Substitute for Splenda?

[TraciWA]

I just started a new "life style". The sweetener suggested is Splenda but I would really like to stay away from the chemical sweetener. What would you recommend as a substitute? Ratio? Help!

[Guest inoubliable]

Xylitol? We use it, but I'm not sure what ratio you'd use when you're used to Splenda.

[Liz CA]

Rapadura or sometimes in a bag called "Rapunzel Organic Whole Cane Sugar". It's sugar unrefined and unbleached. There is no centrifuge involved, only filters, drying and sieve grinding. Molasses content stays intact.

The ratio is pretty much 1:1

[KrissiK]

I use stevia to sweeten almost everything.

[redsquirrel]

I use xylitol as well. I only use it in tea or coffee. I use it in the same amount that I would use sugar, about .5 tsp. And yes I know that if I am only using .5 tsp then I shouldn't even bother using sweetener because I can't taste it, but I do.

 

Oh wait, you aren't my husband.

 

Anyway, if I am baking then I use cane sugar or molasses or maple or honey or whatever it calls for. I don't substitute then. But for every day sweetening I use xylitol.

[Matryoshka]

I use stevia to sweeten almost everything.

 

:iagree:

[Guest inoubliable]

I use xylitol as well. I only use it in tea or coffee. I use it in the same amount that I would use sugar, about .5 tsp. And yes I know that if I am only using .5 tsp then I shouldn't even bother using sweetener because I can't taste it, but I do.

 

Oh wait, you aren't my husband.

 

Anyway, if I am baking then I use cane sugar or molasses or maple or honey or whatever it calls for. I don't substitute then. But for every day sweetening I use xylitol.

 

 

LOL. My DH and I have that "conversation" almost every time I make tea around him.

 

We use demerara for most of our baking and every day stuff, molasses a bit less. They xylitol is great for small stuff, though, and specific recipes that call for it. I probably should have mentioned that some people have some gastrointestinal upset with too much xylitol.

[gracesteacher]

For baking we use palm or coconut sugar as it does not raise the blood sugar and taste like brown sugar to us. and we do it 1 to 1 but we also rarely bake.....

[Dandelion]

I use Stevia. In terms of the ratio, it seems to be 1:1 with Splenda (I used to use Splenda, and I now use the same amount of Stevia as I used to use with Splenda).

[Melissa in Australia]

sugar?

honey?

[Lynnae]

Stevia, Erythritol, Xylitol.

[crazyforlatin]

I didn't know xylitol came as a powder. I may have to order that for DH.

 

Costco, as well as other natural stores, sell organic coconut palm sugar, which does not raise blood sugar and can be consumed by diabetics. It can still cause cavities, though. We use it for making ice cream and baked goods and sweetening oatmeal.

 

 

[crazyforlatin]

Xylitol? We use it, but I'm not sure what ratio you'd use when you're used to Splenda.

 

Do you use it over oatmeal? Any weird after-taste?

[Guest inoubliable]

Do you use it over oatmeal? Any weird after-taste?

 

We use demerara for our oatmeal. I've never tried the xylitol in oatmeal before. I wouldn't think there'd be any after taste, though. I can try it tomorrow morning and let you know! LOL.

[Momof3littles]

Erythritol and stevia for us. I can use xylitol, but if we overdo it, we do get tummy rumbles. If you try xylitol, ramp up slowly. Some people can handle more of it if they increase the amount they are consuming very slowly. Erythritol tends to be the best tolerated of the sugar alcohols. We buy from global sweet as their product is non GMO. Erythritol is not as sweet as sugar, it is something like 70 percent as sweet, so it pairs well with stevia to give it a boost. They have synergy together. For stevia, I like the NuNaturals brand the best, hands down. I prefer the one that is straight stevia, no maltodextrin or other flow agents. It is expensive for a tiny bottle, but you really only need the tiniest bit of it.

Erythritol does tend to recrystallize, so in some applications, you need to powder it in a blender or buy it powdered. Powdering it is definitely preferred for things that aren't going in the oven (which melts the crystals), but where you don't want to crunch on crystals. Homemade ice cream, for example, or lightly sweetening whipped cream.

[TraciWA]

Thanks! I am going no flour/ no sugar so am looking for alternatives. I will look into some of these.

[PrincessMommy]

There are the ones mentioned, but I hardly see how many of them are hugely different than Splenda when you get down to it. I've tried many of them, but I often just use Splenda because at least I can find it in a regular store and it doesn't cost an arm and a leg. I don't see Splenda as being in the same category as aspartame.

 

I agree.

 

Also, I thought Erythritol and xylitol were both chemically made. I know they cause me tummy distress and I think they taste like chemicals. But maybe that's just me.

 

I'm going to look into palm and coconut sugar - I've never heard of those and it might be a nice alternative in some baking. The problem I have with splenda is that it doesn't add the bulk like sugar does.

[KungFuPanda]

sugar?

honey?

 

Sorry, but that's what I do. A little goes a long way, and you can cut back gradually, but real sugar and honey just taste better.

 

Don't mind me though, I'm surrounded by people who are far less healthy or fit than I am who like to advise me to give up my precious sugar, so I'm cranky and irrationally indignant about it. I have a few tablespoons every day. Besides, stevia tastes VERY bitter to me.

[Tammyla]

Honey or sugar