shelley417 Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 Before I started whole 30 I was low carb/gluten free/ sugar free. But I used a lot of artificial sweeteners in my cooking -- stevia and erythritol, , and truvia. If I want to add back a little sweetness to my recipes, should I be adding back honey or artificial sweeteners? We have health reasons to be sugar free. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan W Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 Well, for me, if I need to add it to something, I would choose raw, organic honey, but do you really need sweetners in your cooking? I can't remember the last time I wished I could put a sweetner in my cooking. I also don't know why you need to avoid sugars, so my method may not apply to you at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kb0426 Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 If I had to choose one over the other, I would select nature over a laboratory any day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Tom Denham Posted November 13, 2012 Moderators Share Posted November 13, 2012 I've been happy using apple juice when I've needed to sweeten something. The only problem is that I have a hard time using a whole bottle of apple juice/cider before it has been open a long time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan W Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 I've been happy using apple juice when I've needed to sweeten something. The only problem is that I have a hard time using a whole bottle of apple juice/cider before it has been open a long time. I've not used it once, but a friend of mine does. She freezes it (after reducing for a few minutes) in an ice cube tray and has them for the next time. She also freezes coconut milk. She's so much more organized than I am. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shelley417 Posted November 13, 2012 Author Share Posted November 13, 2012 I don't really use sweeteners in main meals. I was thinking more about making desserts for Thanksgiving and what would be the better choice- honey, agave, or artificial sweeteners. My husband is not allowed sugar for health reasons. I haven't had sugar for months and I'm sure it would not be good for me now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan W Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 Agave is evil. Very processed stuff. I still don't get why you can't have natural sweetners like raw, organic honey, but you need to make that choice for you and your husband. If I had health reasons to not have sugar, I simply would do without dessert. In fact, I don't have health reasons, but I am not going to have dessert. Fake sugars are not good at all. Sigh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirsteen Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 I'd rather have honey than anything artificial. When I was a raw foodist I also sweetened a lot of things with dried fruit. Date puree (soak dates over night and blitz them up the next day) was a common sweetener and I used it in a lot of desserts. Dried apples and apricots can be used the same way. I so agree with the previous poster who said nature over a lab. I'd rather have something my body recognised as food than a man-made chemical concoction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shelley417 Posted November 13, 2012 Author Share Posted November 13, 2012 These desserts are only for special occasions-- like Thanksgiving. I am not missing dessert at all since completing the Whole 30. Artificial sweeteners do not spike blood sugar. Honey, agave do in larger amounts. I am going to do some research about dried fruit. Thanks for that advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xandra Posted November 16, 2012 Share Posted November 16, 2012 I've been going through this same dilemma but for different reasons. I'm trying to find a Thanksgiving-ish dessert that tastes good with no added refined sugar or sweeteners. My first experiment was a pumpkin/apple pie made with a walnut/pecan crust, fresh pumpkin, and sliced apples. Overall, the filling was bland and the crust a little bitter. My (6 yo) daughter instantly requested chocolate syrup, while the boys (8 and 4) didn't notice at all, thought it was good the way it was, and ate two pieces each. My second pie was the same recipe but made with yams/apples and a hazelnut/pecan crust. Still not sweet enough for my daughter. I didn't like the texture and decided I would puree the next one so the yams/apples blend together, maybe add some applesauce, and even a banana or some dates for extra sweetness. Not so fast, said my 8 yo, who liked the sliced apples the way they were. My mother tried both pies and preferred the first one. ~sigh~ So my compromise now is this: skip the crust, make this pumpkin-coconut-maple custard recipe, but hold the maple syrup and use it for whomever wants their dessert to be sweeter. I think this one should make everyone happy. http://nomnompaleo.c...le-custard-cups Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shelley417 Posted November 16, 2012 Author Share Posted November 16, 2012 Thank you so much for the tips. I wish i had time to experiment and i aporeciate you doingvthat and sharing. I love your "testers" too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kb0426 Posted November 16, 2012 Share Posted November 16, 2012 Hey Shelley, I totally get that you are wanting a nice dessert for Thanksgiving! I wish I had some recipes to offer! If you husband is not allowed sugar, is that restriction only in the form of added sugar? My concern is that, in the end, honey = sugar, maple syrup = sugar, etc. I understand what you mean about the spikes in blood sugar; I guess in the end you have to do what is right for him and the family. If you choose something with a fruit base, that can concentrate the sweetness as it cooks, it might be an option that would allow less sugar. During my whole30 I enjoyed sliced apples that were pan fried in coconut oil with cinnamon, then coconut milk is added at the end. There were no added sweeteners in that, but then again, it was not something "special". I do hope you can find something that all of you can enjoy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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