Sugar Substitutes

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Question:

What is the best sugar substitute to use for baking and daily use for diabetics?


Answer:

When it comes to baking, those lovely powder-white granules we call sugar add much more than just an irresistibly sweet taste. I learned what sugar contributes to baked goods in one of my classes in my Dietetics program, and I was quite amazed. I think you will be too.

Volume- 1.) Sugar increases the volume of cakes/cookies by whipping air into fat during the
creaming stage.
2.) Sugar raises temperature so the gluten (protein) in the flour has more time to
stretch. This increases the volume of the baked product.

Moistness- 1.) Sugar has a tendency to retain water, so this slows down staling and increases
the shelf life of baked items.
Tenderness-1.) Sugar battles against starch for water (in the batter or dough) so it can
hydrate flour proteins. Products become soft because sugar attracts moisture.
Color--1.) Carmelization is that beautiful brown color you have in your cakes, cookies, muffins,
etc. Sugar browns the crust of baked foods.

All of these functions of sugar mentioned here are not found in sugar substitutes. So unfortunately you will be losing the tenderness, color, moistness, and volume of your baked product. Saccharin, widely known as Sweet-n-Low®, could possibly give a bitter aftertaste. Aspartame, which is in Equal ™ loses its sweet taste when exposed to heat for a long period of time. Sucralose, which is in Splenda®, can have strong aftertastes.

These sugar substitutes are fine for other uses, but if you are specifically looking for a baked product that comes out very close to the quality of a product made with real sugar, then you may have some difficulty. If the outcome or taste of the baked good does not bother you, then experiment with different sugar substitutes. Of course, it will still not taste like real sugar.

As for daily use, it depends on what sugar substitute taste you are willing to accept. Because one substitute won't taste the same as the other in your morning coffee, it is important for you to choose which one you prefer. Being a diabetic does not mean that you have to have a sugar-free diet, but you do need to be responsible and monitor your intake. If you find that you would much rather have real sugar, in a limited amount of course, because you are diabetic, try agave nectar, honey, molasses etc. Which are natural sweeteners.

Carbohydrates essentially break down to glucose in your body, which is sugar. And this has an effect on your blood sugar level as well. So it's not just sugar that you want to monitor. Whatever you decide to do, make sure you like the taste. To eat something you do not like is not a great feeling and you may not be able to stick to it very long.

Best of luck,

Priyanka