Splenda is a sugar substitute, which is excellent for helping you lose weight. When starting a diet, you should consider limiting your sugar intake and one way to do this is to start using artificial sweeteners in your meals. Cooking with Splenda has many benefits, but the most important reason for using this product is to begin the path to a healthy lifestyle.

Add Splenda to your tea and coffee in the morning.

Since Splenda tastes just as sweet as sugar, you can use it in your tea or coffee in the morning to get that little boost of sweetness. You may not realize how much sugar you are drinking – most people use a tablespoon or more per every cup of coffee, and some people drink three or four cups every morning. Switching to Splenda in the mornings is an easy way to cut a lot of sugar out of your life. While you are at it, you can add it to cereal and fruit in the morning too if you typically use sugar.

Use Splenda in your drinks throughout the day.

Like with coffee or tea, most people do not realize how much sugar they drink every day. Soda, punch, juice, and most other drinks are loaded with sugar, and even diet versions of your favorite drinks might be more sugar-filled than you would expect. You do not have to cut out drinks completely and just choose water. Instead, look for unsweetened drink mixes that are low in calories and add your own sweetener to give it that sweetness that you enjoy. You can also use Splenda in place of sugar when mixing drinks for the kids. Be aware that everything you drink, including beer, wine, cocktails, orange juice, milk, and sports drinks, could contain more sugar than you realize.

Make desserts with Splenda instead of sugar.

Most people find that desserts are a main cause of sugar in one’s diet. Even desserts that do not seem very sweet or use fruits and honey as natural sweetener can have a lot of sugar in them. This is especially true of prepackaged food, since sugar helps with preservation. Instead of picking up a supermarket cake or buying a package of cookie, get into the kitchen and bake desserts yourself. Replace the sugar with Splenda, and you will cut out a ton of calories, making it easier for you to lose weight.

Cook with Splenda when you make breads and other meal items.

Desserts are not the only place you will find sugar in your diet. Many people are surprised to find that their dinners are packed with calories due to excess sugar. Foods that you do not even necessarily consider sweet, like bread and pasta, are made using sugar, and again, this is especially a problem in pre-packaged foods. Get in the kitchen and replace the sugar in recipes with Splenda.

Do not use Splenda in a “reward” system with your food or to curb cravings.

Studies have shown that the brain does not perceive Splenda and sugar in the same way, even though they taste the same as far as sweetness goes. That does not make Splenda bad, just different. When you are having a weak moment with your diet, do not count solely on Splenda to kill the cravings. Instead, focus on healthy snacks that have natural sweetness. Fruit is a good option.

Talk to your doctor about Splenda and your diet.

Research shows that for most people, using Splenda can be beneficial. Together, you can come up with a plan for using Splenda effectively, leading to weight loss. Simply replacing all your sugar with Splenda is not going to work and, in some cases, depending on how much sugar you eat daily, it can be unhealthy for your body.

Do not replace all of your sugar with Splenda.

One of the best ways to ensure that you lose weight with Splenda is to not replace your sugar with it in every instance. Again, the body does not see Splenda in the same way as it sees sugar. That does not mean that you should eat tons of sugar, but instead you should focus on natural sweeteners like fruit and honey. You should also use sugar sparingly in recipes like angel food cake, which typically works better with sugar than with any kind of substitute. Eating healthy is important when you decide to begin living a healthy lifestyle. The benefits of this lifestyle change are endless and one way to do this is by reducing your daily sugar intake. You can replace sugar with Splenda and you can get the same sweetness without the negative effects of the sugar. Even though Splenda is a healthy alternative to sugar, you still do not want to eat too much of it.

Arianna Jordan is a freelance writer who writes about fitness, health and dieting. Ms. Jordan also writes about specific ingredients and products such as sugar-free cooking and

View all Arianna Jordan's articles

---

About the Author:
There are sugar substitutes available that allow you to enjoy these same great meals and desserts. One sugar substitute you can cook with is Splenda. It is also used to create the texture and structure of the food. Splenda is not the same as sugar in that regard, even though it is just as sweet. Finally, if you are going to cook with Splenda, test your recipes before making them for a party or event.

More Exercise articles