Stevia sucks! I need a new Starbuck's coffee!

[reefedjib]

First off Stevia...it's horrible! I got a Quad Espresso and tried the Stevia and it was disgusting. I can't consume it. I originally ordered 5 boxes of packets of Stevia. Now I am not going to use them. If anyone is interested in 4 unopened boxes and 1 opened minus 4 packets then let me know. I'll ship them to you.

Next is what do I drink?? I am going on the 6-12-12 diet and I don't want to spend carbs for sugar. I can't drink espresso without sugar. I can't get my mocha! I tried a Quad Grande Breve Latte (breve means half and half - 1g carb/serving) and it was ok, but not much coffee taste, lots of milk taste. I don't think I had much coffee taste in my mocha come to think of it. I was considering a Quad Grande Breve Cappuccino. What do you think I should try? HELP!! :)

[fairyblood]

It is hard to get a well made Breve Cappuccino. The more fat a milk has the harder it is to get good foam. Then again Starbucks tends to do really poor Cappuccinos so that might not matter to you. Sounds like you like sweet things. I like getting an americano which is espresso with water and adding a dash of half and half. Since you like things to be sweet you can ask for it with a sugar-free syrup. I like to get an iced americano with suger-free hazelnut syrup and adding just a bit of cream. Yumm:)

[reefedjib]

It is hard to get a well made Breve Cappuccino. The more fat a milk has the harder it is to get good foam. Then again Starbucks tends to do really poor Cappuccinos so that might not matter to you. Sounds like you like sweet things. I like getting an americano which is espresso with water and adding a dash of half and half. Since you like things to be sweet you can ask for it with a sugar-free syrup. I like to get an iced americano with suger-free hazelnut syrup and adding just a bit of cream. Yumm:)

Hey Fairyblood,

That's good info about the Cappuccino. Maybe a regular Cappuccino is in the works for me, although I don't have to have the foam - it's in a closed cup anyway. I was thinking about a half-milk (volume) Latte too. I wish I had a real coffeehouse to go to in the area but Starbuck's is it. Maybe I should open a store! I've never tried an Americano before. I'll see what that's like next time I'm out. I can't do the syrups, sugar-free or not. They are gross to my tastes. It's kinda like hairdye and lipstick :puke:! ;););)

[inkvisitor]

reefedjib: I'm interested in stevia but never have had it. What kind of (bad) taste does it have for you?

[reefedjib]

reefedjib: I'm interested in stevia but never have had it. What kind of (bad) taste does it have for you?

Well, I'm not sure I can describe it sucinctly. It is definitely sweet. I just doesn't have the same taste as sugar. I am so used to my espressos tasting a particular way that I didn't like this difference. To me it tasted slightly chemical, but I am sure it's because I am not used to it.

Want me to send you a box so you can try it?

[inkvisitor]

^Sure! And yeah, chemical-y taste was what I was figuring, but we shall see..

[Granny Shanny]

Well, I'm not sure I can describe it sucinctly. It is definitely sweet. I just doesn't have the same taste as sugar. I am so used to my espressos tasting a particular way that I didn't like this difference. To me it tasted slightly chemical, but I am sure it's because I am not used to it.

Want me to send you a box so you can try it?

The four packets you used from your order is just as bad as what was in your espresso?

Y'know I've been guilty of adding a dash of salt when I use artificial sweetening agents. It seems to bring out the other flavors of what I've sweetened, and reduces the deficiencies of the sweetener. And I HAVE used Truvia . . . I've just backed off it because the powdered version is (again!) laced with "bulking up" agents. Check the packet - it's 3.5 grams total weight, and 3 grams of carb.

[reefedjib]

The four packets you used from your order is just as bad as what was in your espresso?

Y'know I've been guilty of adding a dash of salt when I use artificial sweetening agents. It seems to bring out the other flavors of what I've sweetened, and reduces the deficiencies of the sweetener. And I HAVE used Truvia . . . I've just backed off it because the powdered version is (again!) laced with "bulking up" agents. Check the packet - it's 3.5 grams total weight, and 3 grams of carb.

