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Alternative sweetners..

G0ldengirl68

Well-Known Member
Messages
349
Location
Grants Pass, Oregon
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
moved to my Home-State, so happy to be back and have my much-loved 4 Seasons again. Did not like the almost constant, icy winds off the ocean, and lack of shopping options (groceries and other). Did a lot of shopping online and finally gave up on any clothes shopping ;)
..and hoping to find something other than Stevia since lately I'm really finding it to have an after-taste I don't like at all. Funny how I've used it for years, so wondering if my taste-buds are better since I've been doing Keto since Feb. 2021.

I keep reading articles that say Erythitol and or Xylitol (not sure on spelling of either) have no after-taste but I've read that about stevia as well.

What do you use, if you use a sweetner? I don't want to give up on alternative sweetners, and when I use a little stevia mixed into a Tablespoon of cinnamon for my Almond Flour bread, I don't get an after-taste. But in my coffee I do. Maybe I need to use less now that I've typed out my issue, lol!! But I'd still like to know if any of you have found a "no" aftertaste alternative?

Thanks much, for any feedback
 
Hi, I find erythritol plays havoc with my digestion and xylitol and stevia have an unpleasant aftertaste. I now use monk fruit. It’s quite expensive but you can buy some mixed with erythritol, a bit cheaper, which has a much better taste for me. Good luck in finding something that suits you.
 
I find Truvia is fine if I only need a little but otherwise the sweetness of stevia hangs around too long, and if used with rhubarb tends to taste bitter to me, so I use either Erythritol or Xylitol for cooking.
People react differently so it is worth trying them.
 
Thank you for this suggestion, it's worth a try and we have a healthfood store here that most likely carries it Thank you again, I do appreciate it!! Denise
 
I appreciate your info as well Tricia. I have used Truvia in the past, but again, it has stevia in it so I wanted to find something without it at all this time around You must like the Erythritol and Xylitol, has not negative side-effects for you, so I may try one or the other for myself as well. I like to bake a cinnamon loaf using Almond Flour, and use a small amount of Stevia for that, mixed into the cinnamon first. I'd like to just have one type of sweetner for both coffee/drinks, and baking if possible Denise
 
I want to speak up for the humble saccharine tablet. So cheap, so sweet, so small and convenient to keep a little tube containing hundreds in one's handbag. Maybe I have insensitive taste buds, but I don't think I could tell a drink sweetened with saccharine from one with sugar. For other uses I like erythritol, as the slight crunch mimics sugar, but it does worry me that I have to use a hefty dose to get the same sweetness. As for side effects, my digestion is so dicey, I can't tell if erythritol troubles it or not. I buy the stuff on the internet as I have never seen it on the high street. A friend suggested crushing saccharine tablets for baking etc, but I have never tried. If anyone has, I'd love to hear about it.
 
I haven't heard that name since my Grandmother used it for her diabetes. I just read about it and to be honest, I'm nervous about anything made in a laboratory. As a matter of fact, I haven't checked up on Erytheritol, or Xylitol on that either so I will. Thank you for bringing that to my attention. It's been used for a lot of years, and I didn't read any negatives about it, so I always keep an open-mind, study it, and then decide So many people are into the other 2 I mention that I didn't even think of checking though, thank you again Denise
 
I use erythritol or xylitol, equally. I don’t notice after taste with either, but I only use them in cooking not in hot drinks. Please remember that xylitol is poisonous to pets, but both are available in my Tesco. Saccharin is a strange one for me, it raises my blood sugars as if I have had sugar
 
Sweeteners are quite an individual thing and what works for one may not for another. It also depends what you want to use them for. When I was using them, I found erythritol useful for baking (I didn’t get the after taste that some do) and as it’s about 30% less sweet than sugar, using it 1-4-1 in recipes worked well for me as my tastes changed. For making syrups/caramel then monk fruit is great.

You might find these articles helpful:

https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/sweeteners
https://mycrashtestlife.com/2020/05/07/guide-keto-sweeteners-comparison-chart-sugar/
 
Yes, definitely a personal taste thing I will take a look at your links and thank you so much on the eyrithritol info as that one and the Monk fruit are so far what I may order, or purchase, whichever is easier for me
 
This is a great guide https://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/best-keto-sweeteners/

personally I use erythritol. I hate the taste of stevia so this is definitely different. It’s less sweet than sugar but as I was already halving sugar in recipes before diagnosis and low carb that’s not an issue for me. I end up using less than most recipes ask for even when specifying erythritol rather than sugar. Some taste a weird cooling afterwards. It’s claimed mixing stevia and erythritol cancel each other’s after taste out but I haven’t tried it.

