Splenda Sugar Substitute In Sugar Cookies

Splenda is the sugar substitute sucralose that has been formulated to tolerate heat better than other calorie-free sugar substitutes. It is a common sugar-free ingredient in baked or cooked desserts, especially cookies. Non-nutritive sugar substitutes are useful for low-sugar and sugar-free diets, and they offer palatability and sweetness to foods that would otherwise have to be avoided.

Splenda Properties

Splenda is the brand name of a sugar substitute marketed as being made from sugar so that it works like sugar. It is calorie-free, and it is helpful in reducing sugar intake and overall carbohydrate intake for diabetics. While it tastes sweet, it is not absorbed in the body; rather it passes through the digestive system and is excreted. It is available in granular form, and it can be used in sugar-based recipes in a one-for-one substitution.

Splenda Sweetness

Sucralose is sweeter than sugar, according to the Splenda website, and you can use it in a one-for-one substitution for sugar. It lacks the bittersweet finish that is a common complaint about other sugar substitutes. It has a clean taste with very little off-taste. You can use Splenda to sweeten drinks and it dissolves well into cold liquids. In addition, since the flavor does not cook away like with other non-nutritive sweeteners, you can add Splenda to foods that will be heated, like desserts, cookies and puddings.

Splenda Safety

According to the Splenda website, extensive research has confirmed the safety of sucralose. It has not been linked with increased risk of cancer or any other conditions. There is no daily limit to sucralose intake. In addition, it is gluten-free and lactose-free, so it can be incorporated into allergen-sensitive foods like gluten-free baking and dairy-free foods.

Splenda and Baking

Since Splenda is heat stable and can be incorporated into baked recipes, your favorite sugar cookie recipe could be converted into a reduced-carbohydrate and reduced-sugar recipe that is diabetic-friendly. The Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center recommends adding 1 tbsp. of molasses for each cup of Splenda in a cookie recipe to help with the browning. Splenda does not contribute to sugar-browning expected in normal cookies. In addition, you should check the baking cookies three to five minutes sooner than the standard recipe directs.

Nutritional Mistakes with Splenda-Sweetened Foods

Although Splenda-sweetened cookies, beverages and desserts might present fewer calories or less sugar than standard recipes, portion control is vitally important to the overall sugar and carbohydrate reduction necessary in a diabetic diet. The American Dietetic Association position on the consumption of non-nutritive sweeteners is that these sweeteners can "add to the pleasures of eating" while also reducing intake. As long as the artificially-sweetened foods are incorporated into healthy diets and are chosen as substitutes for full-sugar foods, rather than as additions to the diet, they appear to be safe.