Question from M.B.
For several years my mother has suffered from xerostomia or Dry Mouth. This is most likely the side effect of medications she takes. She combats this lack of saliva with the recommended self-care – sucking on sugar-free hard candy or chewing sugar-free gum. Not surprisingly, the gum/candy I see her using always has one of your “Sweeteners to Avoid.”
I’m committed to finding her a healthy substitute. I’ve learned from my research that the process of making hard candy precludes the use of many sweeteners. This seemed like it should be an easy task, but it has proven to be rather challenging. She just needs something healthy – anything healthy (candy or otherwise) – to turn to when she faces dry mouth, as she does on a daily basis. Any specific product recommendations?
Debra’s Answer
Check your local natural food store. I know they have hard candies there made with rice syrup and mints sweetened with xylitol.
The problem one runs into making hard candy with various sweeteners is that some of them don’t “crack”, which means they won’t get hard when you cook them like a hard candy.
I’ve found that evaporated cane juice, maple syrup, and brown rice syrup will crack. You should be able to cook any of these with a small amount of water and until they reach a certain temperature that when you put a bit in cold water it will turn hard right away. You can then spread it out on parchment paper or a silicone baking sheet and let it cool, then break into pieces. You could add flavorings if you want. You could also get candy molds to make shapes.
But it would be easier to just purchase hard candies at the natural food store.
