July 7, 2004
Meal Planning, Food and Diet
Question from Boise, Idaho, USA:
This is another question concerning Splenda and other foods containing maltodextrin. I understand that it is used as a filler and is not counted as calories in small servings. However, what about large doses of Splenda which would, in turn, yield high doses of maltodextrin? Should I limit my intake of Splenda? How many calories should I count for Splenda when I use it in cooking/baking when I use high amounts?
Answer:
For the “usual amounts” of Splenda you would use in place of sugar or other sweeteners in baking and cooking, I would not worry about the relatively small effect of maltodextrin on blood sugars. I checked with the makers of Splenda and was reassured that this was the case. What is ideal about Splenda is that it sweetens and holds up under heating and baking without the aftertaste of other artificial sweeteners.
JMS
