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 Some
artificial sweeteners - aspartame, sucralose,
saccharin & stevia.
Artificial sweeteners provide sweetness to
homemade foods and come in both granular and liquid varieties. I have baked with
artificial sweeteners. When I do, I use
SPLENDA,
also known as
sucralose, because I find it works best from a technical standpoint.
However, if one tries to remove
sugar as an ingredient and/or replace it with a substitute or alternative, the
altered food frequently shows a quality difference. They lack the browning,
tenderizing, and moisture retaining properties provided by table sugar, so
important in baking.
Specially formulated recipes are
often needed to make a product with acceptable texture and appearance when using
artificial sweeteners. Because the different low-calorie sweeteners vary in
sweetness and bulk, package directions must be followed for the amount to use in
place of sugar.
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TYPES:
(Click
for
"How
to Substitute") |
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SWEET ONE (Acesulfame-k)
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4 calories per packet |
1 packet = 2 teaspoons
1 cup = 24 packets
1 cup = 1 cup sugar |
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Can be used in cooking and baking without losing
sweetness. (Sweet OneSM) is a very low calorie sweetener that is 200 times
as sweet as sucrose. It is heat stable so it can be used in baked goods. For
improved texture in baked products, use acesulfame K in combination with
granulated sugar. It reportedly has no unpleasant aftertaste. |
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EQUAL
(Aspartame)
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4 calories per packet |
1 packet = 2 teaspoons
1 cup = 24 packets
1 cup = 1 cup sugar |
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Commonly known as NutrasweetSM or Equal, is not
heat stable so it is not an appropriate sweetener for baked goods; loses
sweetness when baked at high temperatures for a long time. But
can be used in stir-fries or added during last few minutes of heating or
cooking. |
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NUTRASWEET SPOONFUL
(Aspartame)
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2 calories per teaspoon |
1 packet = 2 teaspoons
1 cup = 24 packets
1 cup = 1 cup sugar |
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Loses sweetness when heated. Commonly known as
NutrasweetSM or Equal, is not heat stable so it is not an appropriate
sweetener for baked goods. But can be used spoon for spoon in place of
sugar in same foods as Equal. |
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SPLENDA
(Sucralose)
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0 (zero) calories |
1 packet = 2 teaspoons
1 cup = 24 packets
1 cup = 1 cup sugar |
Visit
website
for recipes. |
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This is my choice for
an artificial sweetener because it works best from a technical standpoint as
an ingredient. It's more like sugar than any other low-calorie
sweetener! It also tastes close to sugar. It can be used virtually
everywhere sugar is used, even in cooking and baking. It has on 2
calories per teaspoon and 0.5g carbohydrates. Splenda Granular measures and
sweetens spoon-for-spoon and cup-for-cup like sugar in most cases, but check
Pantry: Substitutes for
full instructions. I have used it successfully in recipes that call for
granulated sugar. You can purchase
Splenda online.
TIPS:
 | If the recipe calls for sifting the
dry ingredients, measure the amount of SPLENDAŽ Granular you need
before sifting. Remember, one cup of SPLENDAŽ Granular equals the
sweetness of one cup of sugar - but SPLENDAŽ Granular does not sift
like sugar because the sugar granules are different. |
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| When the recipe calls for beating
ingredients together, such as butter, sugar and eggs, you may need to
beat the ingredients a bit longer to get enough air into the mixture
to result in a more fluffy and even texture. |
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| Baked goods made with SPLENDAŽ Granular will last
longer if stored in a refrigerator. |
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| Baked goods made with little or no sugar do not
brown like recipes made with sugar. The addition of molasses, cocoa or
other dark ingredients can help you achieve browning in recipes like
those for cookies and cakes. For browning, add 1 tablespoon of
molasses for every cup of SPLENDAŽ Granular used. |
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| Check your baked goods sweetened with SPLENDAŽ No
Calorie Sweetener for doneness a bit earlier than the recipe with
sugar calls for, generally 7-10 minutes for cakes and 1-2 minutes for
cookies. This is because recipes made with SPLENDAŽ Granular may bake
more quickly than those made with sugar. |
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| For longer storage, baked goods made with SPLENDAŽ
Granular can be frozen. |
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SWEET 'N LOW
(Saccharin)
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4 calories per packet |
1 packet = 2 teaspoons
1 cup = 24 packets
1 cup = 1 cup sugar |
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Is a heat stable noncaloric sweetener that, in
its pure form is 200-300 times as sweet as sucrose. Bulking agents are added
to saccharin products to aid in measuring. Saccharin has a bitter
aftertaste. Can be used in cooking and baking without losing sweetness. |
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BROWN SWEET 'N LOW
(Saccharin)
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20 calories per teaspoon |
1 teaspoon = 1/4 cup brown sugar
4 teaspoons = 1 cup brown sugar |
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Is a heat stable noncaloric sweetener that, in
its pure form is 200-300 times as sweet as sucrose. Bulking agents are added
to saccharin products to aid in measuring. Saccharin has a bitter
aftertaste. Can be used in cooking or baking without losing sweetness. Note
that measurements differ from packet sweeteners. |
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DIABETISWEET:
"Go to
http://www.diabeticproducts.com. They have a sugar substitute called
DiabetiSweet. "It is the best sugar substitute I've found for baking. My husband
has diabetes. This site has a few recipes, too" posted by Carol C,
Ask Sarah
SORBITOL:
found naturally in some fruits & seaweeds.
Sorbitol, a polyol (sugar alcohol), is a bulk sweetener
found in numerous food products. In addition to providing sweetness, it is an
excellent humectant and texturizing agent. Sorbitol is about 60 percent as sweet
as sucrose with one-third fewer calories.
Sugar to Stevia Conversions
From "The Stevia Cookbook," c1999
Ray Sahelian and Donna Gates |
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Sugar amount |
Equivalent Stevia
powdered extract |
Equivalent Stevia liquid
concentrate |
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1 cup |
1 teaspoon |
1 teaspoon |
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1 tablespoon |
1/4 teaspoon |
6 - 9 drops |
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1 teaspoon |
1 pinch to 1/16 teaspoon |
2- 4 drops |
STEVIA: is
the common name for stevia rebaudiana, an herb used as a replacement for sugar
or other non-nutritionative sweeteners. The resulting extract from the stevia
plant is roughly ten times sweeter than sugar.
The stevia plant is native to the
Amambay mountain range in Paraguay, South America and was used by the native
people in a tea-like beverage as well as for medicinal purposes. It was finally
brought to the attention U.S. government in 1918 by a botanist for the U.S.
Department of Agriculture.
Stevia is an
unapproved food additive and not affirmed as "Generally
recognized safe" by the FDA, either for use as a dietary supplement or dietary
ingredient of a dietary supplement. Stevia can be purchased in either powered or
liquid form from most local health food stores.
XYLITOL
- obtained from fruits, berries. Used as a sweetener in sugar-free foods.
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