Sugar Blends: Costs Higher Than Calorie Savings

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Written By Judy Doherty, MPS, PCII

Take a stroll in the baking aisle of your grocery store and you are likely to see two new sugar blends, Sugar Lite from Equal and Splenda Sugar Blend for Baking.While our very favorite fudgy brownies are made with less fat, they still weigh in at 220 calories each when made with sugar. The new version of brownies, made with 100% of the sugar replaced with Equal Sugar Lite or Splenda Sugar Blend for Baking came up to 178 calories per serving, or only a 20% calorie reduction.This is because the brownie recipe still contains flour, margarine and cocoa – all calorie-dense ingredients.The sugar blends are more expensive than sugar. Equal Sugar Lite costs $3.99 for a 17-ounce bag that is equal to 2 pounds of sugar. Splenda costs $6.29 for a 2-pound bag equal to 4 pounds of sugar. See the chart above to realize cost and calorie differences.So, the question remains, how do you enjoy your favorite cookies and brownies AND?watch your calorie intake?Here are tips to help reduce the calories you consume from baked goods:• Cut the recipe in half or make 2 small pans instead of one large pan and freeze half for later.• Cut baked goods into smaller pieces and eat as a garnish for fresh fruit. Look what smaller servings do to calories per serving:– Brownies per 9"-by-12" pan (made with sugar):18 servings = 220 calories21 servings = 188 calories24 servings = 165 calories– Brownies per 9"-by-12" pan (with Sugar Lite from Equal or Splenda Sugar Blend for Baking in place of sugar):18 servings = 178 calories21 servings = 152 calories24 servings = 133 calories• Use these new sugar blends in place of sugar, but don’t eat more of the baked goods thinking they are now calorie free! They are still calorie-dense at 1550 calories per pound.

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Judy Doherty, MPS, PCII

Judy’s passion for cooking began with helping her grandmother make raisin oatmeal for breakfast. From there, she earned her first food service job at 15, was accepted to the world-famous Culinary Institute of America at 18 (where she graduated second in her class), and went on to the Fachschule Richemont in Switzerland, where she focused on pastry arts and baking. After a decade in food service for Hyatt Hotels, Judy launched Food and Health Communications to focus on flavor and health. She graduated with Summa Cum Laude distinction from Johnson and Wales University with a BS in Culinary Arts, holds a master’s degree in Food Business from the Culinary Institute of America, two art certificates from UC Berkeley Extension, and runs a food photography & motion studio where her love is creating fun recipes and content.

Judy received The Culinary Institute of America’s Pro Chef II certification, the American Culinary Federation Bronze Medal, Gold Medal, and ACF Chef of the Year. Her enthusiasm for eating nutritiously and deliciously leads her to constantly innovate and use the latest nutritional science and Dietary Guidelines to guide her creativity, from putting new twists on fajitas to adapting Italian brownies to include ingredients like toasted nuts and cooked honey. Judy’s publishing company, Food and Health Communications, is dedicated to her vision that everyone can make food that tastes as good as it is for you.

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