Artificial sweeteners

[FlavoursGal]

I like to use erythritol in my cooking and baking. I find it has absolutely no offensive flavours when used in my cooking and baking applications, with the exception of chocolate confections.

I've used it successfully in fruit pies and cakes, cheesecakes, and in sweet-and-sour savoury dishes.

Edited January 30, 2007 by FlavoursGal (log)

[maxmillan]

I've been using Stevia, an herbal sugar substitute, mainly for my oatmeal.

Can anyone tell me more about the process of making this "sugar"?

Stevia is labelled as a drug and not a food and I'm curious as to why.

[cdh]

Well, stevia is an "herbal supplement"... I think they have their own niche between regulations... not a food, not a drug...

As to what it is? Stevia is a plant. Its leaves taste sweet. Look it up on wikipedia...

I find that it has a sharp catnip-like aroma that is not particularly appealing to me.

Edited March 1, 2007 by cdh (log)

[maxmillan]

Well, stevia is an "herbal supplement"... I think they have their own niche between regulations... not a food, not a drug...

As to what it is?  Stevia is a plant.  Its leaves taste sweet.  Look it up on wikipedia...

I find that it has a sharp catnip-like aroma that is not particularly appealing to me.

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Yes, I know what Stevia is. My question is how do they process this plant into sugar or the liquid form? Apparently one can grow this plant and make their own sweetener.

I also know there is a controversy about the labelling of Stevia between the sugar companies and Stevia producers.

It is used by diabetics who do not want the conventional sugar substitute (aspartame, saccharin, etc.)

[cdh]

There is no sugar in stevia, so it is processed into sugar in exactly the same way as aspartame or saccharin are processed into sugar: it isn't.

Since stevia is not allowed to be sold as a food additive, I'd be really surprised to find a box of fine white crystals derived from stevia on the shelf.

Not to say it wouldn't be possible. I'd imagine you'd shred and steep the stevia in a solvent that most effectively dissolves the sweetening compounds and leaves undesired compounds behind. Then take the saturated solvent and evaporate it off leaving the sweetening compounds behind. Then pick a neutral flavored white crystalline looking substance and mix it in with the sweetening compounds in proportions that sweeten by volume like an equivalent volume of sugar would. That's how you'd derive a sugar-looking stuff from a stevia plant.

[maxmillan]

There is no sugar in stevia, so it is processed into sugar in exactly the same way as aspartame or saccharin are processed into sugar: it isn't.

Since stevia is not allowed to be sold as a food additive, I'd be really surprised to find a box of fine white crystals derived from stevia on the shelf. 

Not to say it wouldn't be possible.  I'd imagine you'd shred and steep the stevia in a solvent that most effectively dissolves the sweetening compounds and leaves undesired compounds behind.  Then take the saturated solvent and evaporate it off leaving the sweetening compounds behind.  Then pick a neutral flavored white crystalline looking substance and mix it in with the sweetening compounds in proportions  that sweeten by volume like an equivalent volume of sugar would.  That's how you'd derive a sugar-looking stuff  from a stevia plant.

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Thanks for the inspiration. I think this is worth experimenting. Now to find me a stevia plant or seeds.

[andiesenji]

I learned the hard way that I am allergic to stevia. Not one of the refined product but the dried leaf (which at the time was the only way it was sold) which I put in my teapot with loose tea.

So try a little at first before you jump in completely. I learned after my experience with hives and itching and swollen eyes, that people who have allergies to plants like honeysuckle and jasmine, also may be allergic to stevia.

[merstar]

Whey Low is supposed to be excellent, but it's expensive:

http://www.wheylow.com/

[pounce]

There are many conspiracy theories about Stevia. In general it boils down to many people believing that the FDA is somehow aiding the larger chemical manufacturers (Monsanto, Ajinomoto etc) by preventing a competing sweetner from entering the market. It may just be that the FDA hasn't seen enough data on the safety. Thus many companies have creatively been selling stevioside/rebaudiosides as suppliments.

There are a few products where steviosides are sold in boxes of packets like some of the other sweetners. I've seen these at the market along with the liquids.

An alergy or reaction to stevia leaves should not be related to stevioside or the processed sweetner from Stevia. Leaves contain many other factors.

A quick book search for Stevia in the title resulted in at least 12 cook books for Stevia. Here are a few:

Sugar-Free Cooking with Stevia

ISBN-13: 978-1928906117

The Stevia Cookbook: Cooking with Nature's Calorie-Free Sweetener

ISBN-13: 978-0895299260

Stevia Sweet Recipes: Sugar Free - Naturally!

