Sweetening up your sway! For pink and blue!

WARNING - if you have hypoglycemia, diabetes, PCOS, or insulin resistance, please read before you sway. http://genderdreaming.com/forum/ttc-...ar-issues.html

Do sweeteners sway? And how? Let’s take a look at the various sweeteners!

:C:SWEETENERS THAT WORK FOR EITHER SWAY

WHITE SUGAR :ttcgirl: and :ttcboy:

Sugar is acidifying.

Eating sugar either alone or with other refined carbs also causes blood glucose levels to rise high and then crash, also swaying pink.

However, eating carbs/sweets and protein together will keep your blood sugar in a boy-friendly zone for a long time after eating. It is also a source of calories (1 teaspoon contains 25 calories, while a packet contains 15) and gaining weight will help you conceive a boy. Keep an eye on your pH to make sure it is not affected by sugar.

Conclusion - sugar by itself sways pink, sugar eaten with protein sways blue. Organic sugar http://www.hainpurefoods.com/product...at_name=sugars may be a better choice for blue because it is raised without pesticides.

BROWN SUGAR - :ttcgirl: and :ttcboy:

See info for sugar above. Brown sugar has slightly more nutrients than white sugar does but despite claims to the contrary, causes just as high a rise/drop in blood sugar.

Sugar in the Raw contains 20 calories per packet and is less refined than other sugars are (more essential nutrients are left behind), so may be a better choice for blue.

CORN SYRUP/CANE JUICE/RICE SYRUP :ttcgirl: or :ttcboy:

Corn syrup, along with its dopplegangers cane juice and rice syrup, is acidifying (Brown Rice Syrup is listed on some lists as alkalinizing but I am not sure about that, because rice syrup was listed as acid). These sweeteners work similarly to sugar, raising blood glucose levels and then dropping them sharply unless eaten along with protein. Cane juice and rice syrup are often touted as a natural, healthier alternative to corn syrup but they affect your body in the exact same way - sugar cane juice may be better for blue than evaporated cane juice because it's less concentrated and has less effect on blood glucose levels.

:C:SWEETENERS THAT ARE BOY FRIENDLY

STEVIA/TRUVIA :ttcboy:

Unlike most other artificial sweeteners, Truvia is based on Stevia, an alkalinizing herb. However it also contains Erythritol (see above)

Truvia does not raise blood sugar levels and has no calories. Some very old studies seemed to indicate that stevia may reduce fertility, but subsequent studies have not supported this finding. Since it is a new sweetener, it’s probably best to avoid it during the 2WW.

You can safely cook and bake with Truvia. http://www.stevia.com/Stevia_Recipes.aspx

Conclusion - Truvia is better for blue.

Note - Look for Zevia, http://www.zevia.com/, a soda sweetened with stevia.

MAPLE SYRUP :ttcboy:

In a lot of ways maple syrup seems like just another sweetener but it is actually more boy-friendly than the other sugars and corn syrups. It does not affect blood glucose levels as strongly. (care should still be taken to eat it along with protein though.) It is considered neutral in pH and has a lot of nutrients (especially the boy-friendly zinc) that have been refined out of other sweeteners. Try to find the least refined maple syrup that you can and DO NOT USE the kind in the grocery store that has been mixed with other sweeteners to stretch it.

Note - there is some calcium in maple syrup so you will need to account for that if you are swaying blue.

Conclusion - Maple syrup is better for blue but watch your calcium!

HONEY :ttcboy:

Raw honey is alkalinizing, while processed honey is weakly acidifying.

Honey does contain natural sugars, and can have a similar effect on blood glucose levels as any sugar can. However, it affects blood glucose levels in a gentler way than sugar does, making it more blue-friendly. Regardless, care should be taken to eat honey along with protein when swaying blue.

Honey, esp. raw honey, contains a lot of other nutrients besides just pure sweetener, making it a better choice for blue. It also contains calories which can make you gain weight.

Conclusion - Honey, particularly raw honey, is better for blue.

MOLASSES :ttcboy:

Use ONLY unsulphured 'blackstrap' molasses because the sulphured kind is acidifying.

Molasses is alkalinizing or neutral depending on which list you look at. It is digested more slowly by the body than pure sugar (but you should still eat it with protein when you are swaying blue!) and contains lots of good nutrients in it. Excellent choice for a blue sweetener.

It does have some calcium and magnesium in it and you must account for that in your day's total.

Conclusion - Natural molasses is better for blue.

AGAVE NECTAR :ttcboy:

This is a new sweetener that we don't know a lot about yet, but it is quite low on the glycemic index meaning it doesn't cause the huge jump and crash in blood sugar that other sweeteners do. It's actually the best natural sweetener for blood sugar.

