have you ever tried this new (new to me anyhow) 'sugar' in your coffee or in your baking?

http://www.intheraw.com/products/monk-fruit-in-the-raw?gclid=COqr3a2nt7oCFQto7Aod-iwA-w

i've finally accustomed myself to truvia for baking and from that i was able to transition to stevia for coffee--but i'm gonna try this too.

your thoughts?

I haven't tried it, but if it is zero calorie, I have a feeling I won't like it.  :(

The only thing I like with artificial sugar in it is fountain Diet Coke.  I think it has a combination of aspartame and saccharin that I am sadly addicted to.

Have you had to change your recipes to use Truvia?  Does it react different chemically in baking than cane sugar?

The biggest trend here is agave nectar, which is essentially corn syrup from cactus instead of corn.  But that isn't calorie free - just a health trend.

Liz

ALuo han guo tends to have off flavors that don't work well if you need a neutral flavor profile. P&G has a patent on a method for removing these off flavors, so you'll want to look for either a P&G product or a company that has licensed this patent, such as: http://www.biovittoria.com/fruit-sweetness

I've seen Nectresse in stores but I try to avoid 'artificial' products where possible. Except when it comes to diet coke, they could make that with arsenic and I'd still drink it. (Incidentally, when I was in Sweden they use something else to sweeten the diet coke, I can't remember what).

AGot to love fountain diet coke, it's always my first choice.

I use Monk's fruit sweetner in beverages, oatmeal, etc.  Like it.

AI also have used the monk fruit sweetner in my drinks and foods. I like it.

A

Yes! The stuff in cans and bottles is just not the same. My husband thinks I am crazy. Diet soda gives me a sore throat though, especially if I get it at Tim Hortons, so I hardly ever drink it anymore.

AMonk fruit. I can only think of a banana dressed in a habit sporting a bald spot and sandals.

liz, kikiandkyle and secretagentbakes-- yes i ♥ me some diet coke--

let me chat with you a minute-first the back story--i got deathly sick once from pink ice--so now i am an honorary 'ice chute spotter'--if you check the ice chutes where you can self serve your fountain drinks--you will often find black mold--just saying--there's neglect there--alll it needs is to be properly soaked overnight like they should be soaking the fountain drink spouts--then in particular the diet coke spouts go bad first--so just saying--watch out for that--i go with cans & bottles for that reason--

sorry to rain on your addictions but just wanted y'all to be aware--don't hate me 'cause i'm an ice chute spotter ;) it's simply self defense--

and even when you follow up on your ice chutes--where you got a manager and freaking TOLD them -- and it's still icky the next week--wow--

so on the ones you cant' check-- the ones that are not self-serve...you never know....wonder what tim horton's ice chute looks like...but let me hasten to add that one of the most common side effects of aspartame is sore throat too...so...

then i found this crazy stuff-- 'coconut sugar' -- who knew?

y'know what's really funny though--previously as in 10-20 years ago--coconut oil that they used especially to pop (the most fragrant and delicious) popcorn 'they' said was going to doom the health of the inhabitants of the plane,t stunt our children's growth and wipe out mankind (perhaps i exaggerated a bit--but they were very serious about it)  --coconut oil--now it's the great savior of the same previously doomed planet--not to mention coconut flour and milk and cream and coconut--

ACoconut sugar is an interesting product but unfortunately it is not sustainable...coconut palms cannot produce coconut sugar and coconuts at the same time, and if you switch back and forth yields are much lower. Once these long-term effects are realized it is likely that the supply of coconut sugar will dry up and prices will skyrocket.

More info: http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/coconut_palm_sugar.htm

AI use coconut sugar in a couple recipes at work. Not much. It kind of smells funny, but then again, a LOT of what I work with smells funny. Ugh! Garbanzo and white bean flour?! Forget about it.

A

The studies that showed coconut oil was unhealthy focused on hydrogenated coconut oil products, you want to look for coconut oil without trans fats. Non-hydrogenated coconut oil is not really healthier than other types of oil but in moderation it should be fine.

AK8 - we buy them. The only ingredients we make are vegan butter and rice milk. Everything else is ordered.

AI'm pretty particular about where I get my fountain soda from. I worked at McDonalds once upon a time and I know the kinds of procedures they're required to follow so I generally trust a McDs fountain. It's the only place I'll get soft-serve ice cream too.

My soda preference list is really sad - it goes fountain, large bottle, glass bottle, can, small bottle.

My Heineken preference list is tap, green bottle, can, brown bottle. Yep.

AYep! And sandwich ingredients need to be stacked in the correct order. :)

AWait - do you line up the lady on your Starbucks drink sleeve with the lady on the cup? Do you then center the hole on the lid with the lady?

AI just can't deal with it looking all out of order.

I know it's silly.

reporting back regarding 'coconut sugar' and bear in mind the ingredients listed on the bag are dextrose and coconut sugar--so obviously it's mostly dextrose--they probably wave a coconut over a big vat of dextrose--who knows?

i made cheesecake minis with it--they taste awesome--they come out a little tan in color--not as white as cheesecake is usually but for me it's no problem and zero calories. win/win

The dextrose doesn't have any calories?

Liz