Hello Susan - I know what you mean by an after taste with artificial sweetners.. I had a feeling you were going to mention the after taste, because I went through the same experience years ago.. It's funny how one's taste buds will acquire a taste for something.. With me it was for a 'weight issue' and that's when I got use to the taste.. In the last few years I changed to a plant based sweetner called Stevia.. It's the closest thing to the taste of sugar.. I don't like tea or coffee without a sweetner either, so I use Stevia in most everything.. Have you heard of it? It comes a green packet.. Try it, you might be surprised.. It doesn't taste like sweet n' low or splenda.. *hugs* Melinda