The Bite:
Wanna talk sweet satisfaction with fewer calories?
02.11.2009
Submitted by tmeronek on Wed, 02/11/2009 - 1:56am.
The Benefits:
- Cooing about fewer cals. Xylitol's got 40% fewer calories than sugar, and stevia's calorie-free. Agave syrup has about the same number of cals per gram as sugar, but it's sweeter, so you can use 25% less of it.
- Sweet: nothing(s) to worry about. Whether it comes in a blue, pink, or yellow little packet, the artificial sweeteners aspartame and sucralose may lead to headaches.
- It's planet-complimentary. Forgoing the paper packets by buying in bulk saves trees, and the less refined a sweetener is, the less energy it takes to produce.
- Options for diabetics. People with diabetes can occasionally indulge their sweet tooth with natural alternatives, since they're lower on the glycemic index than sugar.
Personally Speaking:
Might sound too exotic for your morning cup, but trust us: after our sweetener tests, agave syrup emerged as the clear winner of the Biter team's coffee tests.
Wanna Try:
- Madhava Amber Agave Nectar - liquid sweetness tapped from the agave cactus; tastes slightly maple-y. Note: does contain fruit sugars, so diabetics should try the other options first. Also: a light version without the hints of maple ($4/11.75 ounces).
- Zsweet - made up of no-calorie, plant-based erythritol, it also tastes a little like maple sugar and is way low on the glycemic index; on the sweetness scale, one teaspoonful = a squirt of agave ($10/8.8 ounces).
- Stevita Stevia - this refined stevia plant extract (powdered) is up to 300 times sweeter than sugar, so use it in moderation. It does have an aftertaste so we prefer to use it in cooking rather than coffee ($7/2.8 ounces).
- Now Xylitol - similar to sugar in consistency and taste, but a little less sweet, this extract comes from cornhusks and actually helps fight cavities ($7/1 pound).
Cocktail Fact
The lawyers of Dan White, who was on trial for killing SF Mayor Moscone and Supervisor Milk, unsuccessfully argued that Twinkies and other sugary foods diminished White's mental capacity.
Bang For The Bite
Refined sugar substitutes are pretty inexpensive and easy to find, and the health benefits are sweet, but the eco-benefits are kinda like sugar packets: pretty small.
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