Diabetic Cooking: Sugar Substitutes

If you have diabetes or prepare meals for someone who is, then you will need to switch to sugar free cooking. Thanks to all the sugar substitutes on the market today it really isn't all that difficult any more. Plus you will find many diabetic recipes that were created specifically for particular artificial sweeteners so you don't have to worry about doing the conversions yourself. The main drawback to cooking without sugar is that sugar is often needed in recipes to perform other functions besides sweetening. Sugar also affects the chemistry of what you are cooking and adds volume and moisture. Diabetic recipes have already accounted for this, but if you are trying to convert the recipes yourself, remember to take the above into consideration.

If you want to simply avoid white sugar then you can substitute brown sugar which reportedly is somewhat healthier since its vitamins and minerals are removed when it is polished into white sugar. However as a diabetic, you are probably aiming to avoid sugar all together. If that is your goal, consider the sweeteners below.

Splenda

Splenda is extremely popular with diabetics because it closely resembles sugar when cooking. It can be used for baking, sweetening beverages, making sauces and just about anything else you would normally use sugar for. Splenda is made from sucralose which is a form of sugar but the body doesn't recognize it as a carbohydrate so it doesn't have an effect upon blood sugar to the same degree as regular white sugar does.

Saccharin

Saccharin was originally isolated from grapes and is reported to be over 100 times sweeter than sugar so a tiny amount goes a very long way. Its use is limited however. It does not add the other chemical actions like regular sugar does so it cannot be used in baking. It also has a strong aftertaste so it is difficult to use as a sweetener for drinks.

Aspartame

Aspartame is another artificial sweetener which is super sweet, again it is claimed to be 100 times sweeter than sugar. It too is not suitable for baking because when it is heated it loses its sweetness. Aspartame is popular as a sweetener for beverages.

Honey

Honey is a sugar substitute but not an artificial one. It can however be used as a substitute in certain kinds of cooking and can be used to sweeten beverages if one can become accustomed to the taste which differs greatly from sugar. Honey does have more calories and carbohydrates than sugar however so be aware of that fact if you use it as a sugar substitute.

With a little creativity you can create recipes that are unique and tasty without having to rely on sugar. You can use the artificial sweeteners mentioned above or rely on natural ingredients such as using applesauce or honey.

Lexington Brass Chef Franklin Becker on Diabetic Cooking, Paula Deen, and ... - Village Voice (blog)

Village Voice (blog)

Lexington Brass Chef Franklin Becker on Diabetic Cooking, Paula Deen, and ... Village Voice (blog) And I have a website Two Reasons One Recipe about healthy cooking, and I'm working on a new cookbook. I haven't named it yet, but it's more on healthy cooking. What do you think of the whole diabetes controversy surrounding Paula Deen? and more »

A diabetic fiasco - Coeur d'Alene Press

A diabetic fiasco Coeur d'Alene Press Lately the firestorm has been raging about Paula's decision to keep her diabetes quiet, even while she cooks up high-fat, high-sugar southern delicacies that no diabetic should regularly consume. Deen received her type 2 (adult onset) diabetes ... and more »

Paula Deen's Diabetes Reveal Sparks a None-Too-Sweet Reaction - Reuters

Us Magazine

Paula Deen's Diabetes Reveal Sparks a None-Too-Sweet Reaction Reuters one commenter fumed. "[Y]ou waited three years to divulge your illness while still promoting your health deteriorating ways. Your son then gets his own 'healthy cooking gig' and THEN you reveal you are diabetic signing a contract for millions! Paula Deen confirms Type 2 Diabetes diagnosisWashington Post (blog) TODAY viewers, chefs and fans react to Paula Deen admissionmsnbc.com Diabetic Paula Deen: I'll Still Continue to Make Butter-Rich RecipesUs Magazine Tucson Citizen -The Grio -D Magazine all 1,655 news articles »

Celeb chef Paula Deen the newest face of diabetes - Atlanta Journal Constitution

Tri State Defender

Celeb chef Paula Deen the newest face of diabetes Atlanta Journal Constitution By Julia Moskin For 10 years, wielding slabs of cream cheese and mounds of mayonnaise, Paula Deen has become television's self-crowned queen of Southern cuisine and one of the country's most popular chefs, with an empire built on layers of gooey butter ... Chef Paula Deen not alone in her struggle with diabetesEvansville Courier & Press Don't blame Paula Deen's diabetes denial for America's obesity epidemic: BainToronto Star A diabetic Paula Deen should encourage all of us to eat betterTri State Defender Palm Beach Post -Huffington Post (blog) -Ventura County Star all 356 news articles »

The butter was Paula Deen's shtick - Fox News

Daily American Online

The butter was Paula Deen's shtick Fox News “We are a society that kind of believes what's out there as far as advertising, TV and celebrity,” says Tom Valenti, one of America's best and most-respected chefs who's been diabetic for 15 years. “What she does is, to a great extent, entertainment ... People can prevent diabetesDaily American Online Paula Deen: From Big Food to Big PharmaHuffington Post Should Paula Deen have kept her diabetes secret for three years?Florida Times-Union (blog) ABC News (blog) -The People-Sentinel -Tucson Citizen all 456 news articles »