Against Artificial Sweeteners... Stevia?

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Red13
Red13 Posts: 287 Member
in Recipes
Hi all, I was wondering if anyone had any GOOD recipes for baking with Stevia. I currently use Purevia for things like my oatmeal and tea and wanted to get into baking with it. I've heard it works much different than regular sugar when baked so if anyone has experimented with this I would love some ideas. Or, if there are any special things to add along with the Stevia to help the baking reaction. Thanks!!
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  • irridia
    irridia Posts: 527 Member
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    I haven't baked with it yet, but if you do a google search there is a site that gives you equivalencies, Because of the chemistry involved and what sugar does for baked goods, I would still use some sugar as well. I personally avoid any "pure" stevia that contains Erythritol. I know that Truvia has it and I believe Purevia does as well. All of the commercial brands that use stevia seem to have it as well. I actually just found that people are reporting negative side effects, but I've not heard of any in the brands that don't use Erythritol.

    I've found that Stevia in the Raw is the best It doesn't take as many packets as others I've tried and I've discovered that the stevia plant comes in different varieties, some sweeter than others. As if that wasn't enough it also is sweeter towards the end of the growing season.
    Another brand that doesn't use it is Sun Crystals, it is mixed with some sugar though.

    Hope that helps.
  • Mindful_Trent
    Mindful_Trent Posts: 3,954 Member
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    FYI - SweetLeaf is another brand of Stevia that doesn't use Erythritol. They do add some inulin (which is plant fiber) to their stevia, but that's all.


    The SweetLeaf packages do say you can bake with it, but I would definitely do some google-research first to look up conversion charts, etc, since you don't need to use very much Stevia. Really only things that require the sugar to harden or carmelize is what wouldn't work with all Stevia, since stevia doesn't get syrupy or carmelize.
  • Samantharose8akaDebbie
    Samantharose8akaDebbie Posts: 407 Member
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    You can buy Xylitol at the health food store. It comes in powder form like sugar, is natural and bakes wonderfully. I personally never baked with stevia as I don't care for that bitter sweet after taste.
  • Catclaudio
    Catclaudio Posts: 7
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    i have not cooked with stevia, or any other artifical sweetner either. but i was a big fan of splenda, and started using stevia (since its cheaper over here).

    however, i know that stevia is really supported by alot of natural health professionals. its a breath of fresh air. :)
  • MrsVeg
    MrsVeg Posts: 4
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    I *tried* to make black bean brownies with Stevia(sweetleaf) and it was awful. It leaves a really bad after taste in my opinion...I also tried it in coffee to cut some calories but gave up trying to get used to it lol...in my cupboard it sits lol
  • weightlessness
    weightlessness Posts: 35
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    My 2 cents? I haven't tasted very many things that taste just as good with Stevia. I've had some good experience with baking Splenda, but the after taste is not clean or yummy, as baked goods should be. It's kind of disappointing, actually! I've been on the prowl for low sugar recipes because the idea of baking with artificial sweeteners seems to complicated sometimes. Good luck!

    :bigsmile:
  • egbkid
    egbkid Posts: 164 Member
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    What are Stevia, Erythritol and Xylitol ? I have not heard of them. Are they chemicals, products or a brand like Splenda? If so, what is the difference between those and Splenda?

    I LOVE to bake, i have been experimenting this weekend, using apple sauce for an egg in one recipe and for oil in another. I have never used a sugar substitute because i have heard some bad things about the ingredients in them. My sister uses Splenda in her house, but i have never thought to use it myself. I have not seen her bake with it, she might use it for sprinkling on cereal, or in tea, etc, stuff i do not add sugar to anyway.
  • Mindful_Trent
    Mindful_Trent Posts: 3,954 Member
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    What are Stevia, Erythritol and Xylitol ? I have not heard of them. Are they chemicals, products or a brand like Splenda? If so, what is the difference between those and Splenda?

