crstal light drink

[shortnshy]

I have read a few of your views on this. My question is what abt. the aspertame (hope spelled right) book says to avoid this. I do perfer this drink over plain water. Don't want to derail myself at the start. Just about done with second week.

[blackberrybunny]

I used Crystal Light drinks when I did SBD before, and I had no problems at all with it. My favorite flavor is the pink lemonade! It's really good. I've found that off-brand of the same flavor are not as good, but pretty decent.

Sometimes, I make a pitcher of unsweetened Kool-Aid and make myself a glass and add a packet or two of Splenda, or whatever, and drink that. But usually I prefer unsweetened iced tea, which is more natural; the kool aid and crystal light are full of things I can't pronounce! And I think tea is a good anti-oxidant, isn't it? Is the regular tea we drink full of antioxidants, or is that just green tea? Unsweetened cold green tea is good too, although it doesn't have much of a flavor. When I make a pitcher of regular tea, I toss in about 5 - 6 bags of the orange pekoe and one bag of Earl Grey, and that gives it a NICE flavor when served cold. Try it sometime! Snapples makes a refrigerated Early Grey tea that I find at our local convenience store, but it has a little bit of sugar in it. I prefer to make my own, w/o the sugar or the sugar substitute. It's good on it's own.

[RedRox]

Not sure which book you are referring to that says to avoid aspartame? It is an approved non-nutritive sweetener by the FDA and Nutrasweet and Equal are listed on the list of approved sugar substitutes in the food list and they are both aspartame based sweeteners. Other foods on the sweet treat list also typically use aspartame in them. Crystal light has always been considered an OK beverage for SB as long as you count the calories towards your daily sweet treat limit.

BTW, none of the above should be considered a personal endorsement of it as a sweetening agent, or an indication of its relative safety. It's just an indication that it is OK per the SB guidelines. Everyone should make their own determination as to the relative safety of any food additive they choose to include in their own diet.

[moinab]

I use Splenda Flavor Accents. The instructions say to use one packet, per 8 ounces of water, but I use 2 packets in my 24 ounce refillable bottle (with extra water, beyond the 24 ounce mark.)

I also make my own iced green/black tea mixture, using 4 green tea bags and two black tea bags to a gallon of water. My husband likes to mix the iced tea 50/50 with sugar-free lemonade (we use the Great Value "Crystal Light" knock-off brand.)

I also drink plain water, too. I live in Florida, so I drink a LOT of fluids!