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Best sugar alternatives?

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LydiaDustbin

LydiaDustbin

Active Member
Relationship to Diabetes
At risk of diabetes
What are the best alternatives for sugar these days? Is Stevia ok, or does it spike BG? I really don't like the aftertaste of traditional sweeteners, and some have a laxative effect (Exante shakes - I'm looking at you...)

What have people found that is good for diabetics, isn't massively expensive and is reasonably easily available? Ta ever so!
 
LydiaDustbin said:
What are the best alternatives for sugar these days? Is Stevia ok, or does it spike BG? I really don't like the aftertaste of traditional sweeteners, and some have a laxative effect (Exante shakes - I'm looking at you...)

What have people found that is good for diabetics, isn't massively expensive and is reasonably easily available? Ta ever so!
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I think it all depends on what you want to use it for.
The Canderel web site describes a whole range of sweeteners and what they are most suitable for.
Often the problem with suggesting sweeteners is some people are more sensitive than other both on how they can detect the taste and in how they increase blood glucose and the effect on their bowels.
Erythritol is one I use in cooking in small amounts as indeed it did have some unpleasant effect when I used rather too much in some stewed rhubarb.
 
Leadinglights said:
I think it all depends on what you want to use it for.
The Canderel web site describes a whole range of sweeteners and what they are most suitable for.
Often the problem with suggesting sweeteners is some people are more sensitive than other both on how they can detect the taste and in how they increase blood glucose and the effect on their bowels.
Erythritol is one I use in cooking in small amounts as indeed it did have some unpleasant effect when I used rather too much in some stewed rhubarb.
Click to expand...
Erythritol is recommended, I believe, by Prof Roy Taylor (of the Newcastle Diet fame), and I recently saw some in my local Sainsburys but it was quite a large bag so didn't know whether it was worth getting it if it tastes grim and/or turns you inside out!

There isn't actually much I'd want to use a sugar sub for anyway - just a teaspoon or so in coffee, or a bit sprinkled over some particularly sharp fruit. I don't bake sweet stuff anyway, never have, so I wouldn't want it for that. I did used to add some while cooking with tinned tomatoes (brings out their flavour) but have had to stop doing that now, and also while making Chinese/Japanese/Thai marinades so an alternative could be very useful for that.
 
I personally have no need of sweeteners of any kind. As someone who never added sugar to anything before being diabetic I thus don’t see the need. For example, I have only ever liked black coffee since I was a teenager (in the 1960s), and I never drink anything else other than sparkling water. I don’t make puddings or bake, when I make sauces I don’t need to sweeten. Hope another opinion helps!
 
Leadinglights said:
I think it all depends on what you want to use it for.
The Canderel web site describes a whole range of sweeteners and what they are most suitable for.
Often the problem with suggesting sweeteners is some people are more sensitive than other both on how they can detect the taste and in how they increase blood glucose and the effect on their bowels.
Erythritol is one I use in cooking in small amounts as indeed it did have some unpleasant effect when I used rather too much in some stewed rhubarb.
Click to expand...
Thanks for this reply, which is actually useful. I've had a look at the Canderel website and I shall check out which ones are available in my local big Sainsburys tomorrow.
 
I have a cupboard full of various different types of sweeteners and so far I haven't found any that really work for me. Some are not particularly sweet and some have a horrid aftertaste. It really is a matter of trial and error to find what works for you. I stopped sweetening anything for the vast majority of the time but decided that for the very occasional time that I need something sweet I will use a tiny amount of honey or sugar or a few sultanas. I think cutting the sweet stuff out altogether for a while really helped reset my need for it and so a tiny bit of "the real stuff" once in a blue moon is now a lovely treat.
LydiaDustbin said:
There isn't actually much I'd want to use a sugar sub for anyway - just a teaspoon or so in coffee,
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I always said that I would rather not drink coffee as drink it without sugar/sweetener but I now have it with real cream instead and I absolutely love it and it is my daily treat. Interestingly cream is lower carb than milk.
 
I don’t have a sweet tooth, but do sometimes have Robinsons No Sugar Added squash.

I know a number of people like Monkfruit sweeteners- especially as (I believe) it is a 1:1 sub. Allegedly, it also caramelises, so is goo for on top of Crème Caramel and such like.

Im overseas at the moment and granulated monkfruit is sold in the fruits section of the supermarket. In UK you might have to have a bit of a search for it online.
 
Much of the Monkfruit sweetener available here in the UK is actually Erythritol with some (usually a very small amount of) Monkfruit extract and you often end up paying a lot more for it than just plain Erythritol. Personally I think it may well be a marketing ploy and I would urge anyone considering buying it to check the ingredients list before ordering, because the vast majority of the contents are likely not Monkfruit at all. I do think that it warrants investigation by Trading Standards as I thought anything sold as a particular product had to be mostly that product, not mostly something else with just a tiny bit of that product added to it.
 
rebrascora said:
Much of the Monkfruit sweetener available here in the UK is actually Erythritol with some (usually a very small amount of) Monkfruit extract and you often end up paying a lot more for it than just plain Erythritol. Personally I think it may well be a marketing ploy and I would urge anyone considering buying it to check the ingredients list before ordering, because the vast majority of the contents are likely not Monkfruit at all. I do think that it warrants investigation by Trading Standards as I thought anything sold as a particular product had to be mostly that product, not mostly something else with just a tiny bit of that product added to it.
Click to expand...

As I say, its not my thing really.

Where I am presently, food labeling is a bit hit and miss, but having just looked it up right now, you are absolutely correct @rebrascora . It seems from further interrogation of DrGoogle, compounds like Erythritol to cut the sweetness because Monkfruit is around 300 times sweeter than sugar, so the additions make it easier to measure.

Monk Fruit In The Raw® Frequently Asked Questions | In The Raw® Sweeteners

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Every day's a school day. 🙂
 
I got myself some Pure Via Stevia Zero Calories Granulated Sweetener from my local Sainsburys yesterday (it's on special offer, 250g for £2.30 instead of £4.60) and tried it in a ordinary cup of coffee made with semiskimmed milk. Took a reading before and some time afterwards - no difference at all, which I'm really pleased about, so I think I'll stick with this for now. The bag will probably last me years!
 
Rather than choosing sugar alternatives, I have adopted a less sugary approach. I find, as we need to consider all carbs not just sugar, slowly adapting my tastes to enjoy less sweet food has been beneficial. The amount of sugar relative to all carbs is small for me so eating artificial sweeteners would have negligible impact on my total carbs consumed.
 
LydiaDustbin said:
I got myself some Pure Via Stevia Zero Calories Granulated Sweetener from my local Sainsburys yesterday (it's on special offer, 250g for £2.30 instead of £4.60) and tried it in a ordinary cup of coffee made with semiskimmed milk. Took a reading before and some time afterwards - no difference at all, which I'm really pleased about, so I think I'll stick with this for now. The bag will probably last me years!
Click to expand...

Glad you’ve found something that works for you @LydiaDustbin 🙂
 
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