I get a quad espresso. I usually put about 4 packets of sugar in. I put 2 Stevia, since it says 1 packet is like 2 teaspoons of sugar.

I hadn't thought about using salt. mmmm...

The Stevia says it has insoluable fiber and leaf extract.

[Chef Barrae]

Well, I'm not sure I can describe it sucinctly. It is definitely sweet. I just doesn't have the same taste as sugar. I am so used to my espressos tasting a particular way that I didn't like this difference. To me it tasted slightly chemical, but I am sure it's because I am not used to it.

Want me to send you a box so you can try it?

I'm a bit of a purest when it comes to enjoying my espresso. I don't use any sweetener but a twist of lemon zest is perfect. Have you ever tried it with that?

[reefedjib]

I'm a bit of a purest when it comes to enjoying my espresso. I don't use any sweetener but a twist of lemon zest is perfect. Have you ever tried it with that?

I have. Several times. A really quality espresso is ok to drink this way, but I still prefer my sugar. Perhaps I could get used to this. Several other times the espresso as been poorly prepared and it comes out bitter. Starbuck's seems to have that down pat. My sugar may be cover for that. Espresso with sugar is like candy to me.

[ShottleBop]

The four packets you used from your order is just as bad as what was in your espresso?

Y'know I've been guilty of adding a dash of salt when I use artificial sweetening agents. It seems to bring out the other flavors of what I've sweetened, and reduces the deficiencies of the sweetener. And I HAVE used Truvia . . . I've just backed off it because the powdered version is (again!) laced with "bulking up" agents. Check the packet - it's 3.5 grams total weight, and 3 grams of carb.

That's 3 grams of the sugar alcohol erythritol--the one sugar alcohol that many report really does NOT affect their blood sugars.

[Granny Shanny]

Thanks, Shottlebop . . . I hadn't noticed that it spiked me, but when I saw that, I didn't look further. http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b202/sneezytwo/blush-1.gif

[Chef Barrae]

I have. Several times. A really quality espresso is ok to drink this way, but I still prefer my sugar. Perhaps I could get used to this. Several other times the espresso as been poorly prepared and it comes out bitter. Starbuck's seems to have that down pat. My sugar may be cover for that. Espresso with sugar is like candy to me.

That is very easy to understand! I just looked up the nutritional values in Domino Dots Sugar Cubes, and while I am not advocating the use of sugar to a diabetic maybe you can fit in the occasional treat the way you like it as one dot cube has 4 grams of carbohydrate. Here's a link to the info:

Domino Dots Sugar Cubes calories and nutrition information - Food Labels - DietFacts.com (http://www.dietfacts.com/html/nutrition-facts/domino-dots-sugar-cubes-premium-pure-cane-sugar-40005.htm)

[reefedjib]

That is very easy to understand! I just looked up the nutritional values in Domino Dots Sugar Cubes, and while I am not advocating the use of sugar to a diabetic maybe you can fit in the occasional treat the way you like it as one dot cube has 4 grams of carbohydrate. Here's a link to the info:

Domino Dots Sugar Cubes calories and nutrition information - Food Labels - DietFacts.com (http://www.dietfacts.com/html/nutrition-facts/domino-dots-sugar-cubes-premium-pure-cane-sugar-40005.htm)

I wonder how much sugar I usually use in a Quad. Starbuck's has large sugar jars that you pour out of. I usually go for 7 seconds of pour. Gotta be what 20g carbs or so. It's an idea though to treat espresso more like a treat that I occasionally have, stop drinking coffee daily, and get a smaller Dopio (sp?) with the smaller amount of sugar. Thanks!

