Many people utilize sweeteners in drinks and packaged foods, but don’t know what to do with them when it comes to baking. Sweeteners don’t interact with other ingredients in the same manner as sugar. Sugar not only sweetness but adds volume, texture, color, and moistness in many recipes. Therefore it takes a little more work to find out how to utilize them in your baking. Listed below are approved non-nutritive sweeteners and how you can utilize them in your cooking. I will address nutritive sweeteners and their uses in a future blog, so if you are interested in other alternatives, keep your eyes peeled.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved 6 different sweeteners to be generally recognized as safe (GRAS). This means that there is no clinical evidence to suggest health issues if these substances are consumed within the recommended amounts by the FDA. These sweeteners are:
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- Aspartame
- Acefulfame-K
- Sucralose
- Saccharin
- Neotame
- Stevia
Generally, these sweeteners are recommended to those who have problems controlling their blood sugar values. Many health professionals will recommend consuming them in moderate amounts in addition to trying to eat a healthy diet. So eat some delicious cookies and some moist cakes but don’t let them interfere with eating good old whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. Just like anything else, remember that with sugar substitutes, moderation is key.
Aspartame (Equal®): (ADI 50mg/kg)
Aspartame was approved for use as a tabletop sweetener in 1981 and approved in food and beverage in 1996. It is 200 times sweeter than sugar with a limited rise in blood sugar. It contains no aftertaste but losses it sweetness when stored for long periods of time or heated for more than 15 minutes. However, combining it with other sweeteners or utilizing it with acidic ingredients helps it retain its sweetness. If you place it in baked products, add it at the end of the cooking process or sprinkle it on the deserts to avoid it being broken down by heat. People with phenylketonuria (PKU) must avoid this sweetener because it contains phenylalanine which they are unable to metabolize.
Aspartame conversion chart:
| Sugar | Packets | Granulated | Equal for Recipes |
| 1-2 tsp | 1 | 1-2 tsp | ¼ tsp |
| ¼ cup | 6 | ¼ cup | 1 ¾ tsp |
| 1/3 cup | 8 | 1/3 cup | 2 ½ tsp |
| ½ cup | 12 | ½ cup | 3 ½ tsp |
Acesulfame Potassium (Ace-K, Sweet One®, Sunette®): (ADI 15mg/kg)
Acesulfame-K was approved as a tabletop sweetener for use in 1988 and approved as a general purpose sweetener in 2003. It is made from a process involving acetoacetic acid in combination with potassium and is 200 times sweeter than sugar. However, Acesulfame-K has a slight aftertaste if it is used in large amounts. As well, when using large amounts of it, a smaller amount of sweetener is generally needed to provide the same taste. Therefore, if you are adventurous, experiment to find the right amount to use. Otherwise, utilize the chart listed below
Acesulfame-potassium conversion table:
| Sugar | Acesulfame-K packets |
| 1-2 tsp | 1 |
| ¼ cup | 3 |
| 1/3 cup | 4 |
| ½ cup | 6 |
Sucralose (Splenda®): (ADI 15mg/kg)
Sucralose is 600 times sweeter than sugar and does not raise blood sugar. It is heat stable and therefore can be used in cooking and baking. It maintains taste when cooking, however it still does not maintain the cooking properties sugar contains. Sugar, maintains volume and height when cooking. If you are utilizing splenda, try adding ½ tsp of baking soda to aid in maintain volume. As well, when cooking with yeast, splenda will not activate the yeast rising, so the addition of 2 tsp of sugar will aid in fermentation. If you want a light brown appearance, spray the baked product with cooking spray to brown the outer edges. Splenda produces blends that are ½ sugar and ½ sucralose. When using a mix, a ½ cup of Splenda will replace 1 cup of sugar.
Sucralose granulated conversion chart:
| Sugar | Sucralose granulated |
| 1-2 tsp | 1-2 tsp |
| ¼ cup | ¼ cup |
| 1/3 cup | 1/3 cup |
| ½ cup | ½ cup |
Saccharin (Sweet’NLow®)
The oldest sugar substitute, the FDA petitioned to have it banned in 1977 because it was thought to cause cancer in large quantities, but it has never been proven in human trials. Saccharin is 300 times sweeter than sugar. As larger quantities of sugar are needed, you need less to replace the sugar; however you need to be careful because as you use more saccharin, bitterness increases. It is recommended to mix it with other sweeteners to mask the taste. As well, the Sweet’N Low Company recommends that if you replace sugar with their product that you reduce your dry ingredients by 25 percent and add some fruit juice or egg whites to increase moistness. A benefit of this sweetener is that it is heat stable so it is able to be utilized in baking without worries.
Sweet’NLow Substitution Chart
| Sugar | Packets | Bulk | Liquid |
| 1/4 cup granulated sugar | 6 | 2 teaspoons | 1 1/2 teaspoons |
| 1/3 cup granulated sugar | 8 | 2 1/2 teaspoons | 2 teaspoons |
| 1/2 cup granulated sugar | 12 | 4 teaspoons | 1 tablespoon |
| 1 cup granulated sugar | 24 | 8 teaspoons | 2 tablespoons |
Neotame: (ADI 2mg/kg)
A newer sweetener on the market, Neotame was approved for public use and manufactured by the NutraSweet Company in 2002. It is a derivative of the dipeptide composed of the amino acids, aspartic acid and phenylalanine. It is rapidly metabolized and completely eliminated in the urine. Neotame provides 7000-13000 times the sweetening power than sugar with no significant effects on blood sugar. It can be used for baking but cannot be substituted cup for cup. It degrades at lower pH values and during extended storage at higher temperatures. However, it has excellent stability with 85% of the product remaining intake at the end of baking.
Stevia:
For those who are looking for an alternative sweetener but would like a more organic choice, Stevia is a good option for you. Receiving FDA approval of GRAS in 2008, the stevia plant is a South American plant that has been used for many years. It is approximately 300 times sweeter than table sugar so little is needed to sweeten food or beverage. It is stable in hot and cold conditions so there are no worries about using it in baking products. However, there has been much health controversy over the utilization of stevia in the USA. Research is relatively new for this alternative sweetener so be sure to take precautions and use in moderation. It is not recommended for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding and children. As well, if you are allergic to any plants in the daisy family, you may want to be sure it is safe for you. However, in moderation most organic lovers should give this sweetener a chance.
| Sugar amount | Equivalent Stevia powdered extract | Equivalent Stevia liquid concentrate |
| 1 cup | 1 tsp | 1 tsp |
| 1 tbsp | 1/4 teaspoon | 6 to 9 drops |
| 1 tsp | A pinch to 1/16 tsp | 2 to 4 drops |
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