Sweetners

[sparkles]

Please can anyone tell me (anything) about sweetners. I have always thought of sweetners as very bad things. Are there different types? are any safer than others? Are there any natural sweetners? Are there other things eg concentrated friut juice - preferably low carb and can be used in baking etc to sweeten. I have a very sweet tooth and if I am to stay away from sugar for the rest of my life I need some new ideas to help me.
Thanks!
SPARKLES.

 

[viviennem]

Hi Sparkles

I use Splenda, tablet form in coffee and the granulated on cereal (if required), stewed rhubarb etc. I don't bake, but you can use it instead of granulated sugar for baking. I tab = 1 teaspoon. I think the granulated is one-for-one, but I'm not sure.

Tesco at least do their own version, but I haven't tried it yet.

It's made of sucralose (I think) rather than aspertame or any of the others which have been reported as 'nasties'.

I don't eat many sweet things - trying to train myself away from it, quite successfully (after 50 years of practise!)

Fruit juice is full of fructose = carbs. Stevia is a herb which is supposed to be good, but I don't think it's licensed over here yet.

Viv 8)

 

[sparkles]

Hi viv,
Thanks for that. What is the difference between sucralose and aspartamine and what makes one nasty and the other not? Do you know?

I realise fruits are high in sugars and the concentrates of 100% pure fruits (from healthfood shops) will no doubt be full of it, but concentrates are very sweet and perhaps only a very little would sweeten something like a batch of muffins. being liquid it would probably mix well into the batter. I dont know because I havent tried yet (and cant eat them on foundation so no incentive for me to try till Im through") There are also fruit butters pear and apple eg. which I think again are just the fruit boiled down till it becomes a thick paste. just a thought. I dont blame you Viv for weaning yourself off sugar. I kind of hope that as my palet gets used to less and less of it, it will need less and less of it. LOL, actually there could be truth there because already things which wouldnt have tasted very sweet to me I'm begining to notice their sweetness. But I do like sweet and will be happy to still enjoy it if I can find a healthy way. I'm also looking for the sweetness while Im in transition.

any more ideas and info? How does honey fit in? Is there any scope for it in a low carb diet? Can it be diluted and used?
SPARKLES

 

[viviennem]

100g of honey has 79g carbohydrate. White granulated sugar has 100g carb per 100g of sugar - ie, it's pure, fast-acting carbohydrate :shock: On the other hand, I sometimes sweeten my Greek yoghurt with a very little honey melted in a bit of hot water. After all, 100g of honey is quite a lot. Comfort food! But I eat it only rarely - once a month or less. It comes under the category of 'treat'.

As far as I know - though I could be wrong! - aspartame is a manufactured chemical whereas sucralose is a naturally-occuring chemical. In fact, I don't know :lol: Someone will come along and tell us. But I do know that, as far as my taste-buds are concerned, Splenda has no after-taste and just over half a gram of carb per tablet.

Have you come across 'The Calorie, Carb and Fat Bible 2011' ? It lists almost every food you can think of, natural and man-made/processed, and gives the calorie, carb and fat content. Very useful, but defintely not handbag size. A more portable (though less accurate) book is the Collins Gem Carb Counter. Useful when you're in doubt about a food.

Viv 8)

 

[sparkles]

I want to try and learn about these different sweetners and will spend some time checking them out on wikipaedia sometime and looking at all the alternatives to sugar. I wonder when sugar first entered the diet of ordinary people in the UK? I bet it wasnt that many generations ago. My aunt aged 80 said she ate apples and that there were many more varieties available when she was small. I dont know either of the books but am generally content to look things up on the net as I usually find what Im looking for. Good to know them if I need them though so thanks viv!
SPARKLES

 

[candyfloss]

Please can anyone tell me (anything) about sweetners. I have always thought of sweetners as very bad things. Are there different types? are any safer than others? Are there any natural sweetners? Are there other things eg concentrated friut juice - preferably low carb and can be used in baking etc to sweeten. I have a very sweet tooth and if I am to stay away from sugar for the rest of my life I need some new ideas to help me.
Thanks!
SPARKLES.

Sparkles, have you ever wondered why you thought sweetners were "bad things"? Could it be the misinformation peddled by the trillion dollar sugar and confectionary industry? Or could it be the tests done on rats who were given thousands times normal doses of sweetners and then developed cancer?
Do you think these would still be on supermarket shelves (after decades) if they there was any risk to public health?
Taken in moderation I dont think any are unsafe.
(I didnt think there was any such thing as concentrated low carb fruit juice. Is there?)
BTW, I too have a sweet tooth. I use 1 Sweetex in tea and 2 spoons of Sainsburys Slenda Sweet in plain yoghurt topped by 4 or 5 blueberries/nuts for dessert. This has now replaced my beloved pudding and custard that often followed a main meal.

