Sweet Alternatives

By Christy Mercer, Nov 1, 2007 12:00 PM

The average American consumes a whopping 20 teaspoons of sugar per day—more than twice the USDA-recommended amount. The next time a recipe calls for white cane sugar, consider one of these low-glycemic alternatives.

Erythritol	Powder derived from the sugar alcohol in pears, grapes, and melons.	Low cal (0.2 calories per gram) FDA approved as a sweetener	High doses can cause stomach upset	Use an equal amount to replace sugar in any recipe Look for it as Zsweet
Stevia	Powder or liquid extract from the leaves of the South American stevia (Stevia rebaudiana bertoni) plant.	Calorie-free Heat stable 200 times sweeter than cane sugar	Can have a bitter aftertaste FDA-approved as a dietary supplement only	Great for baking; try it in brownies and fudge 1 teaspoon pure stevia extract is as sweet as 1 cup of sugar
Xylitol	Powder derived from the sugar alcohol in plums, strawberries, and raspberries.	Helps prevent tooth decay by inhibiting bacteria 40 percent fewer calories than sugar; same sweetness	High doses (30 grams per day) may cause stomachaches	Use an equal amount of xylitol as you would sugar Look for it as Xylosweet