Baking with Sugar Alternatives: Types and Best Practices

If you’re a pastry manufacturer, there’s a dilemma to consider: How do you solve the sugar problem? People crave that unmistakable taste, and it’s essential to the baking process—responsible for not just sweetness but the light moistness, the characteristic brown colouring, and the crispness of items like cookies. The quandary? With more consumers opting to eat healthier, food manufacturers can’t rely merely on good old sugar anymore—which leads us down the path of sugar alternatives with all the sweetness and none of the side effects (well, mostly).

Baking with sugar alternatives marks a fundamental shift towards better products that know where the market is moving. Making the change isn’t that straightforward with how vital sugar is; thankfully, food science is always one step ahead. Learn the advantages of sugar replacement in baking, the types of sugar alternatives, and how best to use them, as healthy foods soon become the norm rather than the exception.

Advantages of Sugar Replacement

A few compelling factors are seeing sugar substitutes rise to the top. Notably:

Dietary Trends

With health technology as accessible as it is, people are choosing to pursue personalised diets with the click of a button. As more people lock into low-carb and keto diets, low- and zero-calorie sweeteners will fill in for sugar automatically. Drinks and food products supplementing these diets are also utilising alternatives to meet their label’s claim.

Sustainability 

Sustainability is a core business principle in today’s climate. Across the supply chain, food manufacturers are finding ways to be more considerate of the ecosystem. Some sugar substitutes derived from plants are cleaner and require fewer resources, making them a choice for sustainable operations.

Consumer Demand 

The call for healthy products has grown recently (evidenced by this survey, for one). From more nutritious lunches to healthier buying habits, people have a closer relationship with food now and are aware of what they consume. The demand is spurring food innovation and creating solutions for low-sugar products.

Health Benefits

Regulating sugar intake is beneficial, starting with improved blood sugar and pressure control. It also brings down the risk of chronic diseases. Sugar substitutes allow people to enjoy these benefits without missing the sweet flavour and delectable sensory experience usually offered by refined sugar.

Types of Sugar Alternatives

Sugar substitutes can be broadly categorised based on how they are obtained. They’ve been simplified as follows.

Natural Sweeteners

These are found in nature and are commonly derived from plants.

Stevia 

Stevia sweeteners are various forms of no-calorie sweeteners obtained from the stevia plant and its leaves. Stevia extracts can be up to 250 to 300 times sweeter than sugar. Intensely sweet, stevia is stable at high temperatures and works well for several applications despite leaving a metallic aftertaste.

Monk fruit

The zero-calorie sweetener comes from the eponymous plant and is about 300 times sweeter than sugar. More studies on this natural sweetener are needed, but it is believed it could be beneficial for weight management.

Maple syrup

It is derived from boiled maple tree sap and contains trace amounts of minerals and nutrients. On the downside, it is loaded with free sugars and should be used in moderation.

Honey

Honey can also stand in for refined sugar. It is still high in calories and free sugars but has a lower glycaemic index (GI). Its potential anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits often outweigh any concerns, leaving it to sweeten recipes across applications.

Agave nectar

Agave nectar/syrup is made by treating agave sugars with heat and enzymes, leaving a highly refined sweetener with no health value. Slightly sweeter than sugar, the sweetener is packed with fructose and has a few calories.

Sugar Alcohols

Sugar alcohols, or polyols, are naturally occurring carbohydrates found in fruits and vegetables, having a similar chemical structure to sugar.

Xylitol

Commonly used in chewing gums and mints, xylitol has a similar sweetness to sugar but doesn’t affect blood sugar. It has 40% fewer calories than sugar and can make a perfect substitute.

Sorbitol

The compound exists in some fruits like apples and peaches, while it’s commercially prepared from corn syrup to add sweetness while retaining moisture and providing texture to products. It has a cool taste and is about 3/5th as sweet as refined sugar.

Artificial Sweeteners

These are chemically synthesised sweeteners with zero calories that are severely sweeter than table sugar. They often have an ‘off’ taste compared to sugar.

Aspartame

A popular non-nutritive sweetener commonly used in packaged foods and beverages. Comprised of aspartic acid and phenylalanine, it is 200 times sweeter than table sugar and has an intense taste.

Sucralose

It is derived from sugar and is 600 times sweeter than it! Sucralose is present in several packaged food products and is also used in cooking and baking. Its stability at high temperatures could potentially improve the shelf life of products.

Best Practices for Baking with Sugar Alternatives

Some things to keep in mind when baking with sugar alternatives to achieve best results are:

Go Nuts with Fruits

Fruits go hand in hand with baking and add a natural layer of sweetness. Whether frozen, dried, crushed, or fresh off the shelf, fruits should be a baker’s go-to solution for sugar-free baking. While they aren’t exact substitutes for refined sugar, in liquid form, they can offer moisture. Give anything from bananas (1 cup mashed banana for 1 cup sugar) to applesauce (3/4 cup of unsweetened apple sauce for 1 cup sugar) to dates (1 cup puree for 1 cup sugar) a go, experimenting with the sweetness, ingredients, and consistency to get the right finish.

Experiment with Sugar Alcohols

Firstly, sorbitol: Replace less than half the sugar in a recipe with this sugar alcohol first and check the flavour before further adjustments. Also, watch out for a runny batter or dough and adjust the recipe accordingly. Erythritol is excellent for baking that doesn’t need a sticky finish, while xylitol can replace sugar perfectly in most recipes except where yeast is involved as a raising agent. Remember, most of these sweeteners are not as sweet as sugar—a little extra will be needed for bakes on the sweeter side. Getting the best out of these sweeteners will involve plenty of experimentation.

Blend in Stevia

Use stevia with a blend of other items to compensate for the moisture and bulk that come with sugar. One cup of stevia replaces a cup of sugar, but remember to add fruits for flavour and moisture, while the bulk can be sourced from ingredients like oats. And avoid recipes where a bit of browning is needed—stevia doesn’t caramelise like sugar.

Exercise Caution with Natural Syrups

 If you choose to go with natural syrups like honey or agave nectar—they’d work well for sticky baked goods like gooey loaf cakes. Due to their thickness, the liquids in the recipe need to be reduced—by a few tablespoons when agave is involved and by 1/4 cup for each cup of honey. The ratios are 2/3 cup of agave for every cup of sugar and 3/4 cup of honey for the same quantity. (Remember that these syrups have added sugars and are not the most effective sugar substitutes.)

Introducing TastePro™ Sweet Modulator: The Ultimate Sugar Substitute for Your Bakery Products

Baking with sugar alternatives can be challenging. That’s where TastePro™ Sweet Modulator comes in—a technology-driven, cost-effective solution developed by Symega under the proprietary TastePro™ platform. A natural, clean-label ingredient, it substitutes regular sugar without compromising taste or sweet perception, delivering up to 300 times the sweetness of sugar. It aligns with regulatory guidelines for sugar reduction and clean-label trends, enabling you to create delicious, low-sugar cookies, cakes, and more for a broad consumer base.

Move on from Sugar

Baking with sugar alternatives is not a fad but something to be considered with how food trends are playing out. Understanding the types of sugar alternatives and mastering their best practices in baking can help food manufacturers and bakers create guilt-free baked goods that are as delicious as anything else. So, abandon the tablespoon of sugar and choose alternatives—feel free to experiment with them in recipes and find what works best. Embrace innovation, and remember—there’s a world of sweetness to explore!

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