Sweeteners question

ProCoffeenator

I'm thinking about testing out sweeteners over the next few weeks to find the one that's right for me. I've been using Splenda for years! Although it's got me through for a long time I'm curious if I have a glucose reaction to it.
I've tried Stevia, actually still have a bag of it in my pantry for emergencies but I can't stand the chemical like aftertaste! Bleh!
I really want to try Xylitol but alas I have a very loved dog at home and nervous to bring a known dog killer into the house.
So what are you all using? Any suggestions?

RalfLott

1 vote for liquid stevia-erythritol blend (green bottle).

Pro - negligible effect on gut, lowest glycemic effect, smallest amount needed, cheap.

Cons of some alternatives -

Most powders contain dextrose and/or maltodextrin. Boo!

Xylitol - one microgram too much and sudden cascades of Niagaraesque diarrhea ensue.

Shadowmf023

I also vote for Erythritol-stevia blend.

Phrick

I like Sweet Leaf liquid stevia. I thought I HATED stevia because of the horrifying bitter aftertaste but Sweet Leaf doesn't have that for me. Other liquid brands do, though.

I also like erythritol (one brand is Swerve; another by NOW - NOW is cheaper online but Swerve is more widely available in retail stores) but Erythritol can have a cooling mouth-feel if you use too much

We love xylitol best but like you have beloved pets so I seldom use it. Too paranoid.

Truvia is a stevia/Erythritol blend that is great. Just avoid their Baking Blend, as it is blended with real sugar.

Lakanto is a monk fruit/erythritol blend that's pretty good but not inexpensive. I don't reach for it as often bc of that - hesitant to use it for "every day" stuff because of the cost of replacing it, which means it just collects dust in the pantry and was a waste

Just Like Sugar is an inulin based sweetener that my kids like pretty well but can cause GI troubles if used in excess.

I often combine sweeteners when I'm making something: 1/2 erythritol and 1/2 Just Lije Sugar, for example.

Phrick

Oh yeah and your Splenda and bulky stevia both have bulking agents that are not terribly Keto friendly FYI - maltodextrin or dextrose most likely. They spoke blood sugar for most folks and are generally avoided.

Oh one more I like: it is an artificial sweetener so I eventually gave it up but I like liquid sucralose. 1 drop = 1 tsp sweetness equivalent. Because it is liquid it has bo bulking agents or fillers but for some it does still cause an insulin response so there's that to consider.

KenSmith108

We grew our own Stevia this summer.
Now we have to dry it & grind it to powder.
The leaves are really sweet.

or

SuperCarLori

I guess I'm the only one who uses sucralose? It's liquid, no fillers. No calories, no carbs. I have sweet leaf powder, I use it in herbal tea only.

Sunny_Bunny_

I recently bought Truvia packets. The ingredients on the bulk bags in the baking section have other junk in it but the packets say Erythritol, Stevia Leaf Extract and Natural Flavors. Not sure what the natural flavors are, but I also didn't buy it for me because I don't sweeten my coffee anymore anyway. It could be the same stuff in the baking mix for all I know but just not detailed on this packaging...
Anyway, I figured it was ether than Splenda for kids to use.
I've also bought a generic brand liquid that was erythritol and stevia from Target I think. I don't have any of that right now to see what it was called.
It seems that blending stevia with erythritol is a good way to go if you don't like the taste of stevia.
But I do agree that different brands of stevia taste different than others and the Sweet Leaf brand is a better one.
Just a note about that one too, it says to refrigerate after opening. . I noticed after a month or so of using the very expensive, large bottle I bought that it started tasting bitter that it was supposed to be refrigerated.
I had to throw it away and it was still nearly full. I was so mad! It was a huge bottle that cost me like $25!!! This was around the time I decided to stop using sweeteners. I was so mad that I refused to buy another one! Lol

LauraCoth

I just can't get used to the taste of Stevia, even the Sweetleaf, even the liquid version. I went back to Splenda. I use 4 packets a day; two in my tea, and two in my coffee. My mornngs are bad enough without having to pretend I enjoy the vileness that is stevia.

kpk54

Trader Joe's Liquid Stevia. Price is right. 2 oz is about $5.95.

If it matters: Organic. Vegan. Contents=De-oinized water, Certified Organic Stevia Extract and 11% organic alcohol. Serving size=4 drops (or to taste).

Truvia packets are in my purse for when I am away from home.

RowdysLady

I use Truvia when I use it these days - I've learned to be ok without sweetener in my coffee.

