What do you think of truvia?

AlsDonkBoxSquat
AlsDonkBoxSquat Posts: 6,128 Member
edited October 15 in Recipes
So I baked with truvia for the first time this morning and the jury is still out on the results. While it didn't change the texture of my banana bread the favor is off, it's a little too sweet and has a bit of that artificial aftertaste. Does anyone use this regularly and what do you do about the aftertaste? I was thinking about trying an agave nectar and truvia combination next time instead. Thoughts?
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Replies

  • dls06
    dls06 Posts: 6,774 Member
    I'd rather not eat then eat something with Artificial sweetner. I heard agave nectar is natural and good for you but I never used it.
  • I really only use the truvia in my coffee and for baking use spenda. I like it so far but not really had the chance to do much baking with it.
  • rn513
    rn513 Posts: 7
    I have cut out all artificial sweetners altogether.....alot of what I have read said that they all actually can trigger more sweet cravings and I have found my cravings decrease since cutting them out. I cook alot from Cooking Light Magazine.....fantastic, yummy recipes with nutritional information for every recipe. Lots of informative articles on how to cut down the sugar and fats in your recipes without sacrificing taste.
  • Tonnina
    Tonnina Posts: 979 Member
    Agave Nectar isn't as good for you as everyone thinks; it's chemical makeup shows it's a fructose. Harder for the body to digest. Try splenda for baking. It's still got a slight aftertaste, you can't get away from that using an artificial sweetener. Truvia is good in coffee I've found though... Might even be good in kool-aid or other drinks.
  • Splenda is as artificial as it gets. Agave is good in small amounts, but for baking its about twice as sweet as honey, so you can do the math. Truvia is not artificial, it comes from the stevia plant.
  • stef827
    stef827 Posts: 215 Member
    I use truvia. Its better for you and safer then appends, equal, sweet n low and I have never had an aftertaste with it. I use it in coffee and on oatmeal but have never baked with it.
  • sunshinestate
    sunshinestate Posts: 110 Member
    Research agave nectar. Once hailed as the best sweetener, there has been a LOT of controversy around it lately. Some say it's worse than high fructose corn syrup!

    If you want the healthiest alternative, most would agree it is stevia. However, it isn't very sweet (in my opinion).

    Splenda is BAD.
  • surfrgrl1
    surfrgrl1 Posts: 1,464 Member
    I like Truvia to sweeten the occasional beverage, cereal, grapefruit. but I've not ever baked with it. Seems Splenda makes products specific for baking, I have not tried them yet.
  • stef827
    stef827 Posts: 215 Member
    Yes you are right, truvia is not an artificial sweetner that's why I use it :)
  • gumigal82
    gumigal82 Posts: 350
    Splenda I like the taste of--but I know it isn't great for me. Truvia comes from a plant, but has a sugar alcohol in it. I bought it without realizing that, so I'm trying to finish it.
    I prefer sugar in the raw or Stevia. Agave nectar is okay.
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  • AlsDonkBoxSquat
    AlsDonkBoxSquat Posts: 6,128 Member
    Splenda is as artificial as it gets. Agave is good in small amounts, but for baking its about twice as sweet as honey, so you can do the math. Truvia is not artificial, it comes from the stevia plant.
    Yeah, this is why I used it. I was trying to get stay away from artificial sweeteners, in particular to avoid that aftertaste so I was drawn by the fact that it's a natural source of sweet.
  • JamesonsMommy
    JamesonsMommy Posts: 771 Member
    I tried to like truvia but it didn't work out.. While Agave has a better flavor nothing beats sugar.
  • I do like truvia because it is natural, but it doesn't seem to sweeten as well as the artificial sweeteners.
    My favorite sweetener is definitely honey.
  • I want to like it but do not like the aftertaste.
  • stef827
    stef827 Posts: 215 Member
    *appends* splenda, stinking auto correct. Splenda IS NOT GOOD FOR YOU
  • AlsDonkBoxSquat
    AlsDonkBoxSquat Posts: 6,128 Member
    Maybe next time I'll just not use anything to it and see how it is ok with just the 1/3 cup of chocolate chips alone.
  • Hairhacker
    Hairhacker Posts: 174 Member
    I like the taste of truvia. It doesn't taste weird or artificial to me but the crystals are way too big to dislove in tea after its already cooled. I just wish it was more powdrey or at least smaller so it would disolve. I like NuNaturals stevia and it disolves good but it's soooo expensive!
  • Pandorian
    Pandorian Posts: 2,055 Member
    Stevia itself is natural, I grow it in my garden.
    Truvia is "bulked up" to make it more like a traditional sugar for adding to your coffee etc, I won't use it because of that bulker
    Truvia has three ingredients. Erythritol, rebiana, and natural flavors. the 'main" ingredient (if ordered in greatest to least in concentration) is bulking agent, then the stevia extract... I'll stick to the plant :)
  • midwifekelley2350
    midwifekelley2350 Posts: 337 Member
    i think it is bitter and too sweet...i would rather use a little honey or applesauce
  • i love ittt :) i use it in my coffee every morning :) i also use it on top of grape nuts instead of sugar. and i made peanut butter cookies with it and it changed the way they looked but it didnt change the taste!
  • I_get_fit
    I_get_fit Posts: 145 Member
    I like it but I think the key is to use less because it's very sweet.
  • StrongGwen
    StrongGwen Posts: 378 Member
    I like it. I read that some people are unable to taste the "aftetaste" and I'm one of the lucky ones. Havent' baked with it because you have to mix it with regular sugar for texture & volume, and I'm not eating sugar until I'm at my goal. I know it has one extra ingredient besides the stevia leaf, but it's got fewer ingredients than Splenda. I stay away from Aspartame because it bothers my joints. Try Truvia in place of sugar and make whole berry cranberry sauce! reduce the water because there's no sugar to make a syrupy thickness. The entire bag of cranberries has less than 100 calories!
  • I_get_fit
    I_get_fit Posts: 145 Member
    I like the taste of truvia. It doesn't taste weird or artificial to me but the crystals are way too big to dislove in tea after its already cooled. I just wish it was more powdrey or at least smaller so it would disolve. I like NuNaturals stevia and it disolves good but it's soooo expensive!

