Xylitol vs Artificial sweeteners

I use Erythritol and Xylitol in my baking. I find that if I want something to be more dense and moist I will use Xylitol. It is easy to use as it is just substituted cup for cup in place of sugar. I havn't experienced any issues with it and it is reasonably priced.

I only us Xylitol in cake making at the moment but use about 30g less than ordinary sugar as I found my first cake too sweet, but that's a matter of personal taste. I use Hermesetas granular on cereal and the tablets in tea and coffee. The Xylitol was 80p cheaper in Tescos than Holland and Barrett.

Brunneria said:

Xylitol is my favourite sweetener.
Tastes like sugar
Looks like sugar
Sold in supermarkets
Can be used gram for gram to replace sugar in recipes
Had absolutely no digestive problems with it

But stopped using it immediately when i discovered that it is deadly poisonous to dogs (we have 2). The dogs never get human treats, but sooner or later, a dropped food fragment...

I now use erythritol. Not as sweet. Not the same flavour as sugar. An odd, 'cool' mouth feel. Very expensive. Looks and cooks like sugar. No digestive tract impact. Not deadly to dogs.

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Can you bake with it O Great One? Also, where d'you buy it?

Loose

LucySW said:

Can you bake with it O Great One? Also, where d'you buy it?

Loose

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I've baked with it - same quantity as sugar in the recipe but I did find in my coconut macaroon I needed a lower oven temp as the xylitol melted out of the mixture. You can get in in Holland and Barrett, and larger Tescos and Sainsburys at about £3 for a 250g packet until the name Total Sweet. I'm sure if you searched the net you could find it cheaper in larger quantities. It's my favourite of the "artificial" sweeteners so far - it doesn't have the same bitter aftertaste to me as some of the others.

In Holland and Barrett its £2.80 in Tescos it's £1.99 (that's what I paid) - don't know where you get your £3 - and it's a 225g packet not 250g. Don't know about Sainsbury's, Asda don't sell it.

LucySW said:

Can you bake with it O Great One? Also, where d'you buy it?

Loose

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You can bake with both.
I (used to) get xylitol from Tescos (green and white packet with a different name quoted in my sig)
I (do) get erythritol from Amazon. Worth comparing prices. The bigger the pack, the lower price/g but the price is still shocking compared with sugar. Makes you very aware how much sweetness you are enjoying.

I had a coffee half milk half water with one spoonful of xylitol. My blood sugar went up from 6.2 to 8.4. Puzzled as I hadn't eaten any breakfast. X

artijayne said:

I had a coffee half milk half water with one spoonful of xylitol. My blood sugar went up from 6.2 to 8.4. Puzzled as I hadn't eaten any breakfast. X

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Xylitol is a sugar alcohol. I found this description:
Possessing approximately 33% fewer calories, xylitol is a lower-calorie alternative to table sugar. Absorbed more slowly than sugar, it does not contribute to high blood sugar levels or the resulting hyperglycemia caused by insufficient insulin response. This characteristic has also proven beneficial for people suffering from metabolic syndrome, a common disorder that includes insulin resistance, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and an increased risk for blood clots

So it should not raise the bgl significantly. It is more likely the lactose in the milk that has done that. People doing a low carb diet often use bulllet proof coffee, where the milk is substituted by whole cream or coconut oil to reduce carb input.
EDIT to add: Xylitol is a common sweetner used in chewing gum, and is extremely toxic to animals, especially dogs. Safe for humans.

Hello, I'm Millie and a newbie here. I'm waiting to see my GP, just had blood test results of 52 mmols hence joining here. I've just started using Xylitol and it seems fine to me. I've used a variety of sweeteners over the years but don't trust the nasty chemicals in them. Xylitol claims to be natural and I buy the sort derived from corn cob as I read that birch trees are killed to for the birch type. My coffee tastes great at last but the only concern I have is that I've also read that it's best to buy the pharmaceutical grade rather than food grade

Millie_Tant_ said:

Hello, I'm Millie and a newbie here. I'm waiting to see my GP, just had blood test results of 52 mmols hence joining here. I've just started using Xylitol and it seems fine to me. I've used a variety of sweeteners over the years but don't trust the nasty chemicals in them. Xylitol claims to be natural and I buy the sort derived from corn cob as I read that birch trees are killed to for the birch type. My coffee tastes great at last but the only concern I have is that I've also read that it's best to buy the pharmaceutical grade rather than food grade

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Hi Millie, I use Canderel "Stevia" powder plant extract sweetener. It's a natural plant extract and if you google "stevia" you'll get a lot of information. The power is ideal for cereals or can be used as well in tea/coffee. It can also be bought as Hermesetas Stevia Tablets which I used for tea/coffee

Cl1ve said:

Hi . If you look at the carbs in stevia its 99 carbs per 100g so if you are on a low carb diet you would have to be careful how much you used . At the end of the day if you extract sugar out of a plant you end up with carbs

Clive

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The carbohydrates in stevia (and some of the sugar alcohols as well) are passed straight through into your gut, so never actually pass into your blood as additional glucose. They have NO effect on your levels in their pure form. The only time you might see any effect is if the powdered form possibly has a starchy filler added. Together with erythritol (which has similar properties) it's recommended and is completely safe for diabetic use. Xylitol is also fine, but be aware if you keep dogs just a tiny amount can fe extremely dangerous for them.

Robbity

Hi after reading all the recent posts on sweeteners I have been using Splenda minis from Tesco £2.99 for 300, has anyone any information on these please. Bear in mind I have had them for 2 months now and may only have used 2 or 3 a week as try to have my drinks without anything but I do like a coffee with them.