ISBN-13: 978-1890612092

Baking With Stevia: Recipes for the Sweet Leaf

ISBN-13: 978-0965607308

[merstar]

Does it hold up texturally in baked goods and is there an after taste? "(It's a blend of Xylitol, dextrose, maltodextrin and a very small amount of sucralose for added sweetness.)"

http://www.idealsweet.com/4/about-ideal/about-ideal.aspx

Edited November 7, 2009 by merstar (log)

[Okanagancook]

Extremely interesting article....artificial sweeteners have a role in glucose intolerance

http://www.lesliebeck.com/articles/2014/09/18/artificial_sweeteners_cause_glucose_intolerance_by_altering_gut_bacteria

[CRUZMISL]

'Wheylow' is the only real sugar substitute. I find all forms of artificial sweeteners abhorrent but whey low is truly amazing. It has 75% less calories than sugar, used 1:1 in recipes and also has a very low glycemic index (75% less than sugar).

 

I do everything with it from stir it in my coffee to baking to making ice cream. Follow all recipes as you would normally just switch out the sugar with wheylow. . with It's not really artificial since it's a blend of  fructose and lactose (IIRC) which makes it that much more palatable. It is truly amazing.

 

Joe

 

PS. I have no affiliation with the product or company.  

[Deryn]

WheyLow, as I understand it, has a fairly low GI # but that is due to the presence of fairly high percentage of fructose. I have read the WheyLow site and I find it a bit strange that I cannot find an exact percentage of fructose in its mix. Maybe I just missed it. The issue with fructose is its effect on the liver (again, as I understand it - I am not a doctor or scientist) as it contributes to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. That is a big concern with agave, for instance - which is a prime reason I avoid it.

 

I really just think the answer for everyone (diabetics and non-diabetics alike) is to reduce the use of sugar as much as possible and use real cane sugar when you must have a sweetener at all. Every one of these artificial (even supposedly naturally derived) sweeteners seems to have some issue or another - even if some taste better than others. Real sugar contains fructose as well, of course, but, apparently it is better balanced with sucrose than the artificial sweeteners are.

[Martin Fisher]

I really just think the answer for everyone (diabetics and non-diabetics alike) is to reduce the use of sugar as much as possible and use real cane sugar when you must have a sweetener at all. Every one of these artificial (even supposedly naturally derived) sweeteners seems to have some issue or another - even if some taste better than others. Real sugar contains fructose as well, of course, but, apparently it is better balanced with sucrose than the artificial sweeteners are.

 

Yep! ALL sweeteners have issues!

[Toliver]

Something I read online recently...

Pepsi has announced that they're replacing the aspartame from their Diet Pepsi with sucralose. However, if you really like the aspartame version, it can be ordered online only.

If you need a source cited for this, please see "Google". 

[scott123]

WheyLow, as I understand it, has a fairly low GI # but that is due to the presence of fairly high percentage of fructose. I have read the WheyLow site and I find it a bit strange that I cannot find an exact percentage of fructose in its mix. Maybe I just missed it. The issue with fructose is its effect on the liver (again, as I understand it - I am not a doctor or scientist) as it contributes to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. That is a big concern with agave, for instance - which is a prime reason I avoid it.

 

I really just think the answer for everyone (diabetics and non-diabetics alike) is to reduce the use of sugar as much as possible and use real cane sugar when you must have a sweetener at all. Every one of these artificial (even supposedly naturally derived) sweeteners seems to have some issue or another - even if some taste better than others. Real sugar contains fructose as well, of course, but, apparently it is better balanced with sucrose than the artificial sweeteners are.

 

 

While I agree 100% that the fructose, sucrose and lactose in Wheylow are not healthy, and to be avoided, I think that grouping all sweeteners under the 'have issues' umbrella is painting with a pretty broad brush. From the studies I've seen, there's a good chance that fructose increases insulin resistance, ie, that fructose can lead to diabetes.  That's an absolutely massive difference with other sweeteners who's worst side effect can be laxation.  If you get past the tin foil hat wearers, sucralose seems perfectly safe, and, when combined with other sweeteners, both tastes better and requires far less to be used, due to the synergy involved.

 

Erythritol is generally very well tolerated, and when combined with sucralose, has a good synergy. Acesulfame Potassium is pretty nasty stuff, BUT, you can use microscopic amounts and get another boost in quality and sweetness, while remaining safe.  Inulin can be laxating if you overdo it, but nothing is better for providing the texture of sugar, and it provides well known probiotic benefits.

 

You can't just mix up a batch of sucralose, ace k, erythritol and inulin and use it like sugar, but, when combined in recipes, there's nothing that can touch it from a perspective of quality of sweetness and safety.

