Okay, can someone end the potential mystery for me concerning sugar free drinks like Crystal Light and Sugar Free Koolaid. Does a sixteen ounce bottle count as two 8 oz. servings of water, or not?

Only water is water. Flavored drinks regardless of their sugar content are not water.

I drink a diet Lipton Green Tea in the morning (16.9 fl oz). I refill that bottle and drink it at least 3 more times. Each 16.9oz bottle contains slightly more than 2 x 8oz servings. I don't like plain water so I flavor mine with sugar free lemonade and other flavors. No calories, just flavor.

I count all of that as water.

My doctor assured me that I could count crystal light and any other non-diuretic as water for this purpose. So I guess I'll continue with that. Even though I usually only drink water anyway.

Thanks. I had been told once that Crystal Light could be considered as water as well, and wanted to make sure I was sticking pretty close to the "rules" of the game.

I'm not completely against water, but it's easier for me to get it when I flavor it with those individual Crystal Light packets, or similar.

Thanks again.

It is considered water but it contains that horrible thing called Aspartme! try and limit your intake of this toxin.

That's true. Hadn't thought about the Aspartame effect, although I think the pre-made bottles use Splenda instead of Aspartame.

Maybe I'll look into that.

I limit myself to one Crystal light drink per day, but instead of putting it into a 12 oz container, I put it into a 21 oz container, and when it's half-way drank, I fill it up with more ice and water. It stretches the flavor and limits me on Aspartame.

I used to do the same thing. I love the ice tea and lemonade mixed together - but if you make it as suggested it is way to strong - so I would double the amount of water.

I have been Crystal Lite free for 3 months though, trying to limit my intake.

I have found that the Republic of Tea's are great tasting and I make a big batch of tea in the am and drink it all day long....Try 'Get Gorgeous' for a fruity tea that is great for PMS and your skin.

http://www.republicoftea.com/templates/detail.asp?navID=1556

just make sure to read the back of the crystal light packet...because it does contain calories!

I look at it like this - crystal light minus the packet of powder is just water. So, adding a packet doesn't make it not water - it makes it water plus a packet of powder. Same with anything else EXCEPT diuretics. Soda and energy drinks both contain large enough amounts of caffiene and other chemicals to cause you to become dehydrated depending on how much you drink - soda is especially bad for this. Coffee to a lesser extent.

If you make it and it started out as water and you just added something, I'd classify it as water.

yeah, I like the way msarro thinks ... classify it as water, but maybe keep an eye on how much aspartame I'm taking in (although not like I'd be taking in any less drinking diet soda).

I like the special k mixes, they have 5 grams protien, 5 grams dietary fiber, and only 30 calories. I don't drink it that often and I am not sure about the Aspartame.

thanks donna ... I'll have to look into that ... sounds like a nutrional supplement drink, but it might be worth checking out if they use Splenda versus Aspartame

Wow! I have been drinking mad amounts of water w/ wylers light and crystal light singles to go. I thought if it prompted me to drinking water it was a good thing. I will definately look into the aspartame and it's effects.

Hasn't Splenda recently been linked to arthritis? I thought I saw that in the news within the last month...

This is interesting to me. I drink a good bit of sweeet tay (sweet tea) here is South Caroliiina and it just ain't fittin' (isn't right) without sweetness of some kind. I have been using Splenda in gregarious amounts and so if its killin' me I would want to know.

lemme see what I can google up on Splenda

(My sweet tea also has cups of the Splenda!! Sweet tea IS the house wine of the South!)


Oooh, these are scary
http://www.womentowomen.com/nutritionandweightloss/splenda.aspx

Splenda — the public health experiment

“Low–sugar” is the successor to the “low–carb” craze, even though they are essentially the same thing. According to the New York Times, by the end of this summer 11% of the food items on supermarket shelves will be labeled “reduced sugar” — most of those targeted at kids and their health-conscious moms. Sales in granulated sugar have dropped four percent in the past six months. What’s behind this trend? Splenda.

