Ken's far more an expert on Splenda than I am, especially on the amount of Splenda to substitute for sugar. I know it isn't 1:1 and the greater the amount used the greater the likelihood of a disagreeable aftertaste. The NCHFP site also has information on using sugar substitutes in jams, etc., as well as tips for overcoming some of the issues associated with substituting one sweetener for another in canning. As far as the other question on the pickled cherry tomatoes, recipe, it should be OK, but I can't give you a definitive answer. You might want to try 1 pint using the Splenda and see how it holds up over time. Sucralose doesn't have the same preservative quality as sugar, but in this case it's the vinegar that's doing the preserving and the tomatoes are refrigerated, not canned, so it shouldn't be an issue. There haven't been enough studies about Splenda in canning; nor have there been enough recipes developed. The need is definitely out there and hopefully more work will be done in the near future. It's a common mistake to assume that sucralose can be substituted and the same processing time as that in the original recipe can be used, which is not necessarily the case. One thing people forget is that sucralose is a different molecular weight from sugar and the boiling point is different. So some have reported spoilage problems with foods like canned pickled beets with Splenda and until testing is done we don't know if it's due to the usual factors (i.e. seal failure, chipped jar rim, improperly prepared lids, etc.) or due to the fact that because of the difference in boiling point the processing time for the Splenda pickled beets was too short. More and more food scientists are regarding that as something to be accounted for in spoilage issues. That's why, ideally, tested recipes developed specifically for Splenda would be used. Otherwise all you can do is wing it and hope it works out. Carol

Here you go: Here is a link that might be useful: Honey in place of sugar

OK, my not so scientific test is complete...finally! I made the four sweetener variations -- Splenda, agave, sugar and honey. I tested for both taste and blood sugars. Taste results from best to least tasty (your taste might be different): Sugar, agave, honey, Splenda Blood sugar results from lowest to highest: Splenda, agave, honey, sugar Unfortunately, the one that had no effect on my blood sugars also was the least tasty...Splenda. Although they tasted very good, the honey and sugar cookies upped my blood sugars more than I'd like. The agave cookies, as its low GI value would indicate, raised my blood sugars but not as much or as quickly as honey and sugar, but over a longer period of time. And the taste was quite close to ones made with sugar. This is a keeper. Thanks everyone for your help! Marsha

1. Most people experience an "aftertaste" when they switch to stevia. After a period of time you may become accustomed to that taste, so expect some time for your taste buds to adapt to the taste. Beverages are a good place to use stevia. -Using "Sun Crystals", which is a mixture of stevia and sugar may be a good way to transition. 2. It doesn't act like sugar in baked goods: -foods won't brown like they do with sugar (Maillard reaction) -it won't feed yeast to raise dough (although the flour in yeast breads has more than enough carbohydrates in it for that) -sugar adds tenderness to baked goods, so expect to find tougher textures -you may find recipes include not only stevia, but other "sugars" like date sugar, honey, fruit, fruit juices/sauces/purees, which are all a form of "sugar". So stevia isn't always a stand-alone sweetener. 3. Be sure to check the labels of stevia products. Some of them contain fillers and sweeteners. If you are low-carbing, this may be important to you. 4. The day after... Some things may not seem as sweet as when you used sugar and often will taste sweeter the day after they are made than right out of the oven. -Cranberries, which are extremely tart, need to soak in the stevia for a period of time. The longer it soaks, the sweeter it will get, so as much as an overnight soak may help with really tart foods. -Refrigerate or freeze cookie dough sweetened with stevia for several hours - or overnight - before baking. The dough/cookies will taste sweeter. Go ahead and make the dollops of dough and freeze them for even more convenience. -Refrigerate or freeze baked goods (it works best to portion them before freezing). The lack of sugar in recipes will cause them to dry out quickly - they won't be good "keepers". 5. You will have better results if you use recipes that were designed with stevia as the sweetener. After you get accustomed to those, you will be able to alter your favorite recipes. Check out: "Stevia" by Rita DePuydt And the link below has more information and recipes. -Grainlady Here is a link that might be useful: Stevia Extract In The Raw