Sugar & Sugar Substitutes

In most recipes, we’ve either omitted or at least halved the amount of sugar in the original, relying on fruit or vegetables to provide natural sweetness. In a few cases, we’ve added back some of the sweetness to cakes in the form of erythritol, a plant-based sugar substitute.

Current research suggests that erythritol is one of the safest sugar substitutes. It has fewer digestive side effects than xylitol, a chemically similar sweetener, and less of an after-taste than stevia. Unlike honey or coconut sugar, erythritol does not cause a spike in blood sugar, and contains negligible calories. Unlike agave, it has no fructose, a fruit sugar which can increase unhealthy abdominal fat.