    I haven't tried this but have you thought about taking a handful of packets and blending them in the blender? It should break them down so they are powdery.
  • Tonnina
    Tonnina Posts: 979 Member
    I never said truvia was an artificial sweetener, just that artificial sweeteners have aftertaste, like splenda.

    Obviously with a diverse population like MFP has, you're going to get mixed replies and results.

    With the chocolate chips in the recipe It could be sweet enough for some; I've never liked my banana bread to taste like a dessert. So yes, try it without sugar and see how it turns out.
  • Have you heard of "Cook Yourself Thin"? They have really great recipes and offer ways to make baked goods without extra sugar or fat. Perhaps they may offer suggestions for adding in sweetness without sugar using certain fruits etc. For example, sugar-free or freshly made apple sauce would provide a more natural sweetness.
  • Kellyh01
    Kellyh01 Posts: 23 Member
    I've never tried to bake with it, but I use a packet of it in my oatmeal and like it - less artificial taste than the others to me.
  • RemDogzMa
    RemDogzMa Posts: 71 Member
    Call me a purist, but to me Truvia is along the same lines as Splenda. Remember for how many years, people thought Splenda was "made from sugar"? Well yeah it was from sugar molecules but then altered in a LAB. In fact as you see from this thread, it is still a sweetner of choice.

    Truvia's first ingredient is erythritol. Let's see how this ingredient is made for human consumption.

    "Erythritol is normally made from glucose that is created from corn or wheat starch. To do this, the starch is first treated with enzymes (special proteins) that break the starch down into glucose. This glucose is then mixed with yeast, such as Moniliella pollinis or Trichosporonoides megachliensis, and the yeast ferments the glucose to form erythritol. The fermented mixture is then heated (in order to kill off the yeast) an dried (by boiling off all the water) so that erythritol crystals are formed. These crystals are then washed (to remove impurities), redissolved, purified again (using a special kind of chemical filter) and finally are isolated in solid form, at which point the erythritol is safe for human consumption."

    Yeah, not exactly the same thing as eating RAW STEVIA PLANT.

    I love the fact that we are all free to make our own choices, just make sure you know what you are cho0sing and are okay with it.
  • maddymama
    maddymama Posts: 1,183 Member
    Just curious... why not bake with real sugar, but cut down the amount by 1/3 to 1/2.... won't really change the taste or texture when cut down by 1/3, and some recipes are sooooo sweet, that you can easily cut down the sugar by 1/2 without making tooo many changes to the end product.
    I second the Cooking Light pp, and the Cook Yourself Think ideas. I like to bake, but with less real sugar, applesauce, and ground nuts. It still takes great, and you have no aftertaste worries or chemicals to worry about.
    I like stevia plant leaves, but the processes stuff makes me nervous.

    I'd rather use real sugar, but much less of it.
  • AlsDonkBoxSquat
    AlsDonkBoxSquat Posts: 6,128 Member
    Just curious... why not bake with real sugar, but cut down the amount by 1/3 to 1/2.... won't really change the taste or texture when cut down by 1/3, and some recipes are sooooo sweet, that you can easily cut down the sugar by 1/2 without making tooo many changes to the end product.
    I second the Cooking Light pp, and the Cook Yourself Think ideas. I like to bake, but with less real sugar, applesauce, and ground nuts. It still takes great, and you have no aftertaste worries or chemicals to worry about.
    I like stevia plant leaves, but the processes stuff makes me nervous.

    I'd rather use real sugar, but much less of it.

    I'm usually a baking purist, real sugar, real butter, real whatever because I'm gluten free so I have to make substitutions in all recipes anyway. However, I picked up a container of Truvia a couple of months ago just because I wanted to see what it would be like to use it.
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