Dear Readers,
Here is this weeks Food Picker Question:
What is the best sugar substitute to use for baking and daily use for diabetics?
Answer:
Sugar is linked to diabetes, obesity, and heart disease. It can also suppress the body's immune system and aggravate some type of allergies, asthma and arthritis.
There are many sugar substitutes out there but remember when picking a sugar substitute you want to focus on an all natural sugar. I recommend Stevia which is an all natural sugar, no chemicals. It is a herb indigenous to the valley of Rio Monday in North Eastern Paraguay. It has been used as a sweetener for approximately 1500 years in parts of South America and has become a popular sweetener in many Asian countries. In fact, in Japan where aspartame has been banned because of health concerns, stevia is now widely used as a sweetener in products like gum, soda and ice cream. The sweetness of stevia is found in the leaves. There are four sweetening agents in stevia called "steviol glycosides". They are stevioside, rebaudioside A, rebaudioside C and dulcoside C. Stevioside is the most plentiful of the sweetening agents but carries the bitterest flavour. Rebaudioside A is equally sweet but does not carry the same bitterness as stevioside. Rebaudioside A is used in Krisda brand stevia.
On the market, stevia is available in several forms; the less refined being the most nutritious. It can be purchased in dried leaf form, stevia leaf powder, tea or as a liquid tincture extract and concentrate. The refined forms of stevia come in a white powder or a clear extract. Like any refined product they do not retain all of the health benefits of the unrefined products. Refined stevia is generally 200 to 300 times sweeter than sugar. The refined stevia extracts are safe and far superior to artificial sweeteners or sugar.
Baking with Stevia:
Unlike most artificial sweeteners, stevia does not break down and can withstand high temperatures while cooking and cold temperatures when frozen. It is also compatible with salt and organic acids and natural sweeteners such as barley malt, honey, fructose and sorbitol.
Stevia can be used safely and effectively as a substitute for sugar in all recipes where sugar and low calorie sweeteners would be normally used.
*Watch for the KRISDA brand that will be coming to stores soon-remember this contains the part of the Stevia plant that is sweet but not bitter. Go to your local health food store and look at all the Stevia brands out there.**
Sugar to Stevia Conversion:
Sugar Granulated Krisda(packets) Krista(crystals)
Artificial
Sweeteners
2 tsp. 2 tsp. 1 packet 1 tsp.
1/4 cup 1/4 cup 6 packets 1/8 cup
1/3 cup 1/3 cup 8 packets 1/6 cup
1/2 cup 1/2 cup 11 packets 1/4 cup
3/4 cup 3/4 cup 17 packets 12 tbs.
1 cup 1 cup 22 packets 1/2 cup
2 cups 2 cups 44 packets 1 cup
Krisda packets are 1g each
**Remember on Stevia packages there will be a conversion list**
**I have also seen in the gardening stores potted Stevia leaves. You can wash off the leaves and put them into your ice tea with some fresh lemon **
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