Edited July 29, 2015 by scott123 (log)

[GlorifiedRice]

What are the ingredients of WHEY LOW?

 

TKS

[Deryn]

Scott - Why did you quote me there? I didn't say that 'all sweeteners have issues' - that was someone else (even though I agree they do - none of them are probably THAT good for you though there may be some minor redeeming nutritional benefits to natural sweeteners like honey, molasses and maple products, etc. if taken in moderation, and to the ingestion of natural fruits even if they contain fructose, again in moderation, for the fibre and other nutritional components).

 

But, since you seem to know so much, what is the exact percentage of all the 'sugars' in WheyLow? That was the point of my post - that I could not find that number especially for the fructose.

 

In short however ... our bodies don't NEED sweet things. We WANT them. We CRAVE them. But we don't need them to survive and prosper medically. We can run around the block all day looking for a completely safe and healthy sugar or sugar substitute, but, we might be better off just weaning ourselves from them. I am no model citizen nor a fanatic however. I like the sweet evils in life as much as the next person. When one starts to get too much into the chemically assembled or dissembled realm, just to save a few calories, I think we are playing with fire - it could take a millennium before we really understand what the effects of these sugar substitutes are on the body. I'll go for the devil we sort of know in this case.

[scott123]

Scott - Why did you quote me there? I didn't say that 'all sweeteners have issues'

 

Unless I'm reading it wrong, "Every one of these artificial (even supposedly naturally derived) sweeteners seems to have some issue or another" seems to imply that all sweeteners have issues.

 

Here is the patent for Whey Low

 

http://www.google.com/patents/US6777397

 

Based on the examples at the end, I'm reasonably certain that Whey Low is 25% lactose, 50% sucrose and 25% fructose.

Edited July 30, 2015 by scott123 (log)

[rotuts]

decide for yourself :

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/28/upshot/the-evidence-supports-artificial-sweeteners-over-sugar.html?_r=0&abt=0002&abg=1

[Lisa Shock]

I have been upset to find sucralose sneaking into all sorts of foods, even non-diet foods. For example, Shasta sodas all contain it now even the regular sodas. Seagram's decided to add it to their regular ginger ale -there must be some sort of cost savings over sugar. I personally don't like the taste and have discovered the sucralose when trying something and then asking why does this taste so bad? There is some evidence, in mice and fruit flies, that sucralose can effect the brain's system of regulating diet. -When sweetness without calories is detected over a period of time, the body then adjusts to eat more calories overall, and in particular to find regular sugars more enticing. More work needs to be done in human trials.

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-artificial-sweeteners-may-cause-us-to-eat-more/?WT.mc_id=SA_FB_HLTH_NEWS

[btbyrd]

One thing I've been wanting to find is sucralose that isn't bulked with maltodextrin for use in sweetened beverages and cocktails. I know sucralose is very, very sweet by weight, but it would be nice if you could buy a 500ml container of a strong sucralose/water solution and then add it into things drop by drop (or dilute it down further to make a "simple syrup" from it). The maltodextrin in Splenda makes things extra foamy, and I'm not a fan of that.

[Martin Fisher]

4 minutes ago, btbyrd said:

One thing I've been wanting to find is sucralose that isn't bulked with maltodextrin for use in sweetened beverages and cocktails. I know sucralose is very, very sweet by weight, but it would be nice if you could buy a 500ml container of a strong sucralose/water solution and then add it into things drop by drop (or dilute it down further to make a "simple syrup" from it). The maltodextrin in Splenda makes things extra foamy, and I'm not a fan of that.

 

You could buy pure sucralose powder, or one of the highly concentrated liquid sucralose formulas such as EZ-Sweetz  (there are 2 concentrations, the most concentrated..one drop equals 2 tsps of sugar)

Or Sweetzfree....I think most of the taste issues that folks have with sucralose come from the additives and preservatives...Sweetzfree doesn't have any of that.

 

I'm guessing that FiberYum (Isomalto-oligosaccharide) which has the consistency of light corn syrup -but mildly sweet- would make a good low-carb simple syrup alternative with a bit of added sucralose and water.

 

[btbyrd]

Nice! Thanks for the tip Martin!

[Lisa Shock]

Another food that bothers me is that most jarred sushi ginger is now sweetened with one artificial sweetener or another. Somehow, I missed getting young ginger last year and my supply is running low.

 

I suspect that many restaurants are serving the artificially sweetened stuff because I noted huge (gallon size?) plastic bags of very pink, dyed, ginger at the LeeLee market, which sells some bulk items to restaurants. The bags were some priced ridiculously cheaply, like under $10, and I was contemplating buying one and splitting it with my gardening group until I read that saccharin was the sweetener.