Noncarbohydrate-Based Sweeteners and Sugar Substitutes

Some amino acids and proteins can taste sweet. A few years ago, my friend Jessica introduced me to miraculin—the protein from the miracle berry—and I found its effect on taste astonishing. Miraculin can change the taste of any sour ingredients like vinegar and limes and make them appear sweet. You can try it for yourself: Start out by chewing the berry, wait for a few minutes, and then take a slice of a raw lemon. The lemon will not taste sour; it will taste sweet.

There are several sugar substitutes available in the market; some come from plants, such as stevia, while others are synthetics produced in laboratories, like aspartame. These substances provide sweetness, carry few to no calories, and are not metabolized like sugar in the body, but when it comes to baking, they simply do not work very well.