I'd suggest using low-glycemic agave nectar instead of no-calorie chemical sweeteners. Splenda, and other chemical sweeteners, as well as stevia, don't react like sugar does in breads. Most chemical sweeteners are proteins and therefore don't feed yeast. So Splenda won't perform the same function that a "sugar" does. Sugar does more just sweeten the finished loaf. In bread recipes that call for "sugar" (in the broad sense - to include table sugar, syrups, honeys) it aids in tenderizing the crumb, browning the crust, feeds the yeast, and actually makes the bread heavier. Syrup sweeteners like malt syrup provide all the characteristics of "sugar", but also provide enzymes to break starch (in flour) into sugar for yeast action. Lean dough recipes, like French and Italian breads, don't require sugar in the recipe, but they characteristically stale rapidly because they don't include sugar and fat in the recipes. The reason there is a French Bread cycle on bread machines is that lean doughs don't include sugar in the recipes and it takes longer for the dough to rise, so the French Bread cycle has a longer rising time. The baking temperature is higher on the French Bread cycle because without sugar the crust will not get too dark with a higher heat. Agave nectar is a natural low-glycemic, honey-like sweetener, that doesn't raise blood glucose, but it works like sugar does in breads. Agave nectar aids in fermentation due to its high monosaccharide content. So it can be used to your advantage in bread making (and baked goods) to help maintain freshness and texture. When used in breads and baked goods, instead of "sugar", agave nectar has the ability to increase the water retention properties of a food, so they stay moist longer, which is a plus for homemade bread which tends to stale quickly. Because of its high content of monosaccharides (over 90%), agave nectar has a high osmotic pressure. This characteristic helps to inhibit the growth of microorganisms. Another good quality that aids in helping to prevent mold growth. Agave nectar contributes to the Malliard browning reaction for a nice brown crust. Different "sugars" give different characteristics in breads. All "sugars" interfere with gluten development. Too much table sugar can destroy gluten (two tablespoons of sugar per cup of flour is the maximum that you can add without major gluten damage). Glucose and corn syrup browns at lower temperatures than many sugars. If you start to read the labels on commercial breads you will notice a number of "sugars" are used in them. Most sugars are hygroscopic and absorb water. Naturally-occurring (not chemical forms of) fructose (which agave nectar and honey are high in) and fruit sugar (which is one of the two sugars that makes up table sugar), is more hygroscopic than most, which is why table sugar is commonly used in enriched breads. Yeast doesn't respond well to the sugar, lactose, in milk, and milk has other attributes it contributes to breads. Both honey and agave nectar aid in keeping the moisture in the crumb if you freeze your breads. -Grainlady

This is my original recipe I developed as a low-glycemic version of granola. The nutritional analysis was done by another person who was on the ZONE Diet. -Grainlady NUTOLA 1/8 c. sesame seeds (or kasha) 1/2 c. walnuts 1/2 c. raw cashews 1/2 c. pecans 1/2 c. raw almonds 1/2 c. raw or dry roasted sunflower seeds 1/2 c. unsweetened coconut flakes 2 c. old-fashioned oatmeal Mix all together in a large bowl. In a glass 1-cup measuring cup, stir together: 3 T. coconut oil, melted (or 1/4 c. vegetable oil) 1/4 c. Agave Nectar 2 T. maple syrup Heat this mixture in the microwave until warmed and the coconut oil is melted. Add it to the nut/oat mixture and coat evenly. Place mixture on a jelly roll pan. Bake in 300°F oven for 30-40 minutes, stir with a wooden spoon every 10-minutes (or so). Cool and store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. Makes 5.5 to 6 cups. A serving is 1/4-cup. A 1/4-cup serving is one-half a protein block, 3-1/2 fat blocks, and 1-1/2 carb. blocks. Have this with 3/4-cup yogurt and one block of added protein for a great and balanced 3-block breakfast.

We've been out of town for awhile (October Thanksgiving in Tennessee while our son-in-law is home on leave) and just got back last night, so I'm playing catch-up.... After using agave nectar since 1998, I've now seen enough evidence to make me eliminate it as our primary sweetener and I've switched to low-glycemic palm sugar for more than a year. If I need a liquid syrup-type sweetener, I mix palm sugar with water (2 c. palm sugar to 1 cup water - heat until the sugar has melted) to make "palm syrup" (rather than buy the expensive palm syrup available). I've experimented with Sun Crystals (blend of pure cane sugar and stevia), and calorie-free Truvia as well, but like palm sugar better for taste and use in baking. I was never happy with stevia the first time I did a lot of experimenting with it, but like it better when mixed with sugar in Sun Crystals. "Raw Agave is refined hydrolyzed 70-90% high fructose inulin syrup metabolized directly to fat and triglycerides in your body, triggers obesity, cardio vascular disease and insulin resistance, not GRAS. More unhealthy than HFCS or sugar." But to be fair, we never encountered any of these problems from use of agave nectar ourselves. Probably because ALL sweeteners are used in moderation because we choose low-glycemic foods to begin with. We also consume a large percentage of raw/whole foods, not a lot of refined foods, and maintain a daily fitness program. -Grainlady

I have brought this up at least once before, but here it is again. I'm sure that all of the advise or recipes will be useful particularly if this relative is a Type A personality. But most of us would prefer to be a little more relaxed and not over-react and then burn out from minor or major failure to maintain a stiff diet. I am certainly not an expert, but I spent many years with the group that is currently known for study and naming of Syndrome X, a set of conditions that often lead to type 2 diabetes. In addition, my supervisor was a type 1 diabetic. I am sure that current ideas for good diets for diabetics, most specifically low glycemic index foods, is the best approach. But that doesn't mean that one is required to eat those foods all the time. Moderation In All Things! Low glycemic foods are those that are low in sugar and slower to turn any starch into its sugars. The point is to keep blood sugars from rocketing up from a quick sugar dose. Therefore, cake and ice cream are mostly Out. Even there, moderation is the point. My supervisor's wife was the best baker of cakes. I guess he would have a very small slice and leave the rest for some family and bring it to the lab the next day for the rest of us to finish off. Occasionally, he would forget to bring lunch. He would then put a regular Coke in an ice bath to keep it cold for hours as he consumed it over several hours. I note pillogs mention of chili without beans. I doubt that the beans would be a serious problem. A slightly greater issue might be the brown sugar. Even there, the real issue is not over eating of that chili. One can eat cake too, if it were consumed like the slow Coke. Everything in moderation; a little more activity; a little less food (unless underweight); snacking ok if total is the same.