[KShai]

I just got through reading a recipe on SBD Ph1 on a Mock Danish (which sounds yummy BTW) and a discussion insued there about sugar substitutes. I thought I'd start a thread that could be information and for everyone to ask questions and get answers and opinions on various sweeteners. I myself would like a good sugar substitute that's NOT Splenda. I have a very bad reaction to it. If I inadvertently eat something that has Splenda in it, I always know even without looking at the label because I end upwith migraine-like headaches and occasional nausea.

I've also see things on Da Vinci syrups and Stevia. I had actualyl never heard of Stevia until I worked in Wild Oats at the cafe and people were harrassing me about not having any to serve them. Man the people in this area are horrible! (I had to explain to all of them at great detail and length why we weren't allowed to sell it but that's another story indeed. I've only recently started hearing the term Da Vinci syrup. Any info on those?

[CyndiM]

My partner is diabetic so we have had stevia and agave nectar around the house for years. I don't like the stevia, has an aftertaste to me, but I love the agave nectar. She prefers liquid stevia, which comes in flavors like chocolate raspberry Like you I can't use splenda or aspartame due to migraines (also have to avoid MSG, that's a challenge!). I know the sugar alcohols wreak havoc on her digestion so I've avoided those too.

Kalyn has a page of info and links on agave:
kalynskitchen.blogspot.com/2007/08/kalyns-kitchen-picks-agave-nectar.html

There is more controversy about stevia. It has not been approved by the FDA as a sweetener but is used widely in South America.
www.cspinet.org/foodsafety/additives_stevia.html

[Barb0522]

I do love the DaVinci and Torani syrups but they are sweetened with Splenda so that sounds like they would not work for you.

[beachgal]

DaVinci syrups are made with Splenda, KShai. I'm not sure what Torani uses, but they are another form of SF syrups. You can look around...different SF coffee syrups about and you might find one that is made with sugar alcohols or not with Splenda.

Other possible sweeteners are:

Sugar alcohols (usually end in "-ol", can cause digestive upset in most people if you eat too much, but can cause general upset in some no matter how much they consume. Some are so sweet, they may trigger cravings, like malitol, which sets me off. )

Erythritol is a natural sugar replacement--I was encouraged when I saw that some of my favorite organic brands were using it as a sweetener--for instance, Stonyfield Farms yogurt (great information on erythritol on their page), which has had a strict "we will never use aspartame" policy for years. You can find out more about erythritol, which occurs naturally in low levels in fruit, here. I get my granular erythritol (is heavy and feels grainy just like sugar) at www.netrition.com, but it looks like they are all out (too many holiday bakers?). They usually also carry a powdered erythritol, which I'm going to try for the first time this year.

I also use Acesulfame-K, in a granular form called "Diabetisweet." They make a brown sugar version as well, which I really like for recipes that don't do well with a Splenda/SF maple syrup replacement for brown sugar.

[CyndiM]

Originally Posted by beachgal

Erythritol (sounds like a sugar alcohol, but it doesn't cause the gastric upset. It's a natural sugar replacement--I was encouraged when I saw that some of my favorite organic brands were using it as a sweetener--for instance, Stonyfield Farms yogurt (great information on erythritol on their page), which has had a strict "we will never use aspartame" policy for years. You can find out more about erythritol, which occurs naturally in low levels in fruit, here. I get my granular erythritol (is heavy and feels grainy just like sugar) at www.netrition.com, but it looks like they are all out (too many holiday bakers?). They usually also carry a powdered erythritol, which I'm going to try for the first time this year.

I forgot about that one! I love those drinkable yogurts. Apparently Amazon does have bags of erythritol available for sale.

[KShai]

Originally Posted by beachgal

I also use Acesulfame-K, in a granular form called Diabetisweet. They make a brown sugar version as well, which I really like for recipes that don't do well with a Splenda/SF maple syrup replacement for brown sugar.

Is this the stuff that's also known as Ace-K?

[beachgal]

This is a very old thread, so some of the information (especially regarding Stevia) is inaccurate. Please search for "sugar substitutes," agave, and stevia in the forum to find other threads, many of which are newer and have better information. Thank you!