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Using a sweetener called xylitol to make jam

Susan Clarke

Susan Clarke

Member
Messages
10
Location
Derbyshire
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
I thought that I would like to let people know that I used xylitol as recommended by my local health food shop to make blackcurrant jam. I have been using Stevia which didn't set very well, however this is perfect. I would be interested in other peoples baking experiences using substitute sweeteners.
 
Susan Clarke said:
I thought that I would like to let people know that I used xylitol as recommended by my local health food shop to make blackcurrant jam. I have been using Stevia which didn't set very well, however this is perfect. I would be interested in other peoples baking experiences using substitute sweeteners.
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Yes I have used it , strawberry jam I made ..
But I followed a Jamie Oliver recepie .. Fridge jam and it lasted for a week on the fridge .. Very nice X
 
Check out the jams and jelly on pininterest that use pectin and erithrytol some of them sound very yummy.
Im going to try some of the one with rubarb
 
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Kat100 said:
Yes I have used it , strawberry jam I made ..
But I followed a Jamie Oliver recepie .. Fridge jam and it lasted for a week on the fridge .. Very nice X
Click to expand...
Kat100 said:
Yes I have used it , strawberry jam I made ..
But I followed a Jamie Oliver recepie .. Fridge jam and it lasted for a week on the fridge .. Very nice X
Click to expand...
I have also tried this sweetener in carrot cake and chocolate cake - really came out well as well.
 
Cat0409_ said:
Check out the jams and jelly on pain interest that use pectin and erithrytol some of them sound very yummy.
Im going to try some of the one with rubarb
Click to expand...
I shall look out for erithrytol - the blackcurrant jam worked well because it is a good jam for setting and didn't take long to reach setting point. It also goes further as you add water. Hope it will last as long as sugar jams - time will tell!!
 
Its good to know it works well in jam. I use erythritol in items that need the consistency to be more like sugar but I usually use xylitol as it is cheaper
 
Susan Clarke said:
I thought that I would like to let people know that I used xylitol as recommended by my local health food shop to make blackcurrant jam. I have been using Stevia which didn't set very well, however this is perfect. I would be interested in other peoples baking experiences using substitute sweeteners.
Click to expand...

Www.diabeticgoodbaking.com has lots of recipes using xylitol
 
Oh yeah, there's some delicious recipes there. I made my plain vanilla ice cream into raspberry swirl ice cream using the xylitol so Im very happy about that.
 
Susan Clarke said:
I thought that I would like to let people know that I used xylitol as recommended by my local health food shop to make blackcurrant jam. I have been using Stevia which didn't set very well, however this is perfect. I would be interested in other peoples baking experiences using substitute sweeteners.
Click to expand...
Hi
I live a ketogenic lifestyle and the diet is low carb. I make jam all the time with xylatol and it does not crystalize as some others do (Erythratol etc) Apparently Allulose doesn't crystallise either but I haven't tried it in jam and it's not as sweet. Xylatol is poisonous to dogs so be careful with food scraps.
 
Xylitol works well in anything that needs to avoid crystallising, so fudge, many desserts, caramel, jam etc.

It has some dental benefits too. It has a slightly higher glycemic index than erythritol but still pretty good and is usually one of the less problematic sugar alcohols gut wise on the whole. It is however toxic for dogs.
Taste wise I find it the closest to sugar and a mix of that and erythritol (that I find the cheaper option bought in bulk online)tempers the slight “cooling” taste of erythritol.
 
As a dog owner/lover I'd agree with @HSSS and others about xylitol being toxic to dogs, so can't comment on it's jam making or other abilities. But it's toxicity is definitely something dog owners should be aware of...
 
I can’t use xylitol as it sends my BG up quite high. I've made jam with erythritol and not had a problem with crystallising but I do put a couple of splashes of lemon juice in it and thats supposed to stop that happening.
 
MissMuffett said:
I can’t use xylitol as it sends my BG up quite high. I've made jam with erythritol and not had a problem with crystallising but I do put a couple of splashes of lemon juice in it and thats supposed to stop that happening.
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Was it pure xylitol or did it have a bulking agent?

An awful lot of granulated sweeteners are mixed with stuff like maltodextrin (which has a higher GI than sugar).
 
Yes, beware of maltodextrin. I was caught out a few years ago with a product labelled *all natural, no added sugars." Among the list of ingredients on the back of the carton was maltodextrin. Apparently, this is within the regulations.
I have a long memory when I believe I've been hoodwinked.

I use stevia every once in a while, but not in preserves.
Erythritol doesn't raise blood glucose at all, while xylitol has a small effect.
 
HSSS said:
Was it pure xylitol or did it have a bulking agent?

An awful lot of granulated sweeteners are mixed with stuff like maltodextrin (which has a higher GI than sugar).
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It was called Total Sweet and as far as my research went it didn’t have any bulking agent or maltodextrin. I don’t have any problem with sticking with erythritol and I use it less and less now anyway ;)
 
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