5 ms·
I don't know if this is true of all types of fake sugar, but I've found that I can easily taste the difference in many cases, even when I'm not expecting it or
by NickM 4y ago
I don't know if this is true of all types of fake sugar, but I've found that I can easily taste the difference in many cases, even when I'm not expecting it or looking for it.
Like the article says, it's often with food where I wouldn't expect to find artificial sweeteners, but there's a very distinctly odd, kind of sickly sweet taste that I'll notice sometimes; whenever I do, I check the ingredients label and always find fake sugar on the list.
- nerdponx 4y agoNot only can I taste it, but I dislike the taste strongly, and my stomach definitely does not appreciate it. I actively look for and avoid fake sugars of all kinds, both traditionally artificial (aspartame, sucralose) and "natural" (stevia, monkfruit). Real sugar makes me feel worse, but differently worse, if I consume more than a small amount at a time. However, small amounts of real sugar seem subjectively less poisonous than small amounts of fake sugar, especially if the real sugar is buffered by other non-sugary food (e.g. a drop of maple syrup in oatmeal vs. a gummy bear on an empty stomach). The only exception to my fake sugar rule is that every once in a while I go for a pack of Orbit/Trident/Extra chewing gum, or a Diet Coke / Dr Pepper / Red Bull (yes I like the taste) when I'm on a long car ride and I want a little caffeine and something that tastes entertaining to fight the boredom. My stomach always hates me for it, but it's a once in a while thing, and I appreciate my body's reminders that I shouldn't consume that stuff on a regular basis.
- lotsofpulp 4y agoI prefer the taste of low calorie sweeteners to HCFS and regular table sugar from corn or sugarcane or beets.
- benatkin 4y agoHow about palm sugar? Or dates? I hear you that artificial sweeteners taste surprisingly good but I love natural sweetners and if I want to taste sweetness I love whole dates.
- nerdponx 4y agoI've never tasted HFCS on its own. Does it actually taste different from table sugar?
- lotsofpulp 4y agoI meant foods with HFCS in it. I have never had it in its own, although I imagine it tasted disgustingly sweet. But I do like aspartame soft drinks more than HFCS/cane sugar soft drinks, and other “sugar free” options compared to the added sugar options (like popsicles).
- toast0 4y agoAll of this is anecdotal, so discard if you wish. I've never tasted it on its own, but you can get sodas sweetened with sugar or HFCS or many fake sugars. For me, the fake sugars have distinct aftertastes that I find unpleasant; sugar vs HFCS is more subtle, but I get more satiation from sugar sweetened than HFCS sweetened so I'm less likely to drink large quantities of sugar sweetened beverages vs HFCS sweetened. I don't know if any are still sold, but beverages sweetened with a mix of sugar/HFCS and sucralose were harder for me to detect the sucralose aftertaste. I also find sucralose to have a less offensive aftertaste than aspartame.
- mauvehaus 4y agoCoke is sweetened with cane sugar instead of HFCS during Passover for reasons I'm not the slightest bit qualified to explain. Pick up a bottle with a yellow cap come Passover and do a triangle test with a bottle sweetened with HFCS. You might also find that Mexican Coke in your grocery stores, which I believe is more likely to be sweetened with cane sugar. I'll usually notice a flavor change when they make the switch (like, oh, must be Passover), but I couldn't tell you which is which by blind taste test. I don't drink a ton of Coke either.
- strken 4y agoI hate sweeteners too. They all seem to have an almost but not quite menthol aftertaste, and some also have an unpleasant slimy or oily mouthfeel.
- Kye 4y agoI have been accused of being anti-science when refusing fake sugars because people assume it's based on safety. They don't want to believe someone can have a different experience of taste. "No, I don't care about the studies, it just tastes horrible." It's taken as an excuse.
- sjf 4y agoAgreed, artifical sweetners, particularly stevia, are the most horrible things I have ever tasted. The first experience I have consuming stevia now makes me refuse any kind of product that is likely to have it without checking the ingredient list first. Side note, I cannot find a protein shake, except for plain protein powder, that does not have artificial sweetners. Please, someone start producing a savoury shake :(
- vl 4y agoI gave up and just use plain protein isolate powder. It doesn’t taste great, but at same time it doesn’t have this horrible chemical taste flavored versions do. I sometimes add unsweetened cocoa powder or vanilla to spice it up, but more often than not just drink it straight up.
- deleted 4y ago[deleted]
- jakub_g 4y agoI can definitely taste a difference between stevia-sweetened tea vs sugar-sweetened tea. "Sickly sweet" is a good description of stevia. Xylitol on the other hand feels quite similar to the regular sugar.
- tracker1 4y agoI find a mix of sweeteners is usually less offensive, part of why erythritol is usually combined with monk fruit sweetener. Of course the effects of each will vary from person to person... including glucose response. What happens with your liver and pancreas in response to something sweet crossing the tongue can work against you... it's amazing how sweet everything tastes, too much so, when you don't eat refined foods (including sweet fruits) for a while.