I just tried "stevia" for sweetening on cereal. It's not bad!

[Radio_Lady]

I can't say I love it, but everyone says you get used to it. I'll put a little in my fiber shake tomorrow morning, with a banana.

My daughter bought the stevia (I hate that name) at New Seasons, a "natural" foods store -- several in Oregon, but not elsewhere.

[mike_c]

1. I use it in smoothies all the time....

That's about the only thing I sweeten, but I use Stevia exclusively. Frankly, I can't tell the difference between it and sugar, but I almost never eat sugar, so maybe I'm just not accustomed to it's taste.

[Radio_Lady]

2. Thanks, Mike C. I'll have to keep working with it, but it's not as bad

as I thought it would be.

Appreciate your reply. Have a great week!

In peace,

Radio Lady

[lavenderdiva]

3. Have you tried Splenda?

that's what i use almost exclusively (sometimes have to use the pink stuff, if we are dining out and they don't have Splenda). I truly can't tell the difference between it and sugar.

are you trying to stick with all-natural though?

[Radio_Lady]

4. I must have tried it somewhere along the line, but don't remember.

Maybe I'll give it another try.

Artificial sweeteners leave a bitter aftertaste for me, and that goes for aspertame, saccharine, etc.

I don't care too much about natural or artificial -- it just has to be somewhat sweet. I'm trying to eat my Kashi cereal with a bit of apple juice. Someone suggested that, and it's pretty good. I have to limit caffeine, because it really makes me jumpy. I use it as a drug mostly if I feel sleepy and have to keep going in the afternoon.

My daughter is a representative for Arbonne International, a Swiss company that makes nutritional supplements, too. View their products at:

www.arbonne.com

They make a high-fiber, orange-flavored powder which I mix with water or Lactaid milk and chips of ice, in the blender. I get a lot of mileage from that, plus a banana.

I feel like I'm doing fine in the mornings as far as eating -- it's night binging that has taken me down.

[Longhorn]

5. I much prefer the Diet Coke sweetened with Splenda.

I tried the new Coke Zero or whatever it's called and didn't like it as well. I'm also crazy about Hansen's Black Cherry diet soda, also sweetened with Splenda.

[lavenderdiva]

6. I like the Diet Coke w/ Splenda too!

I tried the CokeZero and couldn't figure what it tasted like, not Coke, not Diet Coke, didn't taste like anything I'd want to repeat either, not bad, just eh....

Have you tried Diet Rite Cola w/ Splenda? They also have different flavors w/ Splenda: white grape, tangerine, some sort of berry..

[Longhorn]

7. I used to drink the Diet Rite sodas before I discovered Hansen's.

But it's so good, there's no need for others! ;)

I also like Diet Pepsi Vanilla -- which is funny because I don't like any other Pepsi products. It has Nutrasweet :( but I still love it!

The Diet Coke with Splenda reminds me of what a real Coke tastes like -- at least, according to my memory, since I haven't had a real Coke in probably 30 years! :)

[lavenderdiva]

8. I'm going to have to try the Hansen's...

I've seen them in the grocery store, but haven't known anyone who tried them. So on your recommendation, I'll be bold and go for it!