Sugar Replacement Review
Four of the Best Artificial Sweeteners and Sugar Substitutes
Here is a review of some of the best artificial sweeteners and sugar substitutes on the market.
We've all heard of Equal and Sweet'N Low, but there are many other artificial sweeteners and sugar substitutes out there that can dramatically lower the calories in foods, without lowering the taste. Here are four of the best sweeteners on the market today, and information on what makes them so special.
Partida Organic Agave Nectar
Partida Organic Agave Nectar is a 100% organic sweetener that is made from the tropical blue agave plant. Though this sweetener isn't calorie free, it contains less calories than sugar, with only 60 calories per tablespoon, so it is great for low calorie cooking.
At $3 for an 11.6 ounce bottle, Partida Organic Agave Nectar was originally meant to flavor cocktails, but it can be used for many other recipes. It tastes very much like honey, though it is slightly more runny in consistency. This sweetener is best in teas, coffees, oatmeal or any other food in which you might put a liquid sweetener like honey or syrup.
Sweet Fiber
Sweet Fiber is an unusual sweetener that is great for those wanting to add more fiber to their diet. It is the first no-calorie sweetener to contain fiber. Three packets of Sweet Fiber contains 10% of a person's daily requirement of fiber and is 100% natural.
This sweetener tastes a lot like powdered sugar, but doesn't have a strange aftertaste. It is a great choice for baking things like Low Calorie Banana Pudding Cake, since it can be purchased in wide 250 gram, wide-mouthed containers, which cost around $8.99.
NutraSweet
If you crave a calorie-free sweetener that has the granular texture of white cane sugar, then NutraSweet, at around $7 for 100 count box, is a great choice.
Surprisingly, NutraSweet doesn't have a bitter taste. It is as close as you can get to real sugar, so it's great for things like fruit or recipes where you just need that gritty sugar texture.
Great Value Calorie Free Sweetener
Great Value Calorie Free Sweetener is a great choice for those looking for a great sugar-free sweetener that doesn't cost a lot of money. A box of 200 packets only costs $2.14.
The taste is comparable to Equal, but with less aftertaste. The only catch to Great Value Calorie Free Sweetener is that you can only buy it at Wal-Mart stores.
A Note About Sweeteners that Are Not FDA Approved
There are some sweeteners on the market that are not approved by the FDA. This means that the product has not had sufficient testing to see if it is safe for humans.
One popular sweetener that has a lot of press, but not an FDA approval is the herb stevia. You should be cautious when buying products that contain this, and other types of sweeteners, that have not been tested for your safety.
