# Nutrasweet & low-carb diets

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nutrasweet-low-carb-diets/4904>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 21, 1999, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nutrasweet-low-carb-diets/4904 "1999-11-21T22:19:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\
**Post date:** [November 21, 1999, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nutrasweet-low-carb-diets/4904/1 "1999-11-21T22:19:00Z")

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Does anyone know if Nutrasweet (aspartamine) triggers the dreaded “insulin reaction” that people on low-carb diets are trying to avoid? Does it trigger carbohydrate craving either physicaly or psychologicaly? I’m trying to cut back on sugar and white flour, but I need to know if the 60 ounces a day of decaf diet Pepsi needs to go too.

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**Author:** ![Ezstrete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ea924/32.png) [@Ezstrete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ezstrete)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 1999, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nutrasweet-low-carb-diets/4904/2 "1999-11-22T01:28:00Z")

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As an older person with Diabetes -2 it’s something I’ve never heard about.

As a regular user of “equal” I’ve acquired NO carbo cravings of any kind.

My lady wife and I eat out every day and I do not eat any breads or cakes or crackers,and don’t even miss them.

I also use aspartame sweetened non-caffiene colas with no negative results----

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 1999, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nutrasweet-low-carb-diets/4904/3 "1999-11-22T03:56:00Z")

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Check out this thread in Great Debates:  
[http://www.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum7/HTML/000534.html](http://www.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum7/HTML/000534.html)

In between the flames there’s some good information.

-Melin

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**Author:** ![Poto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ab992/32.png) [@Poto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poto)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 1999, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nutrasweet-low-carb-diets/4904/4 "1999-11-22T03:59:00Z")

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Fairly large doses (I don’t know, a dozen cans, several dozen a day?) of nutrasweet soda could give a measurable carbohydrate craving.

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**Author:** ![Yarster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/7c8e57/32.png) [@Yarster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yarster)\
**Post date:** [November 23, 1999, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nutrasweet-low-carb-diets/4904/5 "1999-11-23T21:31:00Z")

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Sunbear,  
I’m not so sure I agree with that. I’ve been on the “Carbohydrate Addict’s Diet” (as described in the book by Heller and Heller of the same name) for two weeks now and I don’t get any kind of cravings at all. Being a cheese fiend myself, I find the diet pretty damn easy since they ENCOURAGE you to eat a lot of that. Someone who previously ate a loaf of bread a day though is certainly going to find the diet hard for no reason other than the fact they are USED to eating a loaf a day.

I drink at least three Diet Cokes/ Pepsi Ones a day, and have noticed no difference in cravings. Mostly I just notice I get tired a lot faster these days. But for whatever it’s worth, in two weeks I’ve lost 6 pounds!