Alternative Sweeteners for Sausage?

[blacknwhite71]

I always used to add a little sugar to my sausage, fresh, smoked, summer, snack sticks, etc. Not enough for it to taste sweet, but i think it rounds off the flavor profile. I've started eating as low carb as possible and want to keep eating that way. I also give a lot of my sausage away to family members that are diabetic. I haven't been using any sugar in my batches the past couple of years. They are good, but I still feel like thats missing. I added a little Swerve "brown sugar" substitute to my last batch of breakfast sausage and it was very good, I wonder if any certain sweeteners can help with browning like sugar does. One of my favorite sausages to make is cane syrup jalapeno smoked sausage. I havent been making that because of the sugar content and it would need much more sweetener if i used an alternative. So I'm curious what experiences with artificial sweeteners in sausage making other people have had. Thanks

 

[SmokinEdge]

I always used to add a little sugar to my sausage, fresh, smoked, summer, snack sticks, etc. Not enough for it to taste sweet, but i think it rounds off the flavor profile. I've started eating as low carb as possible and want to keep eating that way. I also give a lot of my sausage away to family members that are diabetic. I haven't been using any sugar in my batches the past couple of years. They are good, but I still feel like thats missing. I added a little Swerve "brown sugar" substitute to my last batch of breakfast sausage and it was very good, I wonder if any certain sweeteners can help with browning like sugar does. One of my favorite sausages to make is cane syrup jalapeno smoked sausage. I havent been making that because of the sugar content and it would need much more sweetener if i used an alternative. So I'm curious what experiences with artificial sweeteners in sausage making other people have had. Thanks

This may be an interesting write up for you. Maybe it will help.

https://www.goodrx.com/conditions/diabetes/does-stevia-raise-blood-sugar

 

[1MoreFord]

Any artificial sweetener with maltodextrin in it is said to raise blood sugar. This includes Equal, which my diabetic mother used for years, and the doctor kept after her because of her A1C levels.
Yet the doc's and dieticians kept saying Equal is fine for diabetics.

 

[1MoreFord]

OP, you might look at Allulose as a sweetener for your needs.
I've seen it recommended by Keto and diabetic diet types. It's available as in a powdered form and as a liquid.

 

[tallbm]

I always used to add a little sugar to my sausage, fresh, smoked, summer, snack sticks, etc. Not enough for it to taste sweet, but i think it rounds off the flavor profile. I've started eating as low carb as possible and want to keep eating that way. I also give a lot of my sausage away to family members that are diabetic. I haven't been using any sugar in my batches the past couple of years. They are good, but I still feel like thats missing. I added a little Swerve "brown sugar" substitute to my last batch of breakfast sausage and it was very good, I wonder if any certain sweeteners can help with browning like sugar does. One of my favorite sausages to make is cane syrup jalapeno smoked sausage. I havent been making that because of the sugar content and it would need much more sweetener if i used an alternative. So I'm curious what experiences with artificial sweeteners in sausage making other people have had. Thanks

High there and welcome!

I'm not sure about browning but my guess is Allulose would be the closest option that is low carb and it is closer to the sugar family than other good alternatives.
As was mentioned already, avoid any of the maltodextrin and dextrose stuff. It is not sugar but your body will act like it is sugar so it's a tomato-tomahto situation lol

Erythritol is another great option for just sweetening and I'm pretty sure it won't brown for you AND it will/can recrystalize after dissolving if you are making something sweet that needs a smoother texture. Allulose will not recrystalize.

Both options are about 70% as sweet as sugar so when it comes to measuring and bulking they are amazing options that are not far off.
Some other alternative sweetener options are like 400x sweeter than sugar so measuring them out is difficult and if you get too much of it they things taste bitter.

Finally, with erythritol and allulose understand that they are 0 net carbs because your body doesn't absorb them a nutrition, so this means your body will get rid of it. They aren't as hard on your digestive system as something like maltitol, xylitol, or sorbitol (those are like freaking hardcore laxatives in small amounts) but if you eat a bunch of eryth or allulose you will have to go to the restroom. If you continue eating more after your 1st restroom break your body will react stronger to getting rid of it and that will be uncofortable for you and your toilet lol.

Eat normal amounts and you are good. Normal amount??? Don't eat more than like 3-4oz (yes like 1/4 pound) of the stuff in a sitting and you will be fine hahahaha.

I hope this info helps :D