    I LOVE to bake, i have been experimenting this weekend, using apple sauce for an egg in one recipe and for oil in another. I have never used a sugar substitute because i have heard some bad things about the ingredients in them. My sister uses Splenda in her house, but i have never thought to use it myself. I have not seen her bake with it, she might use it for sprinkling on cereal, or in tea, etc, stuff i do not add sugar to anyway.

    Stevia is the most natural of sweeteners - it's made from the leaves of a plant that are actually much sweeter than regular sugar. Erthritol and Xylitol are sugar alcohols. I personally try to stay away from those and Spenda (Sucralose) - as they are all highly processed, even if they come from a "natural" source. It's like sugar - sugar is "natural" but is so highly processed with chemicals that I don't want it in my body.

    The full name of the stevia plant is Stevia Rebaudiana. I actually just bought a few of my own stevia plants - I'm very excited to make my own sweetener! :) They do sell Stevia in stores, but I decided to make my own, because most of the store-bought stevia still has processing agents added to them, and pure stevia is more expensive.
  • xDeannaGarciax
    xDeannaGarciax Posts: 675
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    Ooooh I love Stevia my hubby bought me some and it's my new favorite :bigsmile:
  • irridia
    irridia Posts: 527 Member
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    A note about Stevia Plants. My stevia plant was pretty ineffective as a sweetner, I put many leaves and stems in my tea to steep overnight and it was like i had done nothing. Then I read more abuot the plants and decided to wait until August and then try some again. It was as if it was a completely different plant. I still wanted one more packet of stevia and it was really a tiny bit too much. By the way the stems are the sweetest part of the plant.

    I have found 2 keys to avoiding the bitter tast that follows, one is to use it in some thing spicy, heavy with cinnamon, mint, cloves, cardamom, any of those spices. I haven't tried it yet but I'm considering trying a partial stevia gingerbread. Another is to not use too much.

    Any sweetner that ends in "tol" is a sugar alchahol. They can cause a host of problems, such as bloating, abdominal cramps and in the case of Erethretol it involves a process w/yest and culturing a mold. People who are allergic to mold may have severe reactions.

    Splenda is aspertame, which btw is a very effective insecticide. *shivers*
  • animatedbecca
    animatedbecca Posts: 203
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    Ok wait, I thought Splenda WAS NOT Aspartame and while not as good as Stevia, it wasnt as bad as Sweet and Low or Equal.
    Help! Now Im confused! All this time Ive thought Spenda, while not as pure as Stevia was ok and was NOT aspartame!
  • Mindful_Trent
    Mindful_Trent Posts: 3,954 Member
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    Ok wait, I thought Splenda WAS NOT Aspartame and while not as good as Stevia, it wasnt as bad as Sweet and Low or Equal.
    Help! Now Im confused! All this time Ive thought Spenda, while not as pure as Stevia was ok and was NOT aspartame!

    Splenda (Sucralose) and Aspartame are not the same thing, but both are highly processed. Splenda is made by taking sucrose (processed cane sugar) and replacing three alcohol groups in the molecular structure with three cholorine atoms. (See my post about it here: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/119799-how-splenda-is-made?hl=How+splenda+is+made ). Aspartame is made artificially: "Although its components—aspartic acid, phenylalanine, and methanol—occur naturally in foods, aspartame itself does not and must be manufactured. NutraSweet' (aspartame) is made through fermentation and synthesis processes." (From this website: http://www.enotes.com/how-products-encyclopedia/aspartame)

    I consider both to be highly processed and lab-created, even though Splenda starts with processed cane sugar (which isn't any better in my view - see this post: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/119250-how-sugar-is-made?hl=how+sugar+is+made )
  • animatedbecca
    animatedbecca Posts: 203
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    Ok wait, I thought Splenda WAS NOT Aspartame and while not as good as Stevia, it wasnt as bad as Sweet and Low or Equal.
    Help! Now Im confused! All this time Ive thought Spenda, while not as pure as Stevia was ok and was NOT aspartame!

