{"id":17465,"date":"2019-11-14T14:20:57","date_gmt":"2019-11-14T19:20:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/caloriecontrol.org\/?p=17465"},"modified":"2022-07-19T15:57:02","modified_gmt":"2022-07-19T19:57:02","slug":"using-low-and-no-calorie-sweeteners-in-a-transition-diet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/caloriecontrol.org\/using-low-and-no-calorie-sweeteners-in-a-transition-diet\/","title":{"rendered":"Using Low- and No-Calorie Sweeteners in a \u201cTransition Diet\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Keith Ayoob, EdD, RDN, FAND<\/strong> —<\/p>\n\n\n\n Making an extreme dietary change makes great headlines, clickbait,\nand party conversation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I prefer the real world of small changes. Call them \u201cbaby steps\u201d if you like. I prefer baby steps when dealing with lifestyle\nchanges because baby steps are easier to make, and they are less taxing and\nstressful, to both our bodies and our emotions. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n Best thing about making baby steps? Behavior research has long shown that making\nsmall, gradual changes to be the most lasting and permanent. Ask any registered dietitian-nutritionist\n(RDN) who provides dietary counseling or medical nutrition therapy. We always look for a \u201cwin-win\u201d, and making\nsmall dietary changes is both easier and more permanent: a win-win.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Making small, gradual dietary changes also takes\nlonger. Progress is less dramatic, but I\nwill swap \u201cdramatic\u201d for \u201cpermanent\u201d any day. \nDoes it take more persistence and patience? I would say it \u201cteaches\u201d patience and\npersistence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When I hear someone say they are going to \u201ccut out all the\nadded sugars from my diet,\u201d the first thing I want to ask is, \u201cHow long are you\ngoing to give yourself to do that?\u201d It does\nnot have to be done suddenly, especially since doing it suddenly may produce\nfailed results. Transitioning to your\ndietary goals more gradually may take longer, but there is no need to rush and\nIU want them to enjoy the journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The single largest source of added sugars in our diets is\nfrom beverages: soda, flavored waters, iced tea, fruit-flavored drinks,\netc. These beverages don\u2019t provide much\nnutrition, just calories. You may want\nto switch over to just water as your primary beverage. That\u2019s great and I\u2019m a huge fan of drinking\nwater. If you don\u2019t drink much water,\nit\u2019s time to start.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Replacing added sugar however, can start immediately, and\nmay have to, in those newly diagnosed with diabetes or someone who is seriously\noverweight. It\u2019s unrealistic to expect\nsomeone to go \u201call-water\u201d immediately, especially when there are other calorie-free\noptions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Drinks with LCS, whether carbonated, non-carbonated, or hot\nor iced tea or coffee, also count toward your hydration, and can be considered\n\u201cwater-alternatives.\u201d Here\u2019s why:<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is still good to drink water, but know that these are\nalternatives that can help make the transition to drinking more water much\neasier and more enjoyable. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You do not have to be living with diabetes or be overweight\nto enjoy the benefits of beverages with LCS. \nEven people who have transitioned to drinking more water and unsweetened\nbeverages like variety sometimes. A\ndrink with a LCS brings that variety without any added calories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Those with Diabetes and anyone trying to lose weight or\nreduce their daily calories deserve to have access to as wide a variety of tools\nas possible to help them achieve their goals. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n Concerned that beverages with LCS will hamper your efforts to eat a better diet or make it harder to steer away from sweets? No worries, according to the conclusions of the C.H.O.I.C.E. (Choosing <\/a>Healthy <\/a>Options Consciously Everyday) study<\/a>. This study looked at groups that replaced their sugar-sweetened drinks with either water or diet beverages for six months. Compared to the all-water drinkers, the group using diet beverages showed:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bottom Line Takeaways: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Feeling less deprived may even help you avoid high-calorie\nsnacks and desserts a little more. Use all\nthe tools you can to make your transition diet as easy to follow as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhere LCS fit into transitional diets<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Variety: The Sweetness<\/em> of Life<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n