My mom is a diabetic, so I grew up on “alternative” sugars. I recently tried Stevia. Not so agreeable. I really appreciate that it’s natural (and calorie free) but the taste was, for lack of a better word, “funky”. I have also had agave nectar. Nice stuff, though mama can’t have it. I did add way too much. I added it to coffee in Whole Foods and kept tasting and tasting and it still wasn’t sweet. Then I got to the bottom. WOO! I hope I don’t offend when I say I love Splenda. It’s helped my mom curve her sweet binges and I enjoy it as well. It’s not as natural as Stevia, but it is a great alternative sweetner, and a comfort to diabetics in America.

thanks for this update. it’s pretty confusing. thanks for clarifying.

David - you may have used too much stevia. It only takes a bit, and if you use too much, you get a pronounced licorice taste. As for agave nectar, it’s basically pure fructose, and there are concerns about what this amount of fructose can do to your liver (fructose needs to be broken down by the liver, unlike other sugars).