3 ms·
Not 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 ki
by nerdponx 4y ago
Not 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.