USA to UK?
 

Hi All,
I`m new around here and a bit lost.
I want to do some recipes but I`m struggling with some of the lingo. I`ve found a measuring jug which measures "cups", but now I`m stuck on what some of the ingredients are are.
I`ve found out that "Splenda" is a sweetener, but can`t find it here in the UK, so can anyone please tell me how may grams of carbs are in 100g of Splenda, so that I can find an equivilent.
I also don`t know what "Crystal Light" is, and if there`s anyone out there from the UK......where can I get unsweetend chocolate?

Please help......

Jackie

Canadian to UK
 

Hi, Jackie!

The biggest difference between North American and UK measurements is that we measure ingredients by volume, while you do it (more sensibly) by weight.

A 'cup' is 8 fluid ounces. There are 2 tablespoons to the ounce and therefore 16 tablespoons to the cup. There are 3 teaspoons to the tablespoon. Hopefully this info will help with the smaller measurements.

Splenda is indeed a sweetner, not available in the UK as far as I know. The number of carbs depends on the 'type' of Splenda, so it's hard to give a figure. In fact, Splenda itself has zero carbs; the carbs derive from the maltodextrin used as a filler so you can measure the stuff out like normal sugar. You can substitute any low-carb sweetner, but you may have to experiment a bit for the sweetness level, and if you use it for baking, make sure you use something that doesn't lose sweetness with heat.

Crystal Light is a sugar-free fruit-flavoured drink mix powder that you add water to. I personally can't stand it. I'd rather drink water with a squeeze of lemon. You probably have some sort of local equivalent.

Have you tried the baking supplies section of your local supermarket for unsweetened chocolate? Just an idea; that's where I find mine here.

I'll be in London for a week starting next Thursday, so if I find any low-carb stuff or information there, I'll let you know!

Rachel

hi Jackie, welcome to our forum
 

I keep this handy-dandy Conversions and Equivalents chart bookmarked:

http://www.realfood4realpeople.com/convert.html

It even includes ingredients substitutions, and differing names and values, such as creams, chocolate, etc.

About Splenda (sucralose sweetener), as Rachel pointed out, it comes as a bulk powder which you can measure out just like regular sugar -- it has maltodextrin as the "filler". 0.5 gm of the product sweetens as 1 tsp (5 ml) of regular sugar, and provides 0.5 gm carb/2 calories. Here in N. America we can also buy Splenda in little paper packets; these are handy to carry in the purse, and restaurants provide these as well. This type of Splenda has dextrose mixed with maltodextrin as the filler ... each little packet sweetens equivalent to 2 tsp (10 ml) of regular sugar, and weighs 1 gm (note, it is more concentrated than the bulk type, so there is only 1/4 tsp powder in the packet). Anyway, each packet has 1 gm carbs/ 4 calories.

So, there is no difference in carbs or calories between the bulk type or the concentrated powder in the little packets for the equivalent amount of "sweetening power". Or in weight, for that matter.

100 gm of Splenda, either type ... would provide 100 gm carbs and 400 calories .. :)

Apparently, there's a zero-carb LIQUID Splenda available in some corners of the world, but not yet in Canada, UK or USA.

Stevia is a natural plant extracted sweetener, that has zero carbs. It has a slight licorice/anise flavour that not everyone likes, but it is available in health food shops in the UK.

Hope this helps

Doreen

Hi Rachel,

Thanks for the info, but I`m still a little confused on the chocolate issue......
I`ve looked in the baking section and found "cooking chocolate", but when I`ve looked for the nutritional values it has no info.
I read the back of the packet for ingredients and near the top of the list was sugar, so I presumed that couldn`t be it.
I did find another chocolate in my local health shop. It also didn`t have any nutritional value on the packaging. It didn`t have sugar as an ingredient but fructose or some other "ose" sweetener.

So if you can shed any more light on the situation I`d be grateful

Jackie

Hi Doreen,
Thanks for the info ....it`ll come in handy.

I`ve managed to find a sweetener with only (?) 48 point something grams of carbs per 100 gram...........(I thought that seemed a lot, which is why I asked for the conversions)........ It states it also has the same volume as sugar but is 5 times as sweet. I guess with a little practice I`d be able to figure out the recipes.

Thanks again

Jackie

chocolate
 

Sorry, Jackie, that's the extent of what I know about the availability of unsweetened chocolate at the moment! Until you find some, you can use unsweetened cocoa (eg Fry's) and butter as a substitute; that link Doreen posted gives the quantities.

Maybe some other UKers have found some....?

Rachel

At the risk of sending terrible shockwaves around the low-carb world, I would like to record an observation of my own. You may find it unsuitable for you, and I might get drummed out for suggesting it, but here goes. Remember, this is a report of my own individual finding, and I have no idea if it is widespread or not: provided it is only chocolate, and not chocolate mixed with anything else, I find that I can eat ordinary chocolate along with my low-carb diet, without it having any impact on my weight or waist dimensions. I do not know quite how to explain this. According to all the texts I have read on the subject, and the theories which otherwise apply in practice as well, I should be unable to eat chocolate in the same way that I cannot eat bread and other high-carb food items. It may be that I am more tolerant of sugar than starch, but there are other sweet things I cannot eat. I have experimentally eaten 200g of chocolate per day for a week, without any impact on my weight, and once ate 400g in a day, all with no effect on me. Odd. I do not often do this. Dr Atkins is quite specific in his links with insulin and soaring blood/sugar levels, and there is a known link between cancers and the food which makes them grow - sugar. However, we all need a treat sometimes, and long term use of low-carb diets occasionally drives you to it. Your original e-mail sounds as if you had a strong craving for chocolate at that time. My suggestion is that you buy a 200g bar of the thick chocolate that comes in purple wrappings, and try (once only) for yourself whether the chocolate affects you adversely or not. I hope I am not sounding like the naughty little schoolboy urging bad behaviour in others!

Verrry interesting, Andy!

I wonder if it's because the high fat content of the chocolate slows down its absorption?

Well, if it works for you....go for it! I'm looking forward to Maintenance, when I plan to occasionally indulge in a very small, very high quality, piece of chocolate.

You Brits DO make good chocolate. I got addicted to Boost bars when I lived there. And Galaxy....yum. Not available in Canada, fortunately for me!

Rachel

Hi Rachel, thanks for the feedback. I learned some interesting information from your own contributions earlier in this thread, which I thought were not only extremely useful, but if I may say so, beautifully written as well. Your contribution of May 22nd rates as a classic!

Aww, gee, Andy!
 

You're making me blush! That's one of the two nicest things anyone's said to me all day! (Wa'il said I looked thinner; thin AND a 'classical' writer, what more can a girl aspire too?)

I'm a writer by profession, so I've learned to edit EVERYTHING that leaves my fingertips. I'm pleased to know it shows!

Thanks again (blush)!
Rachel