low-calorie sweeteners (natural)

Was actually really surprised to find out today that has a ban on selling stevia (some brands in the states are Truvia). Its a sweetener I have been using for years. I picked up Xylitol in waitrose (after leaving the natural food shop) and found it quite sweet, waaay sweeter aftertaste than sugar or stevia. Can anyone recommend a low natural calorie sweetener they use? I have Agave which I tend to use in baking and recipes but looking for sometime for tea and coffee. I did see the fruit sugar types which are said to be low- g. I can't have artificial sweeteners due to my health (could write a book about how terrible they are for your nervous system). Thanks!!

Couldn't agree more about artificial sweeteners!! I use Xylitol on cereal (but you're right - it's very sweet and you need to use a light touch!) but to be honest I've just trained myself off of sweeteners in general - it helps that I don't have a huge sweet tooth, but IMO you're better off just having tiny amounts of natural sugar (as unrefined as possible) once in a while and weening yourself off of needing anything in coffee and tea....

Xylitol isn't an artificial sweetner?

Sorry, I can't recommend anything. I'm also a fan of using either no or very little sugar in hot drinks and hot cereal. I use fruit to sweeten my cold cereal.

I agree with Bmore...I have weaned myself off sugar on cereal and oatmeal (porridge).  I only use Splenda in tea.  If it's not available, I use regular sugar.

I usually have yoghurt and fresh fruit for breakfast but cant seem have with without a bit of sweetener just to cut down on that slight sour/tart taste. Agave Nectar isnt too bad but not as low calorie. Need to ween myself off and I am sure my tastebuds will change with less and less.

Strange how things are available in US that just aren't here, asked the Health food shop guy and he said because there wasn't enough tests... so I am sure it will come in time.

The problem with agave is that it's almost all fructose.  It's "natural", but when you get down to it, so is HFCS, and it's got about as much fructose in it (sometimes more).

There really should be a push for them to retest stevia in the EU.  It's been used in Japan for a long time with no evidence of ill effects.  In the very least it deserves a re-evaluation.

Bmore, Xylitol is a sugar alcohol, but it's one that doesn't seem to cause the gastro-intestinal side effects other sugar alcohols do.

I use AS, but I use it sparingly.  I am working on cutting down on refined sugars, but if I absolutely needed something sweetened and I was convinced AS were unsafe, I'd use a small amount of cane sugar or honey.

I agree that cutting back is the way to go. I used to always drink my tea sweet, but now can't stand it with sugar at all. I find all sugar substitutes revolting in one way or another so just use sugar or honey or brown sugar sparingly.

When I worked at a natural food store in the US in 2002 stevia hadn't been approved as a low calorie sweetener yet.

You could buy it as a "supplement", since those are less regulated than food products.

So we had to sell it in the vitamin aisle, so it hasn't been too long that we could buy it in the US.

It was only approved in 2008 as a sweetener, so have hope!

When I worked at a natural food store in the US in 2002 stevia hadn't been approved as a low calorie sweetener yet.

You could buy it as a "supplement", since those are less regulated than food products.

So we had to sell it in the vitamin aisle, so it hasn't been too long that we could buy it in the US.

It was only approved in 2008 as a sweetener, so have hope!

Ditto--same for me.  A lot of it is politics.  The people who make artificial sweeteners really don't want to see an all natural product like Stevia get approved as their sales would probably drop dramatically.  Don't really know how it works, but this fact could certainly be getting in the way of Stevia getting approved.  Obviously it is safe and not bad for you, whereas saccharine, nutra-sweet, and a host of others are horrible for you and some have even been shown to cause cancer in lab rats, etc.

What about Just Like Sugar? Is that any good?

I usually have yoghurt and fresh fruit for breakfast but cant seem have with without a bit of sweetener just to cut down on that slight sour/tart taste. Agave Nectar isnt too bad but not as low calorie. Need to ween myself off and I am sure my tastebuds will change with less and less. 

Could you try a small bit of honey? I know it's not low calorie, but it might take less to sweeten the yoghurt than sugar.

I have found that my taste buds have changed since leaving the US. Things I used to enjoy now seem much more salty or sweet. 

I agree with Bmore; what about trying some honey?  Better than refined sugar, for sure!

all good suggestions and prodding to finally give up sweets

I'm not sure what your health condition is, but remember if you have immune system issues you should avoid honey that is not heat treated.