Sunday, February 13, 2011

aspartame-equal


Aspartame
(Equal, NutraSweet)
Calories per teaspoon: 0
Uses: Table, beverages, foods, cooking (NutraSweet only)
What it is: Aspartame became the sweetener of choice when saccharin fell from grace in the early 1970s. It is a derivative of two amino acids -- aspartic acid and phenylalanine -- and is 200 hundred times sweeter than sugar.
For people with diabetes: It's safe because it produces a very small glycemic response, or spike in blood glucose.
Cooking with it: Aspartame can be used in beverages, ice cream, puddings, and other foods that don't require prolonged heating. Aspartame also enhances flavor, so when it's combined with other sweeteners, its sweetening power intensifies.
Packets of Equal and NutraSweet are handy for stirring into coffee and other drinks. For limited cooking, you can use Equal Spoonful and NutraSweet in bulk form. For limited baking, you can try Equal Sugar Lite -- a blend of aspartame, acesulfame potassium, and sugar. However, if the heat is too high or the cooking time is too long, aspartame and its ability to sweeten may break down. Another caveat: A small number of people with phenylketonuria (PKU), a rare genetic disorder, cannot metabolize phenylalanine, so they must avoid aspartame.

splenda-sucralose


Sucralose

(Splenda)

Calories per teaspoon: 2
Uses: Table, beverages, foods, cooking
What it is: Splenda has made a big splash in the sugar substitute world. It's made from real sugar through a process that combines sugar with chlorine. Sucralose was approved in 1998 and is 600 times sweeter than sugar.
For people with diabetes: Sucralose has no effect on carbohydrate metabolism, short- or long-term blood glucose control, or insulin secretion.
Cooking with it: Sucralose is heat-stable, so it works as an ingredient in many foods. Cup-for-cup, Splenda granular, a product with bulking agents so it measures like sugar, offers a significant calorie savings -- 1 cup contains 96 calories, compared with 770 calories in a cup of sugar. You can also sweeten beverages with packets of Splenda. And for baking, you can use Splenda or its sugar combination product -- Splenda Sugar Blend for Baking.

Sugar Substitutes


Sugar Substitutes

With more low-calorie food products on the market, cookies, cakes, and soft drinks may fit your diabetes eating plan better than ever.
You'll also find a variety of sugar substitutes and sugar-substitute blends you can use in cooking and baking.
What role should these sugar substitutes play in your diet?
What do they cost? Can you use them in baking?
While it's good to know you have sweet alternatives to sugar, figuring out how to use them can be complicated. This post is to help you and clear your doubts.
And some great recipes too.