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We have all been there. You have been doing brilliantly on your keto journey for weeks. You are feeling focused and your energy is stable. Then, the craving hits. It is usually around 3:00 PM on a Tuesday. You just want something sweet to go with your coffee.
In the early days of low carb living, your options were limited. You either suffered through a bland snack or you gave in to a sugar laden biscuit. Today, the world of sweeteners is vast and confusing. Walk into any shop and you will see "keto friendly" labels everywhere. But not all sweeteners are created equal. Some are helpful tools for your lifestyle. Others are hidden traps that can stall your progress.
At Keto Kitchen Lytham, we spend our days perfecting recipes. We have tested every sweetener under the sun. We want to share what we have learned about the good, the bad, and the ones that actually taste like the real deal.
Many people start their journey by looking for keto friendly snacks UK supermarkets provide. It seems like a convenient way to stay on track. However, you need to be a bit of a detective when reading labels. Some of the most common sweeteners in "diet" foods are not actually keto friendly at all.
Maltitol is a major culprit. It is a sugar alcohol found in many low carb chocolate bars. The problem is that it has a high glycemic index. This means it can raise your blood sugar levels significantly. It also has a reputation for causing digestive upset if you eat more than a tiny amount.
Dextrose and Maltodextrin are other common fillers. These are often used to bulk out powdered sweeteners like stevia. These ingredients are essentially pure sugar in disguise. They can cause your insulin to spike just as much as table sugar would. If you are trying to maintain a steady state of ketosis, these are the ingredients to avoid. We often discuss how these spikes affect you in our guide on how keto can support blood sugar control.
When we develop our range of low carb cakes uk, we have two non-negotiable goals. The first is that the cake must be keto friendly. The second is that it must taste like a proper, indulgent treat. We found that the secret lies in a "dream team" of two specific sweeteners: Erythritol and Xylitol.
Erythritol is a sugar alcohol that occurs naturally in some fruits and fermented foods. It is our go-to for zero-impact sweetness. It contains almost zero calories and has no impact on blood sugar levels. Your body does not actually digest it. It simply passes through your system.
One of the best things about it is that it is about 70% as sweet as sugar. This makes it very easy to work with in recipes. However, if you use too much of it on its own, it can sometimes leave a "cooling" sensation in your mouth. Think of it like the feeling of a peppermint without the mint flavour. This is why we rarely use it in isolation.
This is where Xylitol comes in to save the day. Xylitol is also a sugar alcohol, usually derived from birch trees or corn cobs. In the keto community, it is famous for having a 1:1 sweetness ratio with sugar. It looks, tastes, and acts like the sugar you grew up with.
Xylitol is the secret to the perfect texture and mouthfeel in our cakes. It provides a moisture and crumb that you just cannot get with other sweeteners. More importantly, it completely cancels out that cooling effect from the erythritol. When you combine the two, you get a balanced, deep sweetness that is indistinguishable from traditional baking.
We use this blend in our gluten free cakes to ensure they are soft, fudgy, and delicious. Whether it is our brownies or our lemon drizzle, this combination is what makes them feel like a real indulgence rather than a "diet" food.
Baking is a science. When you remove sugar, you are not just removing sweetness. You are removing bulk and moisture. Sugar helps to keep cakes soft and helps them brown in the oven. If you just used a drop of liquid stevia, your cake would be flat and dry.
By using granulated sweeteners like Erythritol and Xylitol, we replace that lost volume. We also use premium ingredients like almond flour and coconut flour. These work in harmony with our sweeteners to create a satisfying bite. For example, our Millionaire’s Shortbread uses an almond flour base that needs that specific sweetness to balance the rich chocolate topping.
If you are looking for low carb desserts delivered UK wide, you want to know that the texture will be right. There is nothing worse than a dry, crumbly keto cake. Our focus on the "dream team" ensures that every bite is as rich as you expect it to be. You can explore our full range on our cakes page.
You will often see Stevia and Monk Fruit mentioned as the kings of keto sweeteners. They are certainly "good" in the sense that they are natural and low-calorie. We respect them, but they have their drawbacks in a bakery setting.
Stevia is incredibly sweet. It can be up to 300 times sweeter than sugar. This makes it very hard to use in a cake because you lose the bulk. It also has a distinct bitter aftertaste that many people find off-putting. Monk fruit is delicious and has a cleaner taste, but it is often very expensive or mixed with those nasty fillers we mentioned earlier.
For us, Erythritol and Xylitol remain the gold standard. They provide the most consistent results for a high-quality, freshly cooked treat.
While we love Xylitol for its taste and texture, there is one very important thing to remember. Xylitol is toxic to dogs. Even a small amount can be dangerous for your furry friends. If you have a dog at home, always keep your keto treats out of reach. We want you to enjoy your dessert, but we want your pets to stay safe too.
In terms of your own health, these sweeteners are a fantastic way to enjoy life without the sugar crashes. Many of our customers find that switching to these options helps them maintain their goals long term. It is much easier to stay consistent when you do not feel deprived. If you want to learn more about the latest keto research, you can read our post on keto diet benefits.
Keto is not about perfection. It is about finding a sustainable way of eating that makes you feel great. For most of us, that includes having a treat now and then.
When you are looking for keto friendly snacks UK supermarkets offer, always check the back of the pack. If you see Maltitol or Dextrose in the first few ingredients, put it back. Your body will thank you for it. Instead, look for treats made with integrity.
We take the guesswork out of the equation. Every one of our desserts is designed to be low in carbohydrates and high in flavour. We handle the measuring and the baking in our Lytham kitchen so you don't have to. From fudgy brownies with less than 2g of carbs to creamy cheesecake cups, we have something for every craving.
If you are busy and finding it hard to stay on track with your meals as well as your snacks, we have some tips for you. Check out our guide on what to eat on keto when you can't be bothered cooking.
The world of sweeteners does not have to be a scary place. Once you understand the difference between a "trap" ingredient and a "dream team" ingredient, you can navigate your diet with confidence.
Focus on quality. Look for Erythritol and Xylitol when you want the best taste. And remember, you don't have to do it all yourself. Whether you are looking for a weekly meal plan or just a box of the best low carb cakes uk has to offer, we are here to help.
Life is too short for bad snacks. Choose the ones that actually taste good. Your keto journey should be delicious, and with the right sweeteners, it absolutely can be.
Ready to try the dream team for yourself?
Browse our range of freshly cooked keto cakes and treats here.