviewed systematic review.

http://web.ebscohost.com.eproxy.ucd.ie/ehost/detail?sid=256b8ec1-f564-4381-848c-ca3354d0e541%40sessionmgr12&vid=2&hid=11&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=a9h&AN=43458135

esperanza1

I'm not getting into an argument here about whether aspartame is or isn't safe, I've more important things to do with my time and I have done enough research on the matter in the past.
In my view, anything that has been associated with controversies cannot be good for you: "Aspartame was originally approved for use in dry foods in 1974 by then FDA Commissioner Alexander Schmidt after review by the FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. Searle had submitted 168 studies[2]:20 on aspartame, including seven animal studies that were considered crucial by the FDA.[2]:21 Soon afterwards, John Olney, a professor of psychiatry and prominent critic of MSG, along with James Turner, a public-interest lawyer and author of an anti-food-additive book, filed a petition for a public hearing, citing safety concerns." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspartame_controversy

And why on earth, would you want to consume a substance that is viewed as dangerous by many, when instead you can consume a healthier alternative??

Oh, and if you take the FDA and EFSA's word for anything, you must be very gullible indeed. We all know the links between industrial lobbying and these organisations. We don't need international organisations to dictate to us on the safety of food. Life experience is much more valuable.

esperanza1

eilo1 wrote: »

Im not sure why you are looking for a sugar substitute but in case it is to do with blood sugar levels you should know coconut sugar still contains carbohydrate.

ps aspartame isn't bad for you (sorry couldn't help myself!):P

Fyi, I'm not looking for me, but someone I know!

cormie

I don't know if Aspartame is a natural substance or not, never researched, never bothered, but why risk it if there are plenty of natural, organic, healthier alternatives? I know Stevia has a bit of controversy surrounding it too (it's not allowed to be sold for human consumption in the EU), but given that I know it's a simple plant I read a little into it and it seems fine, but that might be me just being naive.

eilo1

esperanza1 wrote: »

Fyi, I'm not looking for me, but someone I know!

I just point out the carb thing because the sugar substitutes are used by a lot of diabetics (like me) so knowing something has carbs in it is important.

esperanza1

cormie wrote: »

I don't know if Aspartame is a natural substance or not, never researched, never bothered, but why risk it if there are plenty of natural, organic, healthier alternatives? I know Stevia has a bit of controversy surrounding it too (it's not allowed to be sold for human consumption in the EU), but given that I know it's a simple plant I read a little into it and it seems fine, but that might be me just being naive.

It's not natural, it's an artificially created substance and worse than that it is processed with a pig enzyme so watch out vegetarians, vegans and other non-pork eaters!
http://aspartameinsulin.blogspot.com/2011/06/pepsi-and-coca-cola-contains-pork-pig.html

esperanza1

banned in the EU but now available legally in the US:

"Since the passage of the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA), stevia can be sold legally in the United States, but only as a “dietary supplement.” Even so, it can be found in many forms in most health-food stores, and is also incorporated into drinks, teas and other items (all labeled as “dietary supplements”). It cannot, however, be called a “sweetener” or even referred to as “sweet.” To do so would render the product “adulterated,” according to the FDA, and make it again subject to seizure."

http://www.stevia.net/

Companies would be terrified of stevia as it poses compeition for sugar production

cormie

Strange, I've tried it anyway and it has it's own flavour which doesn't mix well with a lot of other flavours, but it's definitely sweet

Mellor

esperanza1 wrote: »

Fyi, I'm not looking for me, but someone I know!

you asked for an alternative to canderel.
Somebody suggested "Sugar". Not really what people would consider an alternative.