When you read the words "made from sugar, so it tastes like sugar," what do you assume about the product? Do you assume it's natural? Do you assume that it's made from sugar? Would you assume it was safer than other similar products? That's what legal minds are trying to figure out after the makers of Equal and NutraSweet filed a lawsuit against the makers of Splenda, saying that Splenda fools customers into thinking their product is natural with their misleading advertising slogan.

The truth is, sugar is used in the making of Splenda, but all sugar is burned off during the process and there is no sugar in the finished product. Splenda is made from synthetic compounds, just like Equal and NutraSweet, but these competitors claim that consumers don't understand that the products are very similar in nature. Splenda argues back that consumers like their product better because it tastes better and can be used in in baking. Splenda sales make up 60% of the artificial sweetener market right now, so there's a lot of money at stake on both sides.

Do you use artificial sweeteners? If so, let's take an unofficial poll: Which sweetener do you like better? If so, why? And did you understand that Splenda was not sugar-based and not natural? Does that make a difference to you? And if you're like me and you don't use these sort of products at all, tell us what helped you make that decision.

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When people go on a diet, one of the first things they cut back on is sugar...and rightfully so. Diets loaded with sugary foods are packed with empty calories and leave little room for foods with actual nutrients. Often, though, dieters trade in their sugar for artificial sweeteners, thinking they're doing themselves a favor by cutting the calories but still getting the sweet taste.

Like the saying goes, however, there's no free lunch, and artificial sweeteners come with their own set of consequences. For instance, did you know that people who use artificial sweeteners are no less likely to develop diabetes than those who use regular sugar? Experts believe it's because people who choose artificial sweeteners tend to eat more sweets as a matter of course. In fact, a 2004 study found that the calorie-free nature of sweeteners like Nutrasweet and Splenda may cause the body to crave more sugar. The sweet taste of artificial sweeteners tell the body to expect calories, and when none are received, the body gets confused. Concerns over the safety of these products has arisen as well.

So it appears, if you're trying to lose weight, sugar may not be any worse than artificial sweeteners. In the summer, watermelons and cherries help keep my sweet tooth at bay, but during the winter it's harder to find fresh fruits that satisfy me. What about you? How do you feed your sweet tooth when you're trying to take off pounds?

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In many cases -- heck, all of them -- I search out for natural sweetening alternatives like cane sugar, stevia and agave nectar when I need to add a bit of nutritious sweetness to my foods and drinks. I never use artificial sweeteners like aspartame, NutraSweet or Splenda. Why?

Well, I won't go into specifics, but aspartame and NutraSweet (just a brand name) are chemicals, that -- when I used to use them years ago -- gave me headaches. Once I researched what those items were, not only was I shocked, but I stopped using both products permanently.

On the trail of a never-ending quest to find sugarless and calorie-less sweeteners for products, sucralose was invented and given the name Splenda for marketing purposes I still prefer not to ever use fake sweeteners, including this one. Do you?

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Ever wonder what would be better than can sugar, refined sugar or artificial sweeteners like Splenda, NutraSweet or Aspartame? Many really negative studies have come about recently regarding the efficacy and potential harm artificial sweeteners can have on the human body over time -- which is a main reason I stay away from all of them completely.

But , natural cane sugar can be harmful too if taken in abundance. Refined sugar, used in candies and pastries among other things, is really, really bad for people in large amounts as well. What other choices are there? How about the nectar of the Agave plant, which can be found in many organic varieties and is quite possibly the best all-around multi-purpose sweetener out there.

In addition to the excellent natural sweetener stevia, Agave Nectar is a very low-glycemic but incredibly tasty sweetener made from the Agave plant -- the same plant that Tequila is refined from. In addition, Agave Nectar is about 125% sweeter than sugar by some estimates, making it a perfect replacement for standard tabletop sugar. My preferred brand? Organic Raw Blue Agave by Wholesome Sweeteners.

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You've seen all the knocks against sweeteners by now. Refined sugar is causing a diabetes epidemic. Aspartame is a toxic manmade chemical and people are finding it's better used as ant poison than as a sweetener. And Splenda is proving to be as problematic as other artificial sweeteners, because it contains chlorine.

So are we stuck? Must we go through our lives without anything sweet ever again? I certainly don't plan to.

I found a sweetener that is not only completely natural (comes from the leaf of a plant) but it also stabilizes blood sugar and acts as an antiviral agent, in that it can stop the onset of cold or flu. It's called stevia (pronounced STEE-vee-uh or STEH-vee-uh).

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Well, it's almost time for Hallowe'en again!

Are you getting ready by stocking up on candy?

Here are some ideas on alternatives to the usual sugary treats, including some surprises!

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