I have used xylitol for caramel to stop it crystallising and I used to use it before I found erythritol but it does have a slight blood glucose effect whereas erythritol has none. They also taste slightly different to each other. (Remember toxic to dogs though).

just about all other sugar alcohols cause digestive issues for me but as erythritol especially is processed differently I’ve been ok on it. I refuse to use artificial sweeteners not least because of the bulking agents they use maltodextrin or dextrose anyone? or go near maltitol. Inulin was also a disaster for my stomach.
 
Ok, you hit on one reason I've hesitated so far, to buy Erythritol. I also read/heard of the cooling taste like mint tastes. I don't like in anything, except I didn't mind it in a breath mint or gum when I used to have those. I think it Erythretol that is used in some gums now?? Anyway, I founds some on Amazon that is mixed with Monk Fruit but it is an alternative for "powdered" sugar. I'm not sure about that for baking when the Keto calls for granules. The Monk Fruit is said to help with something I can't remember right now but I think it was either the cool taste or aftertaste?? The product is by Anthony's, non-gmo etc. if anyone knows of it, or a good brand I might try.
 
Hi I have a lovely nutritionist help me as I react quite badly to a lot of food especially with additives and she recommended agave. I use it in baking and on yogurt. Hardly raises my blood sugar and they do honey, vanilla and a chocolate one. It’s plant based nothing artificial I buy from Ocado, a bottle lasts me quite a long time. I usually add a tablespoon.

https://www.ocado.com/products/groovy-food-agave-nectar-light-mild-34328011
 
Thank you much! I'll look into Agave as well! I know our grocery outlet sells it, and probably healthfood store as well
 
G0ldengirl68 said:
Thank you much! I'll look into Agave as well! I know our grocery outlet sells it, and probably healthfood store as well
Click to expand...
Sounds like you might like baking. Thought I would share this with you
This recipe I adapted from something similar and have made for the last 3 years. Even my non diabetic friends like it, obviously not cake though but they like it and it’s low carb. I refer to this as my ‘scone’ recipe

oven 160 degrees
200g ground almonds
3 tablespoons coconut flour
1 tsp sea salt
1.5 tsp baking powder
1 tablespoon honey or agave
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
30g coconut oil
5 eggs

place all dry ingredients in a blender or bowl, mix
Lightly beat eggs and add all other ingredients Blitz in blender for a minute until combined
If you don’t have a blender just make sure the eggs are beaten before adding to the dry ingredients and mix everything until well combined.
Grease a loaf tin with coconut oil or a Bundt tin looks lovely when baked.
Cook at 160 for 35-45 mins depending on your oven Should be golden on outside when turned out and just cooked in the middle, use a skewer to check, if you over bake will be a bit dry. Lovely hot or cold with cream or creme fraiche
From the ingredients I use I worked out a 53g slice is 3.6g carbs and 202 Kcals
 
Thank you, I really appreciate that! I can always use another Keto friendly recipe
 
I have stevia if I am desperate for something sweet, but anything else gives me a terrible tummy and spikes my blood sugar. I tend to shy away from sweeteners and so called "sugar free" as my body thinks its sugar and makes me feel ill. I cannot have sugar free jelly now and I loved it so much
 
Sorry to hear that Lainie, I miss some things too. Most of the time I'm lucky though as I'm satisfied with all the foods I "can" still eat.
 
Agave has pretty much the same carbs as table sugar at 76g/100g. It might suit you but I’d be exceptionally wary
 
HSSS said:
Agave has pretty much the same carbs as table sugar at 76g/100g. It might suit you but I’d be exceptionally wary
Click to expand...
One tsp is 3.5 g of carbs I probably use 7g of carbs distributed in a whole low carb ‘scone’ recipe which makes at least 12 portions. I used to use a tablespoon of honey (which is slightly higher carbs than agave) but can’t use any honey without spiking so the nutritionist told me about agave as she said it suits many of her Type 1 patients.
 
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