Porridge Sweetener

[jeanjeannie50]

I wonder what the healthiest sweetener is for porridge? Some of the things I've tried are: fruit, pure maple syrup, honey or agave.

What do you use?

[Hidden]

I've started using stevia to sweeten most everything that needs it. Just have to start with half what you would use with regular sugar and add just a little from there to get it where you want it.

[jeanjeannie50 in reply to Hidden]

I haven't tried that before, where do you buy it and is it natural?

[Hidden in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Yes, it's natural. If you are in the UK, I don't know where to buy it but surely someone here could tell you. Almost all our grocery stores in the US have it with the sugar and other baking goods, and most stores offer it in their discount brand now. And it's available through amazon.com.

[Hidden]

Hi there...healthy and sweetener with porridge is a tough one.

I like my porridge cold with maple syrup and blueberries. It's like rice pudding. It could be argued that any sugars are not healthy, although I think that the maple syrup and agave honey are far better choices than granulated sugar.

[jeanjeannie50 in reply to Hidden]

I agree with you about the maple syrup (my favourite) and agave. That's unusual that you like cold porridge. We all have our different ways. I dislike drinking cold water and have it lukewarm, now other people are often horrified that I should want such a thing.

[rajabalzarahni]

I eat my porridge without any sweetener. I just add salt which for me tastes 1000 times better. I understand that this is the normal way of eating porridge in Scotland.

[jeanjeannie50 in reply to rajabalzarahni]

I've tried porridge that way (in Scotland) and I'm afraid it tastes nothing like my lovely sweet milky one at home, but thank you for your response.

[Nasporran in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Scots do not know how to make porridge. Plenty of milk and a little bit of honey is best. My partner is diabetic, but enough honey to taste is has never done her any harm and her underlying sugar levels are still comeing down.

[Nasporran in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Scots do not know how to make porridge. Plenty of milk and a little bit of honey is best. My partner is diabetic, but enough honey to taste is has never done her any harm and her underlying sugar levels are still comeing down.

[lizzily]

Hi there, Stevia is readily available here. Even our Tesco's has it, but the jury seems to be still out regarding natural sweetners and sugar in general. The fat verses sugar debate, obesity and metabolic syndrome etc. I still put a little bit of honey in my porridge as it's cooking...well I have a very sweet tooth!

Regards Liz

[jeanjeannie50 in reply to lizzily]

Hi Liz - I blame artificial sweeteners for causing my heart problems and every time I consumed them (often unwittingly) my heart would take off racing. I used to have honey and then read somewhere that pure maple syrup was better - not sure if that was on the online Fodmap diet info. Unfortunately I have a sweet tooth too!!

Jean

[Thonger in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Grate part of an apple over your porridge - very healthy alternative to sweeteners.

[FlowerPowerPixi]

I use plums cooked with orange juice or lemon curd I'm going to try stewed apples with cinnamon

[jeanjeannie50 in reply to FlowerPowerPixi]

Sounds nice, will try.

[jeanjeannie50]

As I'm trying to cut out sugar, the stewed apples (so long as they're sweet ones) and cinnamon sound nice.

[FlowerPowerPixi in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Eating apples not cooking should be okay you can use apple or orange juice to cook them in good luck x

[jeanjeannie50]

Has anyone tried dates?

[Mary55]

Dried apricot with stewed Apple and cinnamon is nice

[jeanjeannie50 in reply to Mary55]

That sounds lovely. I have the dried apricots and cinnamon so will try.

[jeanjeannie50]

You are quite right, but I'm afraid porridge oats without any form of a little sweetener don't appeal to me at all.

[silverfox7 in reply to jeanjeannie50]

They may not now but try cutting down on it slowly

[High-hopes]

Mashed up banana is nice

[jeanjeannie50 in reply to High-hopes]

That's a good one. I used to slice banana in mine. I'd forgotten about that.

[Hidden]

Fruits, especially bananas and grapes, are very high in fructose, the one type of sugar to be avoided if you're trying to lose weight. Lustig in his book Fat Chance calls fructose the Darth Vader of the weight loss world. Like someone else said, we've gotten so used to things being sweet, it's hard to get used to not-so-sweet. The artificial sweeteners are chemicals that have side effects- splenda in particular gave me the runs! Really ugly. Stevia is natural, and if you can start getting used to not-so-sweet, it works wonderfully without side effects. If you want fruit, the way to eat it is the whole fruit, fiber and all, no juice- that's concentrated fructose, and berries and melons are relatively low in sugar as fruit goes.

[jeanjeannie50]

Thanks for that info . Think I'll have to cut down on my bananas, usually have two a day. Then I may be slim!!!!!

[CDreamer]

The only way for me is made with water and salt, soaked overnight, add raisins to sweeten. Use milled oats not oatmeal, makes it too grainy.

[jeanjeannie50 in reply to CDreamer]

Hi CDreamer - Do you cook your oatmeal? You've reminded me, I used to put sultanas in mine at one time, but my porridge is always made with almond milk.

[CDreamer in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Agree about the almond milk generally but I can't bear porrage made with any sort of milk.

[CDreamer in reply to jeanjeannie50]

I don't use oatmeal but rolled oats and yes cook it, can't bear the American way of having it uncooked and cold.

[Fran182716 Prediabetic]

I like all kinds of fruit, fresh when available, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, chopped up peach, also frozen fruit really useful when i take a little pot to work where we only have a microwave eg cherries blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, Aldi and Asda do some mixed berries (microwave for 30 seconds seperately from the porridge). For very tart fruits I add a few drops of maple syrup but mostly not needed.

Cooked apple and cinnamon as someone already said, also tinned peaches (and use the juice left over diluted for a drink)

[jeanjeannie50 in reply to Fran182716]

Some good suggestions. I must remember to add some cinnamon this morning. Thank you.

[jeanjeannie50]

No sweetener at all?

[Thonger]

Part of an apple grated over your porridge is a very healthy sweetener.

[jeanjeannie50 in reply to Thonger]

Thank you. I will try.

[MEDIT3]

Thanks! I’m going to try a grated apple over my porridge as I’m allergic to lactose and all sugars seem to upset me although I can tolerate a little......