Substituting sugar in drinks takes some getting used to, but many of us have learned how to do it — hopefully with stevia instead of the sugar substitutes available on the market. But cooking? And baking? Especially for expert bakers and cooks, this can be a little more challenging, but it’s certainly the next hurdle.
Sugar substitute manufacturers are already hot on this trail, eveloping products geared specifically towards baking.
So before you get hit by their wall of marketing, let me give you a pitch for sticking with stevia — even for baking and cooking.
Stevia will remain heat stable up to 392 degrees Fahrenheit. However, it will not brown or caramelize like sugar, and can’t be used to activate yeast, such as in breads. Those limitations aside, however, there are still many, many items that can be sweetened with a touch of stevia. You can use either the liquid or the powdered form — and remember to use far, far less than you would use of sugar. Here’s the suggested conversion:
1 tsp. granulated sugar = 1/8 tsp. whole stevia leaf powder / slight dusting white stevia extract (powder)
1 tbsp. granulated sugar = 3/8 tsp. whole stevia leaf powder / 1/2 pinch white stevia extract (powder)
1/4 c. granulated sugar = 1 1/2 tsp. whole stevia leaf powder / 1 pinch white stevia extract (powder)
1/2 c. granulated sugar = 1 tbsp. whole stevia leaf powder / 1/8 tsp. white stevia extract (powder)
1 c. granulated sugar = 2 tbsp. whole stevia leaf powder / 1/4 tsp. white stevia extract (powder)
Of course, it might take a little more experimentation to adapt those old family recipes. You might want to start with some recipes that are tried and true in a stevia cookbook while you get the feel for it, and then venture out on your own. A couple to check out include two volumes of Baking With Stevia: Recipes for the Sweet Leaf by Rita D. DePuydt, and Stevia Sweet Recipes: Sugar Free Naturally! by Jeffrey Goettemoeller.
Fish or flax?
Q: I’ve noticed that both fish oil and flaxseed oil claim to have omega-3s, but I notice that you recommend fish oil more often. Can you tell me the difference? I’d prefer to take flax, but not if it isn’t as effective.
JVW: It’s true, both fish and flax are good sources of omega-3’s, and for people who will not consume fish for any reason, flax will do. Flaxseed oil is also less expensive, which can be an important consideration as well.
The main difference is that flaxseed oil contains only alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which is the parent compound from which other omega-3 fatty acids are derived. This leaves it to your body to do the conversion to the other forms it needs, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). The problem is that the conversion is not always that efficient, and the body often uses the ALA for extra energy, leaving less for conversion to the other types. Fish oil, on the other hand, contains the other forms and delivers them directly to your body with no conversion necessary.
Whatever form you decide to take, don’t forget to back it up with an extra 400 IU of vitamin E (as mixed tocopherols) to prevent the fatty acids from breaking down too rapidly in your body.
What is EFA, EPA, etc?
As omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids become more popular and available, you will be seeing the different types on product labels. I thought you might like a quick at-a-glance glossary to keep the acronyms straight for your next trip to the store:
EFA: essential fatty acids
EPA: eicosapentaenoic acid (an omega-3 oil)
DHA: docosahexaenoic acid (an omega-3 oil)
ALA: alpha linolenic acid (an omega-3 oil)
GLA: is gamma linolenic acid (an omega-6 oil)
LA: linolenic acid (an omega-6 oil)
Yours in good health,
Amanda Ross
Managing Editor
Nutrition & Healing
Sources:
“Using Stevia,” Herbal Advantage (www.herbaladvantage.com), 2/8/99
Richard, David. Stevia Rebaudiana: Nature’s Sweet Secret. Bloomingdale, IL: Vital Health Publishing, 1996
Clandinin MT, et al. “Normal subjects consuming physiological levels of 18:3(n-3) and 20:5 (n-3) from flaxseed or fish oils have characteristic differences in plasma lipid and lipoprotein fatty acid levels.”J Nutr 1996; 126: 2,130-2,140
