Artificial Sweetners

[Anna Kubit]

For artificial sweetners, which one is the best? Equal? Splenda? Another one perhaps?

I love sweet coffee and tea and drink quite much of tea each day.

But perhaps I should have asked, how do I COMPETELY eliminate my sugar cravings?

Thank you in advance!

ANNA

[Haloed]

Both are fine. Equal is aspartame and splenda is sucralose. They're both pretty similar although I think splenda is cheaper.

[Ian Kay]

Yeah, I think Splenda is cheaper (especially when you buy one of the big, resealable bags). Plus, most people like to limit their aspartame intake (though there's no proof it causes cancer or anything) so Splenda is a good way to go. I've got a big bag myself.

[Kaiser]

Personally I think Splenda tastes more like real sugar. It's made by manipulating one of the molecules in real sugar so that it is not metabolized by the body. God knows what it'll do to us with long-term use, but for now I use it sometimes, along with sugar sometimes (one tsp in my green or white tea isn't going to kill me!).

[Anna Kubit]

Sounds great!

Thanks!

I will buy it today!

Anna

[bryanc]

Originally posted by Kaiser:
(one tsp in my green or white tea isn't going to kill me!).

Blargh, you sugar your green and white teas??? Oh, the sacrilege! Thousands of Chinese and Japanese people are rotating slowly in their graves. =P

[Kaiser]

Yeah, I know Bryan, but I have a big sweet tooth. If it makes you feel better, when I go out for sushi (once every two weeks or so), I don't add any sugar in the green tea I consume. But at home, in the privacy of my quarters....well, that's my business!

Got a good source for green and white teas? I use In Pursuit of Tea ...really great stuff, but expensive.

[Q.]

Originally posted by Anna Kubit:
For artificial sweetners, which one is the best? Equal? Splenda? Another one perhaps?

I use Stevia. It's plant derived, not laboratory created. I don't know that this is necessarily healthier but it sounds good!

[russ]

Originally posted by Kaiser:
Yeah, I know Bryan, but I have a big sweet tooth. If it makes you feel better, when I go out for sushi (once every two weeks or so), I don't add any sugar in the green tea I consume. But at home, in the privacy of my quarters....well, that's my business!

For a moment I thought that you were going to write that you put sugar on your sushi [img]tongue.gif[/img]

[bryanc]

Originally posted by Kaiser:
Yeah, I know Bryan, but I have a big sweet tooth. If it makes you feel better, when I go out for sushi (once every two weeks or so), I don't add any sugar in the green tea I consume. But at home, in the privacy of my quarters....well, that's my business!

Got a good source for green and white teas? I use In Pursuit of Tea ...really great stuff, but expensive.

I do, but they're all local. Good green tea doesn't need sugar, but it can be difficult to find good stuff. I dunno if there's a significant Japanese community where you are or not. The last time I was in Japan, I bought a 2 cans of green tea from one of the shinto shrines (I can't remember outside of which city) to bring back and it's the best green tea I've ever had.

But we also have a fair number of teahouses in Calgary (they've been springing up all over lately), and their green tea is usually of pretty good quality. So I usually buy from them.

[poopy pants]

I do, but they're all local. Good green tea doesn't need sugar, but it can be difficult to find good stuff. I dunno if there's a significant Japanese community where you are or not. The last time I was in Japan, I bought a 2 cans of green tea from one of the shinto shrines (I can't remember outside of which city) to bring back and it's the best green tea I've ever had.

But we also have a fair number of teahouses in Calgary (they've been springing up all over lately), and their green tea is usually of pretty good quality. So I usually buy from them.

What brand is this Green Tea? I have access to numerous Asian markets and wish to follow up on this. How do you recommend brewing this stuff?

[bryanc]

Um..I can't read Japanese unfortunately...

With brewing green tea, it's the same as any other. Use preferrably loose leaf tea. Boil some water to the point where it's a rolling boil. Add water to the leaves. Let steep for about a minute, then pour. You can let it steep for longer if you like, but too long and it can get bitter, in which case, you can add more hot water.

[poopy pants]

Um..I can't read Japanese unfortunately...

Damn. Thanks Bryan. Maybe I'll just go to the Asian market and look for a can of tea with Japanese writing on it. [img]tongue.gif[/img]

[Ian Kay]

Try out www.uptontea.com

Some really good prices on some darn good teas.

I currently have the Chun Mee green (3.5 outta 5 stars for me) and First Grade Shou Mei White Tea, to which I'd give 4/5 stars.

And these do NOT need any sugar! (especially the white)

[jreimann]

I like Splenda alot for foods and cooking. But I recently realized that Sweet and Low is the best tasting for sweetening drinks like iced tea. Equal though really is crap in my opinion. It doesn't mix as well and it doesn't taste very good.

[trainiac]

There's no question, Splenda tastes more like real sugar. No comparison at all. I can't even tell the difference. All the others taste like crap. See http://www.fitchicago.com/whatis.html It tells a little more about it.
--Trainiac!
http://www.clintphillips.com

[John100]

I Have been replacing the asparitme I use with stevia. It dose taste a little different at first! but so far I like it. As for health benifits it is derived from plant fiber and as previously stated not in a labratory! If you look on the package it states that it is insulin fiber! It is a good replacement for diabetics it also stimulates the pancreus (where insulin is produced) so it dose have a fiev health benifits that asparitin dose not! although I did notice a difference in taste when I first started using it!!
So far as weighing in on green tea!! It is absolutly imaritave to buy a good green tea! The stuff in the little bags is NOT!! Loose leaf is best! If you have access to a japanese or chinese market it is usualy much better!! If you live in the Santa monica Los Angeles area there is one called Mitsua off of venice and centinela that sells inported green tea not cheep but excelent!! The best wat to brew it is to heat your water until you see steam just starting to raise of the water just before it boils than pore the water over the tea leaves and alow it to steep for 2 minutes! this will give you the best flavor!! Since I learned to brew my green tea this way I neaver put any sweetener in it ever! Oh and if anyone is interested try the Green tea with roasted brown rice it is excelent!!

[Anna Kubit]

Thanks John100!

I will have to buy some green/white tea this way. I buy it in bags, so likely the taste is not the best (yet very convenient).

As to sweetners, I have been using Splenda over the last few weeks and absolutely love it too! Much better than Equal.

So, from this forum, so far Splenda seems to be the winner!

Thank you for all the input!

Anna