[Sabbykay]

I found this sweetner chart on another thread..and was wondering if anyone has tried Erythritol? Again, I'm looking to sweeting only one item in my diet, which is yogurt.

Sweetener Chart (G.I.)
Glucose - 100
Maltose - 100
Corn syrup - 85-92
Sucrose (Table sugar) - 65 (4 calories/gram)
Honey - 50
Lactose (Milk sugar) - 46
Polyglycitol / hydrogenated starch hydrolysate - 39
Maltitol - 36 (2.7 calories/gm)
Fructose (Fruit sugar) - 23
Xylitol - 13
Isomalt - 9
Sorbitol - 9
Erythritol - 0 (0.2 calories/gram)

[zeffryn]

It is a natural sugar substitute. A sugar alcohol as all the -itols are.

It isn't quite as sweet as sugar, but tastes pretty good. It is absorbed by the body, so it is unlikely to cause bad side effects (diarrhea, etc.) but if it consumed in mass quantities it still could have a laxative effect.

It also has no effect on the blood sugar unless consumed in mass quantities.

[cottagebythesea]

I hope Beachgal sees this thread. I know she uses Erythritol occasionally, and could give you more information on it.

[CyndiM]

I use it though I haven't baked with it yet (waiting for cool weather). Right now it's mostly in cereal and the occasional dessert item. I'm really sensitive to the sugar alcohols in candy but haven't had any negative reaction to this.

Here's more info: http://www.stonyfield.com/OurProducts/erythritol.cfm

[zeffryn]

Cyndi - it doesn't bake very well. The golden brown color isn't there and the flavor is a little off....it could just be me though.

[beachgal]

I rarely use one sweetener exclusively, but the most common mix of sweeteners I use is Splenda and granulated erythritol. It works incredibly well together for baked goods and all sorts of other things. One thing I love about erythritol is that, in granulated form, it simulates the weight and feel of sugar. That makes it really great in recipes where, for example, you're asked to cream butter and sugar. Splenda doesn't really work well in those.

One thing I haven't tried yet, but did buy, is powdered erythritol, which is supposed to work like powdered sugar. I've made the Splenda version of powdered sugar and wasn't pleased with how it worked, looked, or tasted. I'm hoping the powdered erythritol will be better! Just haven't found anything to try it on yet...

Thanks for your wise posts, Zeff, as always.

[zeffryn]

Laurie - good to know that splenda and erythritol combine well together in baking. My grandmother is diabetic and still loves her sweets. When we visit, we always bring her something sweet, yet sugar free. My experiences with erythritol exclusively in baking weren't great.