    Splenda (Sucralose) and Aspartame are not the same thing, but both are highly processed. Splenda is made by taking sucrose (processed cane sugar) and replacing three alcohol groups in the molecular structure with three cholorine atoms. (See my post about it here: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/119799-how-splenda-is-made?hl=How+splenda+is+made ). Aspartame is made artificially: "Although its components—aspartic acid, phenylalanine, and methanol—occur naturally in foods, aspartame itself does not and must be manufactured. NutraSweet' (aspartame) is made through fermentation and synthesis processes." (From this website: http://www.enotes.com/how-products-encyclopedia/aspartame)

    I consider both to be highly processed and lab-created, even though Splenda starts with processed cane sugar (which isn't any better in my view - see this post: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/119250-how-sugar-is-made?hl=how+sugar+is+made )

    Thanks! Just making sure ! I avoid Aspartame like the plague and didnt think it was in Splenda but previous post made me question that :)
  • irridia
    irridia Posts: 527 Member
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    Sorry about the confusion, I hadn't actually looked at splenda since it came out and had forgotten. I have a pretty good memory for silly details but sometimes they get scrambled together. I stand corrected.

    but yeah avoid sugar alchahols. which are in both Truvia and Purvia.
  • beesus
    beesus Posts: 30
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    I like Stevia for sweetening drinks, but when it comes to baking I've had much better results using agave (plus, I'm more partial to its flavor.) and when it comes to things like boxed dessert mixes (not that like, this is something I do daily or even weekly) I've had great success subbing in natural applesauce as a sweetener.
  • time4changemommy1
    time4changemommy1 Posts: 5
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    Being on the hcg diet, the only kind of "sweet" I can have is stevia. I mainly use it to make salad dressing and to put it into my tea. The only "baking" I've done with it is mixed it with cinnamon and put it on top of an apple to heat up. I like it a lot and it seems to be better that the others on the market.
  • Mamasota
    Mamasota Posts: 144
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    I used to use Splenda and you can cook with it but I am off the artificial sweetner train now. I have cut way back on sweets and when I do bake, I use sugar. I'm tired of the artificial stuff and I am not coninced that, in the long run, they are harmless.
  • Dragonfly11
    Dragonfly11 Posts: 672 Member
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    I am totally confused - I currently use equal and sometimes agave nectar but haven't quite gotten used to the taste.

    what is the best thng for you to use for sweetner for your health and to lose weight?

    Thanks for the help,
    Janet
  • Mindful_Trent
    Mindful_Trent Posts: 3,954 Member
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    I am totally confused - I currently use equal and sometimes agave nectar but haven't quite gotten used to the taste.

    what is the best thng for you to use for sweetner for your health and to lose weight?

    Thanks for the help,
    Janet

    There are many different opinions on this. Personally, I stay away from Equal, Splenda, Sweet N' Low - ALL of that stuff, because it is made with or using chemicals, and is in no way natural. There are many reports of some of these chemicals/components of the sweeteners having negative side effects and even being toxic to our bodies. Even "regular" sugar is a highly processed product that is processed using a variety of chemicals (I don't use "regular" sugar either). Some people say that these products aren't bad for you in moderation, but I'd rather just keep it all out of my body, personally. Why risk it? If you scroll up a little, I posted links to posts I did about how sugar and Splenda are made, if you're interested.

    Honey and Agave come from nature - very little (if any) processing is needed for us to use it as a sweetener. I will use these (the raw, unfiltered kind) or Stevia. Stevia is a newer, also natural, sweetener that comes from a South American plant. Many of the commercial versions of stevia have added ingredients, so I'm working on growing my own, but there are some out there that are processed without using chemicals of any kind (such as sweet leaf).
  • Dreamgirl97
    Dreamgirl97 Posts: 106 Member
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    I went to the health food store today looking for Stevia but they did not have any. The salesmen gave me something called Perfect sweet-all natural Xylitol. I want to use it for baking tomorrow but I was wondering if this was bad for me? Forgive me for sounding naive or slow, I am just new to all this and I am trying to figure out a sweetener I can use instead of sugar that won't be too bad for me. :embarassed:

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