 

[sparkles]

Hi candyfloss,
no.. just one of those things that sits in the bacvk of ones mind but I do rememder links with cancer and I think in some country certain ones were banned. I like the idea of looking at all the alternatives to sweeten things and also of letting my palet get accustomed to less sugar by not eating it or those highly processed foods which are full of it. Then perhaps just sweetening something with fruit, like yoghurt as you mention will taste good and not too sour. No ,,, I doubt there are low carb fruit juice drinks but I was thinking of the strong 100% cancentrates and thinking that say in baking one wouldnt need to use very much at all.. so just may be they would be ok as a replacement for all that sugar. I love my bran muffins and if it worked think the flavouring would be nice too. But I really dont know and havent got a bottle to check the nutrition lable. At the moment Im just thinking about these things and trying to work out what alll the alternatives to sugar are.
SPARKLES

 

[gillyflower]

Hi
I am just starting on a low carb diet - and it seems to be going fairly well. I bought some Splenda granules which taste great - no nasty after taste - however I am not sure if the granules are sufficiently low carb. Does anyone else use the granules or do you stick to the tabs
Advice much appreciated
Gill

 

[sparkles]

Hi Gillyflower,

I cant answer your question but I use a sweetner I bought in morrisons. I wouldnt call it granular though its very light. I think it has 1/2 gm carbs per teaspoon (off the top of my head. )

But I came across something today and wondered if anyone has tried this and can tell me anything more about it: Coconut sugar.

What is Coconut Sugar?
Coconut sugar is a low glycemic granulated sweetener with a glycemic index of 35. Compare that to honey of 75, agave nectar of 30, pure maple syrup of 54, or sugar (sucrose) of 95. Coconut sugar or coconut palm sugar as it is also called is made from the dried sap of the coconut palm blossom. Sounds lovely doesn't it? But what does it taste like?
I find the taste mild with slight molasses undertones, possibly even a little like maple syrup. The flavors marry well with spices, which will be quite perfect for your autumn baking needs. Coconut sugar can be substituted 1 for 1 in baking. Use it where you would use brown sugar, Sucanat, or white sugar.

Also anyone use agave nectar? and can you tell me anything about it and how it is used.
Thanks
SPARKLES

 

[viviennem]

Hi Gill

The granulated Splenda, according to the packet, has 97.7g of carb per 100g. That is nearly as much as sugar, but Splenda weighs much less - my big-ish box weighs 125g, and I've had it for years!

The tablets ('Minis') have 76.9g carb per 100g, but a dispenser containg 100 tabs has only 5.5g of Splenda tabs. Each tab has a 'trace' of carb and 0.2cals. I find each tab has the sweetening power of a small teaspoon of sugar - ie, not heaped too high.

I use the tabs in coffee, and just a sprinkle (half a teaspoon) of granulated eg on fruit. Sometimes I dissolve a couple of tabs in hot water eg to use when stewing rhubarb.

I think the main thing, really, is to try to wean yourself off the sweet taste as far as possible, and just use sweetener when you really can't do without it - in my case, coffee. I can drink black without sugar, but it's a totally different drink to white with.

We've got to face the fact that diabetes is for life, and for Type 2's at least it's life without added sugar and sweetness - except as a treat! Much better to learn to do without it and get over the cravings. I don't bake any more, either sweet or savoury - the combination of flour and fat accounts for the size I am - with a bit of assistance from red wine .

I'm 61 now, and I've been learning to do without sweet things (for weight loss) for about 45 years. I think I've just about got there now :lol: except for very occasionally. Now, most things eg cakes and sweets, are much too sweet for my palate.

Coconut sugar, Sparkles - how many carbs per 100g, and how many calories?

Viv 8)

 

[gillyflower]

Hi Viv
You are right. I guess I want to hold on to some 'vice' -after stopping smoking and drinking alcohol
However I feel so much better without the carbs that I will persevere and hopefully lose my sweet tooth.

Thanks for your support
Gill

 

[sparkles]

Dont know how mant carbs Viv and cant seem to find it on line. but lots of info about it. It seems coconut sugar is good for diabetic because of its GI and GL. But I am too new to this to know what it all means. But the product itself is 100% natural I believe, not quite as sweet as sugar and while new in the west has been used for a long time elsewhere.
SPARKLES

 

[catherinecherub]

Hi sparkles,

You might like to read this article about sugar and sugar substitutes in baking.
,
http://www.dlife.com/diabetes-food-and- ... ing.page01

 

[sparkles]

Good advice and great recipes too!
thanks!!!
Sparkles

 

[sparkles]

Hi,
I tried agave syrup today for the first time. I bought it in sainsbury's for about £2.50 for 250 ml. I was suprised as it is very sweet. The label says it has a low GI. It is still 78 gm carb per 100 gms. Not something I can use a lot of I guess.
sparkles.