February 05

How Sweet It Is
Watching your weight doesn't mean you can't indulge in chocolate, pudding and other succulent Valentine's Day treats. Natural sugar substitutes can let you eat your cake and maintain your diet, too.

By Patrick Dougherty

   The sensation of a luscious hard candy slowly melting in our mouth. The smoothness of a premium ice cream that coats our throat with joy. The rich, silky taste of a dark chocolate truffle. They are the irresistible goodies that travel from our tongue to our brain’s pleasure center, rewarding us with bliss reminiscent of true love’s first kiss.
   Valentine’s Day brings sweets and romance together, as loving couples exchange delectable confections symbolizing shared affection. But for the millions of dieters who resolved to lose weight less than two months before, Cupid’s arrow presents a stinging challenge. How can we resist such a temptation as indulging in diet-busting delights presented in love’s name?
   Fortunately, you don’t have to let your Valentine’s Day sweet tooth derail your New Year’s dieting efforts. Sugar may pack a hefty 4.2 carbs and 16 calories per teaspoon, but sugar substitutes that don’t overload your daily carbohydrate and calorie counts can let you enjoy this holiday’s romantic treats without betraying your resolution to lose weight.

Sweetness Through the Years
   Sugar substitutes have been around since the late 1800s, when saccharin, the first artificial sweetener, was accidentally discovered and subsequently marketed as a wonder additive for the diet-conscious. Today, the artificial sweetener category includes such products as sucralose, aspartame and Acesulfame K. Since the 1970s, when studies linked saccharine intake to cancer, health concerns have surrounded these artificial sweeteners. Their benefits were further tainted when studies showed some people experienced headaches, upset stomach and hives after ingestion. Still, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) deemed these substances safe for general consumption.
   Even with FDA approval, many have shunned artificial sweeteners for one simple reason: They just don’t taste that great. Enter natural sugar alternatives, which not only have a more pleasant taste but are also healthier. When you examine the nutrition label of your favorite low-carb snack food you may not find sugar and its carb count (if sugar is listed, the number of grams will be small). But you will see the carb count of sugar alcohols. That leads to a logical question: Just what is a sugar alcohol?
   Sugar alcohols (also known as polyols) are a group of sweeteners, mostly derived from nature, that includes sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, isomalt, lactitol and maltitol. Although they do contain carbohydrates, the body doesn’t absorb these carbs, which allows sugar alcohols to provide a sweet taste without bumping up your daily carb count. Sugar alcohols only contain approximately half to three-quarters the calories of sugar.
   Sugar alcohols are not only helpful to dieters, but can be consumed by people with blood-sugar problems because they do not raise blood-sugar levels and have little effect on insulin.

Maltitol: Sweet Dream
   Maltitol is an all-star among sugar alcohols. With a sweetness level and taste that nearly equals that of sugar, maltitol provides the perfect touch for luscious low-carb living. This sweet deal can enliven your morning cup of coffee or tea, or it can help you create a delightfully decadent dessert.
   With its no-impact carbohydrates, only 2.1 calories per gram, and ability to avoid breaking down under high heat, maltitol is widely used by food manufacturers who want to reduce fat in their products while retaining great taste. It has become one of the ideal sweeteners for a variety of diet treats, such as sugarless hard candies, ice cream, chewing gum, pudding, beverages and baked goods. In Valentine’s Day chocolate, maltitol provides a rich, creamy texture in addition to cutting carbs and calories.
   Maltitol is an oral treat in more ways than one. Unlike sugar, which is broken down by oral bacteria into enamel-etching acids as soon as it hits your mouth, maltitol (like other sugar alcohols) transforms in the intestines so it doesn’t become the decay that attacks teeth. (Maltitol has been recognized by the American Dental Association as part of an overall dental health plan.) As a result, the FDA says that food products made with sugar alcohol can be labeled, “Does not promote tooth decay.”

FOS: Sweet Fiber
   Fructooligosaccharides (FOS) is another sweetener that pairs well with maltitol in low-carb and sugar-free foods. The word may tie up the tongue, but fructooligosaccharides please the taste buds.
   These sweet-tasting, non-digestible complex carbohydrates—also known as fiber—can be found in Jerusalem artichokes, bananas, onions and barley. (FOS is also found in the chicory plant, and can be created from dahlia inulin.) Like maltitol, FOS has a low calorie count, with only 1.5 calories per gram.
   Using FOS in food products produces an array of health benefits. Besides adding essential fiber, FOS also serves as a prebiotic in a low-carb eating plan; that is, it stimulates the growth of the friendly probiotic bacteria in the intestines that help you digest food and maintain bowel health. Research has shown that probiotic bacteria become more numerous and harmful bacteria diminish when people take FOS.

A Sugar-Free Valentine’s Day
   If someone’s sugar cravings won’t be denied, organic chocolate is the most healthy way to put a twist on natural sweetness, and it’s a great antioxidant for the heart. But knowing your sugar substitutes will help you make Valentine’s Day selections that deliver sweetness without delivering pounds. You can express your support for your dieting significant other by making treats that won’t affect their waistline.
   Some sugar substitutes, when combined in recipes, enhance each other’s sweetness. Experimenting with combinations of maltitol, FOS or stevia, the natural herbal extract sweetener, can yield the sensation taste buds long for. Some prepared sugar substitutes eliminate the guesswork by delivering carefully concocted blends of natural sweeteners, yielding optimal sweetness without bitter aftertastes.
   Take pudding, for example. Thanks to the new generation of sugar substitutes, this traditionally caloric and carbohydrate-laden treat has re-emerged in many variations tailored specifically for dieters.
   Even on its own, pudding is a decadent treat. Topped with a dollop of sugar substitute-sweetened whipped cream, you can begin to build a pudding creation. Alternating layers of low-carb/diet pudding, whipped cream and chopped nuts in a parfait glass, topped with sugar-free chocolate syrup and a strawberry, creates an elegant single-serving dessert that is delicious, sensual and visually appealing. When prepared with heavy cream and a hand mixer, diet pudding is aerated, taking on a softer, silkier texture that transforms it into a creamy, gourmet mousse. And, of course, pudding is also an excellent pie filling.
   But why stop there? Sugar-free gelatin dessert is another versatile, low-carb pie filling. With a myriad of fruit flavors, gelatin offers you a chance to concoct a Valentine’s favorite and make a customized diet dessert at the same time. An especially popular pie filling combines gelatin dessert, cream cheese, heavy cream and maltitol. Whipped together with a hand mixer at high speed, the ingredients take on a silky, creamy texture that perfectly complements the gelatin’s fruit flavor. Chilled and topped with sugar substitute-sweetened whipped cream, this pie is a low-carb dieter’s dream. Not far behind would be a cheesecake using low-carb ingredients such as cream cheese, eggs and heavy cream. Add a touch of sugar substitute and you’ll provide a creamy richness that satisfies the taste buds while sparing the waistline.
   Valentine’s Day just wouldn’t be the same without confectionary creations. So remember, whatever your sweet tooth craves, whatever decadent desserts your partner desires, you can indulge even if you’re on a diet! With the right sugar substitute, your V-Day creation can express the sweetness of your love—without the carbohydrates and calories.

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