(Check out last month’s article: Trader Joe’s Vanilla Soy Protein)
Foodie Review: Whey Low vs. Splenda
(Every time I read that, the end of the dance scene from Greas pops into my head: How low can you go? How low can you go? How loooooow can you goooooo? Eht-ehm…moving on…)
After my RNY my palate became a little touchy, especially where artificial sweetners are concerned. Equal overpowered everything. Sweet ‘n Low lingered in the air like bad air freshener (or the things air freshener is supposed to cover). Stevia made me ill (literally).
By default I’ve been on #TeamSplenda! for a really long time. I’m very committed. SO when I was asked to review a new sweetener called “Whey Low” I was super skeptical. Would it taste good? Plus, it has “whey” in the title – gag!
Whey Low’s website says the product is 100% natural, and they guarantee it tastes JUST LIKE SUGAR (wink). There are a variety of products: Granular & Granular STikcs, Type D Granular and Sticks (for people with Types 1 and 2 diabetes), Gold (brown sugar replacement), Powder (think Splenda), for Ice Cream (I know, right???) and Maple (whew!_. Unless identified as a “stick” all their products come in 2 lb. bags.
Granular sticks come 40 to a pouch. I thought that would be better than buying a 2 lb. bag, just in case I didn’t like it or vice versa. The sticks run slightly cheaper than the bags, but both are hella expensive! The sticks are $9.99 and the bags are $11.99. However, shipping costs dwarf any real savings between the two (I require instant gratification so I paid for express shipping).
Whey Low says one stick (8.0g) has the same sweetness as two teaspoons of sugar. If your sweetness register is anything like mine, that fact could be a tad irrelevant (i.e. I tend to shovel Splenda into my travel mug). Each stick contains 8 calories, 8 carbs, 8 sugars (Nik note: this, technically, is a food math anamoly since 1g carbs = 4 calories and sugars are carbs. RED FLAG!) “Wait,” I thought to myself “I thought this was a sugar alternative?” It is. It contains alternative sugars. White sugar = sucrose. Whey Low contains fructose (from corn), lactose (from milk) and some sucrose. (Nik note: so it DOES contain sugar?)
The way Whey Low tells it, the product is crystalline sugar (sugars that are in crystal form) which come from sugar can or sugar beets and known to not have allergens or cause sugary funkiness in people’s systems (that would be my personal interpretation of all the medical mumbo-jumo…your mileage may vary!). This is why the label says “all natural.”
All this is to say that technically Whey Low is not a sugar alternative so much as another kind of sugar. So I’m not exactly sure what to call it. A (purportedly) safer blend of sugar, maybe? I dunno. I’m no scientist. Nik just told me to taste the stuff.
Comparatively, Splenda has 0 calories, less than 1g carbs and no sugars. Splenda contains maltodextrin (a food addictive produced from starch) which can be found in sodas and candy. It’s used in a variety of processed foods. Sucralose (not sucrose), Splenda’s other ingredient, is a non-calorie artificial sweetener. nothing about Splenda is all natural and they do not advertise as such (well…perhaps the whole “made from sugar so it tastes like sugar” deal but I digress).
You can learn more about how Splenda is produced by clicking
here. WARNING: this is not for the faint of heart. Read at your own risk!
After I received my shipment I promptly sprayed half a packet onto my counter (because I’m awesome). After fixing that little mess I opened another stick and poured it over my cottage cheese and blueberries. Wow! (I actually said that out loud) Whey Low really DOES taste like sugar! I was pretty excited. Over the last month, I’ve dumped Whey Low into everything from coffee to homemade fruit bowls.
My observations:
- Whey Low dissolves well in hot beverages. Not so much in cold. The granules settle at the bottom of the glass (much like white sugar).
- It has the consistency of sugar, and truly does taste like it!
- No aftertaste! For me this is huge.
- I didn’t dump on Whey Low. And I do dump.
- The sticks travel well and can easily be tossed into a lunch box, purse, pocket, desk drawer, suit case, etc.
- It is hella pricey!
- Their logo is really adorable
Since the writing of this article, Nik has some thoughts to share on this product. Since she’s the principal in this whole deal, I just copied her email to me:
“While it’s great that Whey Low is a natural blend that they claim doesn’t affect people in the same way as white sugar, it’s use of corn sugar concerns me. There’s a lot of controversy about the role of corn products in the burgeoning obesity problem in the U.S. and of the corn industry’s portrayal of sugar. So while a product like Whey Low may not cause dumping, does it help you lose weight? I think the jury is out on that one.”
Yeesh! She took over my whole dang article!
I’m going to go rogue and give MY opinion based on MY experience. Which is…
Verdict: (This) Foodie says…AWEsome! Great tasting sugar alternative!
Traci gets the Bariatric Foodie badge of merit, not only for being the first contributor to submit her article this month but writing through the stomach flu! Thanks Traci!
Have a question for Traci or a product review request? Send it to bariatricfoodie@yahoo.com with the subject line “Foodie Review.”
Bariatric Foodie Play with your food
Thank you for the Whey Low review!!!! Mine is on the way!!!
Kevin
The interactions between the sugars in Whey Low prevent them from being broken down in the small intestine, which is why they are low calorie, and good for diabetics. Whey Low was recently recommended to me by a health professional who does a lot of work with diabetics, and she said it is the only sugar/sweetner she keeps in her house.
Just really glad to read this review and these comments.
Estou falando do fuxico”, não é a fofoca e sim
um tecido cortado em círculo e alinhavado.
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