Question: What is the best sugar substitute to use for baking and daily use for diabetics?
In a day and age where sugar intake is becoming a health concern for many populations, sugar substitutes are popping up in the market all the time. Unfortunately the more common, such as aspartame, are artificial and come along with their own list of potential health concerns. Stevia, a plant-derived, non-caloric sugar-substitute, is one of the healthier options available today. Due to the chemical structure of stevia, it is not digestible in the body, thus it provides no calories. This also means that it does not affect the insulin response and blood sugar levels in the way that table sugar does. Actually, studies have shown stevia may improve insulin sensitivity and even promote insulin production meaning that, in addition to doing no harm, stevia intake may actually be beneficial for type 2 diabetic populations. It is important to note that diabetics taking insulin should consult their physician before consuming stevia because of the sweeteners potential to lower blood sugar levels.
Stevia initially gained popularity as a sweetener for beverages, such as coffee, tea, and soda, however more recently is being used in baking. The constituents in stevia are not broken down in the baking process making it superior to the non-caloric and artificial sweeteners typically used in sugar-free recipes. Take into account that stevia is about 8x sweeter than sugar so when using it in a recipe, use two tablespoons of stevia for every cup of sugar the recipe calls for.
