Should You Bake with Artificial Sugar?
April 30, 2007
by Kate Robb
Culinary Institutes Columnist
We used to have one option to sweeten our food: sugar. Now there are pink, blue, and yellow packets that offer 100 times the sugar power without any calories. It's appealing for coffee, but what about for baking cookies?
Low-Calorie Craze
There's no doubt that Americans love lo-cal options. But baking them involves putting them through an entirely different chemical process, and while many bakers and pastry chefs are tempted to use them, they are also wary of the possible results.
Finding Sweet Staying Power
The three main options (Splenda, Equal, and Sweet-N-Low) bake differently. McNeil Nutritionals, the maker of Splenda, claims that "baking studies have shown that Splenda is exceptionally heat-stable." He also claims that Splenda (which is made from sucralose) does not lose its sweetness in the baking process, unlike its aspartame-based competition.
Healthy Skepticism
While there is considerable debate about the overall healthiness of artificial sweetners, one of the main arguments against them is the way they respond to the baking process. Equal has been considered finicky for baking because it breaks down in the baking process and can be unhealthy. Sucralose-based sweetners do not break down, but that leads some to wonder about a product that stays chemically the same at temperatures of 350 or even 450 degrees.
While low-calorie options might be good for your coffee, you might think again before using them for baking cookies. In this case, the calories might just be worth it.
Sources:
ABC 27 News, "Judge's Decision Not So Sweet for Splenda"
Splenda Exposed, "Baking with Splenda"
About the Author
Kate Robb is a freelance writer and university professor.
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