Products featuring Splenda are perceived as “natural” because even the FDA’s press release about sucralose parrots the claim that “it is made from sugar” — an assertion disputed by the Sugar Association, which is suing Splenda’s manufacturer, (McNeil Nutritionals).

The FDA has no definition for “natural,” so please bear with us for a biochemistry moment: Splenda is the trade name for sucralose, a synthetic compound stumbled upon in 1976 by scientists in Britain seeking a new pesticide formulation. It is true that the Splenda molecule is comprised of sucrose (sugar) — except that three of the hydroxyl groups in the molecule have been replaced by three chlorine atoms. (To get a better picture of what this looks like, see this image of a sucralose molecule.)

While some industry experts claim the molecule is similar to table salt or sugar, other independent researchers say it has more in common with pesticides. That’s because the bonds holding the carbon and chlorine atoms together are more characteristic of a chlorocarbon than a salt — and most pesticides are chlorocarbons. The premise offered next is that just because something contains chlorine doesn’t guarantee that it’s toxic. And that is also true, but you and your family may prefer not to serve as test subjects for the latest post-market artificial sweetener experiment — however “unique.” (See our article on endocrine disruptors for more information on toxins and persistent organic pollutants.)

Once it gets to the gut, sucralose goes largely unrecognized in the body as food — that’s why it has no calories. The majority of people don’t absorb a significant amount of Splenda in their small intestine — about 15% by some accounts. The irony is that your body tries to clear unrecognizable substances by digesting them, so it’s not unlikely that the healthier your gastrointestinal system is, the more you’ll absorb the chlorinated molecules of Splenda.

So, is Splenda safe? The truth is we just don’t know yet. There are no long-term studies of the side effects of Splenda in humans. The manufacturer’s own short-term studies showed that sucralose caused shrunken thymus glands and enlarged livers and kidneys in rodents. But in this case, the FDA decided that because these studies weren’t based on human test animals, they were not conclusive. Of course, there are countless examples of foods and drugs that have proved dangerous to humans that were first found to be dangerous to laboratory rats, and then again, countless others that have not. So the reality is that we are the guinea pigs for Splenda.

And now, are our children the next trial group? Thanks to an agreement between McNeil Nutritionals (makers of Splenda) and PTO Today, which provides marketing and fund-raising aid to parents’ associations, your elementary school’s next bake sale may be sponsored by Splenda — complete with baked goods made with the product.

Splenda side effectsObservational evidence shows that there are side effects of Splenda, including skin rashes/flushing, panic-like agitation, dizziness and numbness, diarrhea, muscle aches, headaches, intestinal cramping, bladder issues, and stomach pain. These show up at one end of the spectrum — in the people who have an allergy or sensitivity to the sucralose molecule. But no one can say to what degree consuming Splenda affects the rest of us.

If this sounds familiar, it should: we went down the same path with aspartame, the main ingredient in Equal and NutraSweet. Almost all of the independent research into aspartame found dangerous side effects in rodents. The FDA chose not to take these findings into account when it approved aspartame for public use. Over the course of 15 years, those same side effects increasingly appeared in humans. Not in everyone, of course — but in those who were vulnerable to the chemical structure of aspartame.

As food additives, artificial sweeteners are not subject to the same gauntlet of FDA safety trials as pharmaceuticals. Most of the testing is funded by the food industry, which has a vested interest in the outcome. This can lead to misleading claims on both sides.

But one thing is certain: some of the chemicals that comprise artificial sweeteners are known hazards — the degree to which you experience side effects just depends on your individual biochemistry. Manufacturers are banking on the fact that our bodies won’t absorb very much of these compounds at any one time. And many of us don’t. But what happens when we are ingesting a combination of artificial sweeteners like Splenda dozens of times a week through many different “low–sugar” or “sugar–free” products?