[Chef Barrae]

I wonder how much sugar I usually use in a Quad. Starbuck's has large sugar jars that you pour out of. I usually go for 7 seconds of pour. Gotta be what 20g carbs or so. It's an idea though to treat espresso more like a treat that I occasionally have, stop drinking coffee daily, and get a smaller Dopio (sp?) with the smaller amount of sugar. Thanks!

I don't ever want to entirely give up something I love. Where there's a will, there's a way! Maybe just a simple change in stratagy will help.

[DeusXM]

There's plenty of other artificial sweeteners out there, you know.

It does sound though like you were putting A LOT of sugar in your espresso beforehand. FOUR packets?

I know you say you're not really willing to compromise but from this and other stuff you've posted before, your dietary habits are/were riddled with bad stuff and maybe now is the time to re-evaluate.

[reefedjib]

There's plenty of other artificial sweeteners out there, you know.

It does sound though like you were putting A LOT of sugar in your espresso beforehand. FOUR packets?

I know you say you're not really willing to compromise but from this and other stuff you've posted before, your dietary habits are/were riddled with bad stuff and maybe now is the time to re-evaluate.

4 is a lot. Like I said, it's like candy to me. I've tried Splenda and Sweet-n-low. I believe I am in the process of evaluating. That's pretty much what this thread is about, you know? ;)

[mzteacher]

maybe try using 1/2 the sugar with 1/2 another sweetner....then if you like you can gradually reduce the sugar... or not...
susan

[reefedjib]

maybe try using 1/2 the sugar with 1/2 another sweetner....then if you like you can gradually reduce the sugar... or not...
susan

That's another good idea. Thanks!

[telizas]

I'm not a big coffee drinker, but I will totally agree that Stevia sucks. Its more like you taste the "sweet" but it doesn't sweeten the thing its in - you still get whatever bitter taste it had before. Since I don't drink it a lot, I will just use regular sugar and suck it up. I HAVE to have sugar in my tea, though. :) Even then, its a rare treat.

[reefedjib]

I'm not a big coffee drinker, but I will totally agree that Stevia sucks. Its more like you taste the "sweet" but it doesn't sweeten the thing its in - you still get whatever bitter taste it had before. Since I don't drink it a lot, I will just use regular sugar and suck it up. I HAVE to have sugar in my tea, though. :) Even then, its a rare treat.

Yeah, I went to Starbuck's this morning and got a Quad Grande Cappuccino, to which I had them add 2 tablespoons of milk and to which I added 3 seconds of sugar pour - about 2 packets maybe. I don't know how many grams of carbs to the packet. My number 2 hours later for my before lunch was another 100! 2nd today! It didn't seem to affect me and the coffee was tolerable to good.

[Granny Shanny]

I usually go for 7 seconds of pour.

Is this actually seven seconds (one-thousand-one, one-thousand-two, etc.), or a count of seven (one, two, three, etc.), which might be about half as much time?

Jes' askin' . . . cuz I'm a "counter" too, and seven seems to be the magic number. :D :D :D But I just count - not counting seconds.

[reefedjib]

Is this actually seven seconds (one-thousand-one, one-thousand-two, etc.), or a count of seven, which might be about half as much time?

Jes' askin' . . . cuz I'm a counter too, and seven seems to be the "magic" number. :D :D :D

LOL! Are you bipolar too? ;) It's a slow count of seven, but no one-thousand-one... I think it is very close to a one-thousand-one kind of count. There is no other way to measure when pouring sugar out of one of those containers. The scary thing is that it works - it always gives me the right amount of sugar.

SO you actually count to 7 too!? Weird. :D

It's funny, I was told to leave my Apidra SoloStar pen in for 10 seconds and there I do go one-thousand-one, one-thousand-two...

[Granny Shanny]

You betcha! lol! Count of seven for pouring; seven dashes with the salt or pepper shaker . . .

and then there's counting the steps when I take off upstairs or walk down to the mailbox . . . oh yeah . . .

no, I don't think I'm bipolar . . . not saying there might not be other obsessive/compulsive traits tho! ;)