I suppose it's possible but I've always thought it was wanting to be less dependent on imports after the second world war.
We were always taught the "Evil" Europeans forced the UK to stop buying our sugar when they joined the EEC and abandoned all it's commercial contracts with the commonwealth.
It kind of sucks (economically) for those countries that were feeding the "Empire" not to have an empire to feed anymore. It meant that as the British Empire wound down and bound itself to Europe all of the traditional markets that countries like Australia, New Zealand, India, South Africa and to a lesser extent Canada (it had the US and is much closer to Europe) dried up because of the UK's commitments to buy European in preference to that of its former Empire.
Putting my self in the position of the UK it makes economic sense, as Europe is a bigger market for its goods.
China is now our biggest market. We are all waiting for that bubble to burst or deflate.
Empires are a disaster whoever has them. It is simply never a good idea.
Thing is, the chemical and hormonal responses to artificial sweeteners are not exactly clear. Phenylalanine, maltitol, aspartam... All are "not just sugars". They do other things, and we are not sure what. There are indications that the brain can keep an addiction to sugar going on artificial sweeteners. It is also thought that for some reason, AS still makes you gain weight, perhaps because you get increased sugar craving. If so, the cure for obesity is part of what makes you fat.
I prefer to use sugar in smaller amounts.
I agree with this. I had to give up the artificial sweeteners for just this reason. I could not stop craving sweets. Which since I'm hypoglycemic and am supposed to eat a low sugar diet was a problem. Water most of the time and a sugary drink (usually diluted juice for me) once in a while works better.
The best sweetener for a hypoglycemic or diabetic person is xylitol. It is rather expensive, but can be used just liked sugar. Where I live, you can find it in normal granulated, brown sugar, and powdered sugar varieties.
I'd rather just moderate my intake of actual sugar. No one can say for sure how the body handles artificial sweeteners. I don't go near them.
I don't have such the luxury. I can handle some sugar, but too much will cause me to flush, feel ill, or go through dumping syndrome. One of the side effects of gastric bypass surgery. It's also why I'm hyper sensitive to alcohol, too.
I've been using Splenda instead of sugar when the recipe calls for it for over four years now (especially when I just want to make Kool-Aid) and I've done just fine with it. Heck, I have it down to almost a science now when making Kool-Aid that no one has accused me of using something other than sugar.
Gastric bypass and alcohol is a bad combination.
I'd rather just moderate my intake of actual sugar. No one can say for sure how the body handles artificial sweeteners. I don't go near them.I don't have such the luxury. I can handle some sugar, but too much will cause me to flush, feel ill, or go through dumping syndrome. One of the side effects of gastric bypass surgery. It's also why I'm hyper sensitive to alcohol, too.
I've been using Splenda instead of sugar when the recipe calls for it for over four years now (especially when I just want to make Kool-Aid) and I've done just fine with it. Heck, I have it down to almost a science now when making Kool-Aid that no one has accused me of using something other than sugar.
That's because Splenda is the Best AS. It's sucrose with some of the hydrogens ripped off and replaced by chlorines. Very little of it leaves the digestive system and that which does is broken down in the liver. The brain treats it like sugar so you don't get the stupid cravings you get from other artificial sweeteners.
I wrote a paper on Splenda for my upper division biochemistry class. Ended up experimenting on myself just for kicks. Turns out Splenda gives me a stomach ache. Got an A on the paper tho.
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splenda doesn't cook quite right. There's a sugar / splenda mix that works for baking, though. YOu only need half the mix in that your recipe calls for - I don't know how much of that mix is real sugar and how much is splenda, but it cuts down on the sugar (at the very least cuts it in half), and I haven't had anyone ever detect the difference.
