NUTRITIVE SWEETENERS

Sugars all contain calories and all stimulate the release of insulin.  Try to reduce your sugar intake if possible. Unprocessed sugars like honey and maple syrup are better choices than refined table sugar.

• Sucrose: A carbohydrate found in table sugar, raw sugar, cane sugar, brown sugar, powdered sugar and molasses. This is the most used sweetener and is composed of 50% glucose and 50% fructose.
• Fructose (fruit sugar): Sugar found in many plants. It is sweeter than sucrose. It is easily converted to fat, and even though you would use less in your recipe, it is not a good substitute for sucrose.
• Glucose: Also known as Dextrose. This is the sugar our cells use most readily for energy.
• Corn Sugar: Derived from cornstarch and is high in glucose.
• High Fructose Corn Syrup: HFCS is a mixture of glucose and fructose and is sweeter than sucrose. Found in soft drinks and processed foods. The WORST sugar to consume from the perspective of weight gain! HFCS is associated with obesity, diabetes and fatty liver. If you see HFCS on any food label, try to find a better alternative.
• Maltose: Found in malt, beer and ales. It is formed from 2 glucose molecules.
• Honey: Is 35% glucose and 40% fructose. Similar sweetness to sucrose. But natural unprocessed honey is a healthy alternative, although calorie content is the same as normal table sugar.
• Maple syrup: An unrefined, lower-GI alternative to sugar that has similar sweetness but additional benefits like antioxidants and trace elements like Zinc and Manganese.

Sugar alcohols are much lower in calories because they are produced by fermenting sugar. They have a lesser effect on blood sugar levels.

• Sorbitol: Derived from fermenting glucose. 60% as sweet as sucrose. Causes gastrointestinal side-effects if eaten in large quantities.
• Erythritol: Also made from glucose. Glycaemic index = 0! About 70% as sweet as sucrose. It has a cooling effect but no after-taste and works well in most cooking and baking. You will need a slightly larger volume of erythritol to achieve the same sweetness as sugar. Some people may experience bloating and abdominal cramping, even loose stools if they eat a lot of erythritol.
• Xylitol: From xylose, xylitol is 100% as sweet as sucrose. You can replace sugar in exactly the same quantity in most recipes. Xylitol has a GI of 13, and has a minimal effect on blood glucose. Xylitol has no after-taste but can also cause stomach irritation if eaten in large quantities. Xylitol prevents against dental decay and is often used in chewing gum. It is however TOXIC to dogs and cats - so don’t let your pets eat anything cooked using Xylitol!
• Mannitol: Derived from mannose, mannitol is about 70% as sweet as sucrose.

NON-NUTRITIVE SWEETENERS

Artificial sweeteners contain negligible calories and do not affect blood glucose levels. They are generally much sweeter than sucrose and can be used in small amounts. Unfortunately, not all artificial sweeteners are heat stable, so some are unsuitable for cooking or baking.

• Saccharin: Has been used since the late 1800s as a popular sweetener. It is around 300 times as sweet as sucrose, which is why it is only used in very small quantities. There were concerns about the safety of Saccharin as some older animal studies showed an association between high-intake of Saccharin and bladder cancer. However, there is no evidence of harm in humans and it is safe to consume up to 1g daily.
• Acesulfame-K (The K stands for Potassium) is 200 times as sweet as sucrose and is often added to dry mixes for sugar-free gelatins, desserts and drinks, and can also be used in baked goods. There are no clinical trials to show that Acesulfame-K is harmful.
• Aspartame: Also 200 times sweeter than sucrose. Unlike Acesulfame, it is not stable in heat or for long periods in liquid form, and is therefore not used in cooking. You will see it used in many ‘Diet’ sodas and sugar-free drinks.
• Sucralose: Is about 600 times sweeter than sugar and is heat-stable, meaning it is good for use in baked goods and cooking. Research shows it has no effect on blood sugar and is deemed safe for use in all age populations, including pregnant women and children.
• Cyclamate: Is 30 times sweeter than sucrose. It is soluble in liquids and because it is stable in heat and cold, it has a long shelf life. Although cyclamate is currently banned in the United States due to several old studies linking its use with an increased cancer risk, it has been used safely and with no restriction in Europe. A petition for its reapproval has been submitted to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). New scientific evidence demonstrates and supports the safety of cyclamate for human consumption.
• Stevia: Stevia is actually a natural non-nutritive sweetener. Extracted from the leaves of the Stevia plant, it is about 150 times sweeter than sugar. It has numerous health benefits - it has an anti-diabetic effect and contains anti-oxidants. This is a particularly good option if you are wanting to benefit from intermittent fasting as it has very little effect on Insulin release. However, Stevia has a bitter after-taste and may cause headaches.
• Monk Fruit: Monk fruit extract is another natural non-nutritive sweetener. It is about 250 times sweeter than sugar and has no after-taste, but it is quite expensive and sometimes difficult to find.

Artificial sweeteners can be used in cooking and baking to achieve almost exactly the same flavour and texture results as when you use sugar. However, it is important to know how to convert from sugar to whichever sweetener you wish to use. Most commercially available sugar substitutes are blended so that they can be used in a 1:1 ratio to replace sugar in recipes - for example sucralose might be mixed with erythritol so you can use 1 teaspoon of the sweetener to replace 1 teaspoon of sugar.

However, it is a good idea to check on the package what the manufacturer recommends as the appropriate conversion factor.

Our favourite sweeteners for use in cooking and baking are: sucralose, xylitol and stevia.  And, of course... honey and maple syrup can be used instead of sugar, but remember these do contain calories and they affect blood sugar and insulin. You will need to experiment a little - test to see which sweetener you like the best and try it out using your favourite recipes.