ProCoffeenator

KenSmith108 wrote: »

We grew our own Stevia this summer.
Now we have to dry it & grind it to powder.
The leaves are really sweet.

or

I grew my own as well thinking that I would try making my own. The plants did great! Haven't had time to play with them or do the full research on the how to. If you have a mint plant growing I'd recommend chewing one leaf along with the other like a gum. Yummy! I grow chocolate mint and mix it with stevia leaves to add to sun teas etc.

@Phrick I think I started using Splenda religiously after my daughter was born. So that's over 10 years! So I'm pretty sure it hasn't helped with my pre-diabetic levels ever. Hence its part of my theory on it possibly causing a spike for me.

So I think I will pick up a few of the liquid stevia bottles to try out. I'm officially two months in on Keto and have yet to lose any of my sweet tooth cravings. So it's still being used for my tea and coffee till it hopefully goes away like so many others have experienced!

ladipoet

I use several sweeteners: liquid stevia (Sweet leaf brand), Liquid sucralose (EZ-Sweetz), Swerve (mixture of xylitol and bulking agents), sometimes just plain xylitol, Truvia and last but not least Just Like Sugar. I'm sure you will find one or more that you like.

MyriiStorm

kpk54 wrote: »

Trader Joe's Liquid Stevia. Price is right. 2 oz is about $5.95.

If it matters: Organic. Vegan. Contents=De-oinized water, Certified Organic Stevia Extract and 11% organic alcohol. Serving size=4 drops (or to taste).

This is what I use, as well. Though I hardly ever sweeten anything except my keto-ade, and I put five drops in 16 oz. of that.

macchiatto

I've tried several. I also have a large bag of xylitol I bought last November when I started keto that I haven't yet taken the time to figure out how best to use! (Someone mentioned it being tricky in baking, better to mix it, etc., so I haven't gotten around to researching that. )
My favorite is Splenda. I might have to try the stevia-erythritol blend.

nvmomketo

I use the liquid stevia too. I find the key is to undersweeten things a bit.

One teaspoon of sugar seems to be the equivalent of about 2-3 drops, and a quarter to a third of a cup of sugar is one dropperful.

I have a BG reaction to splenda and sucralose. I think it is due to the pwdered bulking agent. It's just a starch or dextrin (usually) and I seem to turn that into glucose at warp speed.

ProCoffeenator

I bought the liquid stevia today. Sadly there was only one kind to choose from. Going to try it out in the morning in my first cup of coffee.

JessicaLCHF

ProCoffeenator wrote: »

I'm thinking about testing out sweeteners over the next few weeks to find the one that's right for me. I've been using Splenda for years! Although it's got me through for a long time I'm curious if I have a glucose reaction to it.
I've tried Stevia, actually still have a bag of it in my pantry for emergencies but I can't stand the chemical like aftertaste! Bleh!
I really want to try Xylitol but alas I have a very loved dog at home and nervous to bring a known dog killer into the house.
So what are you all using? Any suggestions?

I never found a stevia I liked either. Bitter aftertaste even when other ppl didn't think so. I use Truvia cause although it's processed, I think it's better than Splenda. Has 3 carbs va Splenda's 1, tho, but that's ok - it helps me limit it to one or two a day usually.

nscal

I've tried many different sweetners, like stevia (powder and liquid) , splenda, truvia, xylitol, pyure organic stevia, etc, and after much money later.....i keep going back to splenda. I just can't handle the bitter after taste that they all have.

SuperCarLori

Hey, liquid sucralose has zero carbs!

auntstephie321

KenSmith108 wrote: »

We grew our own Stevia this summer.
Now we have to dry it & grind it to powder.
The leaves are really sweet.

or

We had some plants last year on the porch, my nephew loved picking the leaves off to eat, he couldn't believe they were sweet like candy.

LINIA

Stevia Select works nicely in tea or coffee, I order it online from Amazon, no aftertaste.

moonlights

Sucralose is the only thing that tastes good to me

jassnip

So, blending the sweeteners seems to counter the effect of the bitter taste for me. There are sucrose/splenda tablets that are that and that only on amazon that you can can smash between two spoons or with a mortar and pestle. The problems with splenda (either in the packets or in the "baking" size) is that they cut it with maltodextrin to give it volume because it's something like 600x sweeter than sugar. The maltodextrin is the stuff that gives you an insulin response.

nvmomketo

SuperCarLori wrote: »

Hey, liquid sucralose has zero carbs!

True. I should try that sometime. See how it is in baking for my family.