Hello,
I'll try to answer some of your questions here. To begin with the artificial sweeteners: they are not found in nature, which is why Audette does not support them. Like anything unnatural, your body was not intended to have them. Plus, sugars and their replacements are highly addictive. That is the easy answer. The harder answer is that despite all of the government tests on artificial sweeteners and the statements of safety, there is still danger to them because of the way they break down in the body. Aspartame partially breaks down into methanol, that is wood alcohol and is considered a toxic substance. Saccharin is not supposed to be absorbed by the body. The same for sucralose. But that can't entirely be proven. When I first tried Splenda, I had an immediate spike in my blood sugar followed by a low. My body absorbs Splenda. This is after reading all of the hype about it being a safe substitute and that it passes right through you. Another thing about sweeteners is that you don't need them. If you stick to a natural diet, there isn't anything that absolutely 'needs' to be sweetened for consumption. But if you want a sweetener, I would try stevia. It is the extract of a plant root. It has not been tampered with and is in a natural formation. I use the liquid form but a family friend uses it as a powder mixed with fiber. She loves it and says she's been able to use it in coffee, some baking, and as an all purpose sweetener.

Chocolate: it is a legume and contains alkaloids in its natural state. You can't eat chocolate raw. Like other legumes, once cooked, chocolate is poison free. Chocolate is a food that many people have addictions to . . . not a good sign.

Tea: caffeine is addicting and black tea is high in caffeine. Side effects of caffeine addiction are well known from headaches to shakiness. But teas contain other good substances.

Fermented products: these range from vinegar to alcohol and are not found naturally. I consider fermented products in be more of a personal decision. Some are very high in carbohydrates. Some are toxic to the body.

I would suggest finding a happy medium. If you notice that fermented products, chocolate, or teas cause cravings for more of the same thing or other 'addicting' things, it is probably best to avoid them. If you notice that you don't have addictions and don't notice any problems with your body after consumption, maybe it is ok for you.

Hope this helps.
Shazzer