Agave nectar is slightly acidic so keep an eye on your pH if you choose to use it. Also, since it is on the new side, I would be wary about eating it during pregnancy or even in the 2WW.

Conclusion - agave nectar is better for blue.

:C:SWEETENERS THAT ARE MORE GIRL FRIENDLY

SPLENDA :ttcgirl:

Splenda is acidifying.

Splenda has no effect on blood glucose levels. However, it does have some calories (these are not listed on the label but they are in the “bulking” agents and not the sweetener itself. (about 4 cal per teaspoon)

Conclusion - Splenda, esp. Splenda with fiber, is better for pink.

Note about Splenda - Two products you should be aware of is the Splenda that is mixed with half-sugar for baking (when used in baking, Splenda gives an off taste so in order to use it for baking you need the half-sugar product), and also Splenda with fiber (each packet of Splenda with fiber contains one gram of fiber. Fiber helps sweep out nutrients from the digestive tract and so Splenda with fiber may help a pink sway even more than just plain Splenda.

WARNING - I used Splenda a lot when it first came out and I found that it made me have panic attacks. Some others have found that it gave them stomach problems.

SACCARIN (Sweet N Low) :ttcgirl:

Saccarin is acidifying.

Has no effect on blood glucose levels, zero calories, and no nutrition. You can use it to bake with and the flavor will not change. The chemical nature of saccarin may sway pink by reducing fertility. Please note, if you’re taking baby aspirin as a part of your sway, baby aspirin has saccarin in it.

Conclusion - Saccarin is better for pink.

WARNING - If you are allergic to sulfa drugs, you should not consume saccarin. Saccarin has been linked to cancer, particularly amongst smokers. Children should not consume saccarin. Pregnant women should use very little saccarin if any so you may want to avoid it during the 2 WW. May cause skin problems.

ACESULFAME-K :ttcgirl:

Acesulfame-K is acidifying.

Even though it passes through the body unchanged and does not raise blood glucose levels, it may trigger a release of insulin that can make blood sugar levels drop dramatically. The chemical nature of Ace-K may affect fertility negatively, swaying pink.

It can be used for baking although it has a bitter taste on its own (that is why you usually see it in the presence of other artificial sweeteners).

Believed to be safe for pregnant women.

Conclusion - Acesulfame-K is better for pink.

WARNING - The Center for Science in the Public Interest believes that the studies done on this sweetener were badly designed and didn’t properly test its safety.

ASPARTAME :ttcgirl:

Aspartame is acidifying.

4 calories per gram. Does not affect blood glucose levels. The chemical nature of Aspartame may affect fertility negatively, swaying pink.

Believed safe for pregnant women but DO NOT exceed dosage below during the 2WW. Cannot be used for baking and should not be used warm because it may hasten the breakdown of aspartame into harmful chemicals.

Conclusion - Aspartame is better for pink.

WARNING - If you have PKU, DO NOT use aspartame. The FDA has set the acceptable daily intake at 50mg per kg of body weight. That averages out to about 4 cans of diet soda per day. Many swayers ingest MUCH more of this chemical. Please be warned that this level of intake is not approved by the FDA. May cause headaches and a bad taste in the mouth. Some research has shown a link between aspartame and psychiatric disorders such as anxiety attacks.

SORBITOL, MANNITOL, XYLITOL and the rest of the Polyol family - :ttcgirl: or :ttcboy: but mostly :ttcgirl:

If it ends in -ol, stop here!

These are sugars that are found naturally in fruits, isolated and turned into artificial sweeteners. They are commonly referred to as “sugar alcohols”. The polyol family is acidifying.

These sweeteners DO have carbs and may raise blood glucose levels, and in turn, insulin levels, to a certain extent. However, this process is slower than in pure sugar (slower rise in blood sugar levels may sway blue) and the carbs that are present are not fully digested by the body (that is why they are considered “low carb” foods - because the body cannot use the carbs - but chemically they do still have carbs.) The newer generation of sugar alcohols, such as erythritol, isomalt, inulin and maltitol syrup may have less of an effect on blood sugar/insulin levels than the older sorbitol, mannitol, and xylitol do.

They do contain calories and are often found in junk products that have a lot of empty calories as well (such as diet candy bars). Remember for swaying pink, you want LESS calories overall so it may be better not to “waste” calories on junk, and for swaying blue, you want more quality calories so you can probably make a much better choice on where to “spend” your calories. Some people genetically seem to digest more of the calories in sugar alcohols than other people do so it may be somewhat tough to predict the effect they will have on you.

The sugar alcohols often cause stomach issues in sensitive people which may reduce nutrient absorption. That may help sway pink.

