# Xylitol



## GodivaGirl (Jan 15, 2012)

Tony has decided he wants to try and make some cakes, without sugar, just as a little treat now and again. If today's efforts are anything to go by, I wish he wouldn't bother...yikes a sort of cross between pastry and soggy sponge . Anyway, I've been googling and found a sugar substitute called Xylitol, does anyone use it, is it OK for diabetics?

~Val~


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## trophywench (Jan 15, 2012)

It's same carb as sugar, c. 100g carb/100g weight, but so I'm told, no aftertaste and it's about 4 x as sweet.

The 'creaming' method would be out I think as doubtful if you could get the right consistency?

If you are using ground almonds, that will absorb more liquid than wheat flour so the liquid (eggs or whatever) should be about the same.


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## Vicsetter (Jan 15, 2012)

It doesn't caramelise and it won't feed yeast, I've tried without success to make cake icing with it.  Should be fine for cake making, have a look here: http://www.ehow.com/how_5047468_bake-xylitol.html

You can also use Splenda which is a lot more available (in most supermarkets) if you don't mind the bad press about it.

Personally I find it's easier to use normal recipes and reduce portion size, but well done for trying.


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## robert@fm (Jan 16, 2012)

Xylitol is one of the sugar alcohols, hence to my mind isn't suitable for anyone except perhaps as a cure for constipation.  And though technically not sugar, I for one find that it spikes my BG just the same...

For baking it's probably best (as already said) to use a sucralose-based sweetener such as Splenda, or for buttercream I've successfully used powdered aspartame (various brands such as Canderel) -- I don't know if that would work for icing, having not tried this.  Bear in mind that contrary to what various crackpot websites would have one believe, no artificial sweetener has ever been proven harmful (apart from the laxative effect of the sugar alcohols) at, or anywhere near, the dose levels any sane person would use; not even the cyclamates, which is why the former ban on those was repealed.


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## trophywench (Jan 16, 2012)

Godiva Girl, did I point you at 

http://www.diabetes-support.org.uk/forum/Blah.pl?c-800/


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## GodivaGirl (Jan 16, 2012)

trophywench said:


> Godiva Girl, did I point you at
> 
> http://www.diabetes-support.org.uk/forum/Blah.pl?c-800/




Ooo thank you! 
thanks everyone, hopefully his baking fad won't last for long, or he'll end up putting the weight back on!


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