Sweet treats need not be sinful

MANILA, Philippines - I want to have a good body, but not as much as I want dessert,” said American humorist Jason Love. It is a sentiment that a lot of us share. But by nitpicking about caloric content and constantly forgoing the treats, we may agonize over missing out on the good stuff. This sets us up for a downfall so that when we finally succumb to the temptation of the sweet tooth, we fall big time and binge. As we throw all caution and good intentions to the wind by greedily and heedlessly gorging on sweets, we become the personification of that character described in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem: “When she was good, she was very, very good/ But when she was bad she was horrid.”

The thing is, it does not follow that everything sweet is necessarily bad for you. The British Medical Journal in fact cites a study that showed “those who ate candy were likely to live significantly longer than non-consumers, after correcting for other health risks. Mortality was lowest in those who consumed candy one to three times a month and rose in more frequent consumers.”

It was pointed out, however, that one shortfall of that particular study was that there was no differentiation made between sugar confectionery and chocolate. Thus, the antioxidant properties of chocolate could account for the positive effect. In any case, if sweet deprivation turns you into a nasty, bad-tempered harpy, is giving up treats really worth it? The hard truth is that if you suffer from a medical condition like diabetes, you have no choice but to cut down on the sugary treats.

Fortunately, there are the sugar alternatives. Most recently Johnson & Johnson officially launched Splenda in the Philippines. The brand is currently the top sugar substitute in America, and is preferred over other labels because it has a clean, sugar-like taste without the bitter or metallic aftertaste of similar sweeteners.

Splenda is made through a patented process that starts with sugar and converts it to sucralose, a no-calorie, non-carbohydrate sweetener. As a stable product that tastes like sugar (but without calories), it passes through the body without being broken down for energy. Most importantly, with more than 20 years of research and numerous scientific studies to document the product’s safety, Splenda is approved for use in over 80 countries and is currently used in more than 4,000 products worldwide. It is deemed safe even for children, pregnant women and nursing mothers.

Chef Carrie Madrid and event host Sam Oh demonstrate a no-bake cherry cheesecake.

The product is also particularly favored for cooking and baking because of its ability to hold up to heat. Apart from being available in packets to be used in beverages or sprinkled on food, Splenda comes in a granulated form that, conveniently for those who cook, measures and pours like sugar.

At Splenda’s Philippines official launch, chefs Carlo Estagle and Carrie Madrid demonstrated the versatility of Splenda. Apart from whipping up an easy, no-bake cheesecake and a rich fruit shake, they created an edible “cupcake billboard” consisting of 1,400 delicious, guilt-free cupcakes that guests were able to sample and bring home for family and friends to try.

Chef Carrie Madrid’s no-bake cherry cheesecake

Ingredients:

Crust: 1 1/2 cups Graham crumbs

            1/4 cup Magnolia Gold Butter, melted

Filling: 1 cup all-purpose cream, chilled

            2 packs Magnolia cream cheese, room temperature

            3 tspS unflavored gelatin, dissolved in

            1/4 cup Magnolia Fresh Milk

            1 1/2 cup granulated Splenda

Topping: cherry compote

Procedure:

To make the crust:

1. Combine the Graham crumbs and butter. Mix well.

Press onto a 9-inch spring-form removable-bottom pan. Refrigerate.

To make the filling:

1. Whip cream until fluffy and stiff. Set aside.

2. Beat cream cheese until smooth.

3. Gradually add granulated Splenda.

Splendid: Chef Carlo’s splendid Splenda d’ frullataa de frutta

4. Dissolve unflavored gelatin in milk over low heat and gradually add to the cream cheese mixture.

5. Fold in whipped cream and spread evenly. Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate to set.

6. Top with fresh fruit or compote before serving.

Chef Carlo Estagle’s Splendid Splenda Frulattaa De Frutta (Iced Fruit Shake)

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1unpeeled Fuji apple

1 banana, peeled and sliced

1 ripe mango, peeled and sliced

1/4 cup cantaloupe pulp

14 pieces strawberries, hulled

1/2 orange, peeled

Juice of 2 lemons

1cup whole milk

3/4 cup unflavored yogurt

2 cups sherbet of choice (or 10 ice cubes)

1/4 cup Splenda, or to taste

Procedure:

Combine all ingredients in a blender and whirl until blended and smooth. Serve at once.