There is some conflicting info about whether or not the sugar alcohols are acidifying or not.

Conclusion - Prob better for pink, overall. BUT do not eat these sweeteners with protein if you have an option not to. The carbs in the sugar alcohols will make your blood sugar rise at least a little, then the protein will keep your blood sugar high for long periods after you eat.

Alternatively, these sugar alcohols may be an option for you if you are finding you are gaining a lot of weight on the TTC blue diet but again, there are so many better options out there.

WARNING - Because sugar alcohols are not completely absorbed, they hold on to a lot of water in the bowel. This causes diarrhea. Also, the intestinal bacteria CAN digest the sugar alcohols, resulting in gas and bloating. Sorbitol and mannitol are the worst and erythritol is supposed to be the least likely to trigger this reaction.

SWEETENERS THAT WE ARE NOT SURE ABOUT

:confused: LO-HAN OR LUO HAN GUO - This is a very new sweetener and it sounds very intriguing. It's natural and based on a Chinese fruit. But not enough info is known for me to render an opinion either way. AT first glance it seems like it would be boy-friendly because it's natural and doesn't make your blood sugar rise, but it contains a compound that may actually lower blood glucose levels, making it better for pink. I also am a bit wary about its use prior to pregnancy since not a lot is known about it just yet.

NUTSHELL VERSION - For TTC :xy: pick natural sweeteners that are less refined and have the maximum amount of additional nutrients. The only artificial sweetener that is boy-friendly is Truvia. Eat sweeteners WITH protein to keep your blood glucose levels nice and even for a long time after you eat.

For TTC :XX: Use refined, low nutrient sweeteners or artificial sweeteners. Most artificial sweeteners are girl-friendly. If you do eat sugary sweets, eat them alone, with no protein. They will make your blood sugar rise but then drop sharply because your body releases lots of insulin to digest them.

WARNING - if you have hypoglycemia, diabetes, PCOS, or insulin resistance, please read http://genderdreaming.com/forum/show...t=hypoglycemia

Buying guide and link to recipes (soon!!)

jj, that would be GREAT if you happen to find that out.

Someone just posted that Xylitol is referred to in some places as alkaline. All the sources that I usually go off of, refer to it as acidifying but I just wanted to let you know that the jury is still out on Xylitol. However, I still think it's good for pink because it has no cals and it does seem preferable to aspartame in terms of safety.

Another great thread. Thanks, Atomic.

One question: OH likes his yoghurt with honey. Could this counteract our pink sway? Should he change to something else for now?

A little honey will not ruin a sway BUT if you can get him to switch to sugar or aspartame, more's the better.

Can I ask - is Candarel sweetener (containing Acesulfame-K & Aspartame ok to use in my cups of tea instead of sugar for pink sway? Didn't really get the bit about it being warm?x

Just wanted to let you know the link is broken

Which link?

The first one.

http://genderdreaming.com/forum/ttc-...ar-issues.html

the bottom link about the hypoglycaemia ;) also, I was confused about the warm aspartame also as its for hot drinks???

It's grown literally impossible for me to update these links constantly because they change all the time and it would be a full time job. If the links work, that's great, if not then something similar usually comes up with a google search.

On some of the other sites they were drinking a level of aspartame that is insane and frightening. They were also deliberately leaving it at room temperature to make it "even more acidifying" (this means harmful and dangerous according to some sources) Some believe that drinking aspartame cold is safer than warm and since I have seen people drinking the insane and frightening levels of aspartame and getting boys with that (meaning it doesn't work anyway), it just seems to me to be reasonable that we avoid the heating and leaving aspartame at room temp. stuff that the other site does. Now obviously having a packet of equal in coffee is not a big deal but when someone is drinking 120 ounces of heated or room temperature aspartame a day for months at a time, maybe not so much a good idea.

NO ONE DO THAT, THAT IS WHAT PEOPLE DO ON SOME OTHER SITES AND IT IS NOT SAFE

dang it! I really like agave but plan on swaying pink. Guess it is back to Splenda.

Just wondering if there were any specifics on phenylalanine? Our zero coke and pepsi max is sweetened with phenylalanine in Australia, not aspartame. I would love to know if it is ok for a pink sway 😊

yes it's fine, it's part of aspartame

Organic honey is raw honey? Is it good for blue sway?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by anga236

Organic honey is raw honey? Is it good for blue sway?

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It's fine, I can't say that it's beneficial but it's certainly neutral

Quote:

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Originally Posted by atomic sagebrush

It's fine, I can't say that it's beneficial but it's certainly neutral

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Is it fine to get this raw honey
https://www.amazon.com/Bee-Farms-Cer...w%2Bhoney&th=1

Yes!