People have been using artificial sweeteners for decades. Some react poorly, some don’t — the problem is, you never know until you’re already sick. Scientists are calling Splenda a mild mutagen, based on how much is absorbed. Right now, it’s anyone’s guess what portion of the population is being exposed to the dangers of Splenda or already suffering from Splenda side effects. Until an independent, unbiased research group conducts long-term studies on humans (six months is hardly long-term!), how can we be certain? With all the new Splenda products on our shelves, it looks as if we are now in the process of another grand public experiment — without our permission. And we may not know the health implications for decades. As with all things, time will unveil truth.

So I urge you to be concerned about the potential dangers of Splenda — as with any unnatural substance you put in your body. And I am especially concerned about its use for children, which I recommend you avoid. But unlike many holistic practitioners, I do think artificial sweeteners can serve a purpose for some women. And that has to do with the old question — which is better, sugar or an artificial sweetener? Let’s start with sugar, where the problems all begin.

_________________________________________________________________________

http://www.splendaexposed.com/articles/2005/02/the_drama_surro.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugar_substitute

Sorry, I can't access these sites from work, so I can't post the info from them.
Actually, there are too many links to post.
Google up "Splenda" and "Health Risks" or "Splenda" and "Arthritis". Scary stuff!!

Well I have to admit I am not a fan but I do use the sweetners to flavor water once a day max.. my biggest issue (wondering if anyone else has this problem) I can not drink more than ONE I will get sick, like stomach ache - blah sick. Sometimes not even one... only half. So I guess watch how your body responds.

I count it as water as well my PT said with the options (extra vitamins, fiber) it's a good option.

Yeah, there's always going to be some side effect of everything. What it all comes down to ... is reading labels. I"m diabetic so I'm very aware of artificial sweeteners, including Splenda. It's funny because we talk about all the negative effects of these sweeteners, including the potential link between Splenda and arthritis, but what about the link between natural sugar and diabetes?

Sometimes it's a crap shoot. But I would think, in the grand scheme of things, someone would be better drinking a bottle of water with crystal light or some other sugar free drink, versus a regular soda, or even sweet tea loaded with regular table sugar.

In the end, it's the same that's true for everything. Moderation.

So, I've been sticking to drinking more water, but ever now and again I will toss in a single serving packet of sugar free crystal light, or even have a diet coke. Sometimes you have to live a little on a diet, or you'll hate it, and then you'll crash.

Just curious about this - what are the colored drinks (water plus something) people bring in their water bottles to the gym?

Am I missing out on something here?

well, it's probably some kind of powdered energy drink to give them that extra boost during workout. I can't even name specific brands, but I've also seen people bring in the pre-mixed Propel fitness water and such .. I think even Crystal Light now makes Fitness Water mixes, so you mix in this sugar free flavoring to your water and its supposed to "revitalize" or "energize" or have "fiber" or the like ... you can find them all over your juice drink/powdered drink aisles.

Hmm...guess I should not drink so much of the water mix with the Crystal Light Packets. I get tired of plain water pretty quickly. If it's just plain water, sometimes I'm sipping on that bottle for hours and hours. But if I add the Crystal Light Lemonade or Fruit Punch, I can drink those up pretty quickly. So that's why I've been adding the packets so I am drinking water.

"As food additives, artificial sweeteners are not subject to the same gauntlet of FDA safety trials as pharmaceuticals. Most of the testing is funded by the food industry, which has a vested interest in the outcome. This can lead to misleading claims on both sides. "

I'm sorry, and im not picking on you, but I found this somewhat comical considering the amount of drugs that are unleashed on the american public and that have a rediculous amount of PROVEN side effects and possible complications. The pharmacuetical industry has one of the biggest lobbies in washington; how much did you pay for your last name brand perscription?

anyway, without stepping on anyones toes, I encourage everyone to research the artificial sweeteners and try to make an informed decision for yourself.

Here here, in the end it's on the head of the person drinking to do what works best for them. It's funny that such a long and exhaustive discussion spawned out of such a simple question.

All I wanted to know was, for the food and water tracking portion of this site, whether it was "fair" to count the flavored water as water, lol. In the end, it's not a huge issue, because we're all accountable to ourselves right?

It's not like anyone's really "grading" us on this ... except our bodies and our health.