JUST LIKE SUGAR Sweetener, 5.82 OZ

WARNING: THIS PRODUCT CONTAINS CHICORY ROOT DIETARY FIBRE AS ITS FIRST INGREDIENT. IF YOU ARE ALLERGIC TO CHICORY OR HAVE A MEDICAL CONDITION WHICH PRECLUDES CHICORY, DO NOT USE THIS PRODUCT!!!!.........................................................................WHEN FIRST OPENING "JUST LIKE SUGAR", one is greeted with an over-whelming scent of orange. This not unpleasant -- especially if one likes oranges. And it is not surprising, since one of the ingredients, (the last one listed, strangely), is 'Natural Flavours from the Peel of the Orange."I was excited to taste this new sugar-substitute....especially since the e-mail ad for it stated that it was 100% natural. (It is). I also noticed, upon receiving it, that one ingredient, "Chicory Root Dietary Fibre", is, I believe, the same ingredient my grandmother had, when she had her COFFEE substitute...Postum. Whether Postum contains "Chicory Root Dietary Fibre", or plain old chicory, I'm not sure, (haven't tried "Postum" yet)....but chicory is in "Just Like Sugar", in one form or another, sure enough!This product does taste like sugar...but it sure does take a lot of it to simulate the taste. It is just slighly LESS sweet than sugar, in my estimation, (and that of my taste-buds!) Also, as it is made from Orange peel, there is a slight stickyness to this product, which is much more apparent, (especially after finishing somethng sweetened by it), than there ever is with real sugar. The taste is 90-95% "just like sugar" -- there is a very, (very), slight "heavy" feeling, and a very, very, slightly heavy taste here, that real sugar does not have. However, on the plus side, there is no "cloying" sweetness, which an overuse of real sugar can sometimes add to drinks. No matter how much "Just Like Sugar" you add, you will get only a sugary taste, never a "cloying" one.The inggredients in this product are:Chicory Root Dietary FiberCalcium Vitamin CNatural Flavors from the Peel of the Orange.The label of "Just Like Sugar" proclaims it is "All Natural", has "No Aftertaste", "No Carbs, No Calories", is "Great for Baking", and "Tastes Just Like Sugar". Whilst, (after looking at the ingredient list), I can happily agree with most of these claims, I have to say that, though there is, indeed, no real "after-taste", there IS a slight "after-stickiness", similar to what one sometimes experiences after eating an orange. Not unpleasant, I guess...but quite unexpected.This product is obviously 100% natural -- just like sugar! Unlike SPLENDA -- an artificial sweetener actually made from sugar, (with one sugar molecule replaced by another), there is NO sugar here. It isn't quite sweet enough for my own tastes, though...and I definitely feel that the suggested serving size listed on the bottle, (1/2 Teaspoon), is somewhat of a misnomer. It's nice to be able to list 1/2 Teaspoon as aserving size, because that allows the plastic bottle the "Just Like Sugar" comes in, to conain 330 servings, in its 5.82 ounces, (or 165 grams). But...who uses just 1/2 teaspoon of sugar in their coffee, tea, or other drinks? Not many people, I'd hazard to guess.This product is "Proudly Made In The USA" (hooray -- I try to use as many "Made In USA" products as I can, myself), and is also not only kosher, (as the manufacturer IS "Kosher Vitamins"), but also has an impressive seal on it's label, with beautiful Hebrew lettering. two leaves on either side of it, and what appears to be a suggestion of the outline of an Israeli city, (probably Jerusalem), above the lettering. Below the Hebrew characters, is an inscription in English, just as impressive: "With the Approval of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel." This product is obviously 100% Kosher, as well as 100% natural. If you want a 100% natural product, don't mind the very slight heavyness in taste, slight stickiness when you're finished eating or drinking whatever you prepare with it, and the cost, (it does seem higher in price...even in bulk...than most other sugar substitutes around today), I would say try it! I guess the closest alternative would be "Agave Nectar"....also usually kosher, and also 100% natural, (it is made mainly from the cactus plant.) Agave nectar doesn't taste quite as much like sugar as "Just Like Sugar", but it has a nice sweet taste of its own.As for me, I think I'll stick to (mainly) "Splenda" for the time being. Yes, it's NOT as natural as "Just Like Sugar". but it is made from sugar, and certainly isn't, (in my opinion anyway), nearly as dangerous as "Equal", or "Sweet N Low". Also, "Splenda" is a great deal less expensive than "Just Like Sugar", (but, to be fair, one must add that the more expensive price of "Just Like Sugar" -- just now -- may just be due to its being a very new product). But "Splenda" has been granted the "OU" seal of the Orthodox Union of the USA -- meaning very, very, very, VERY Kosher, indeed, to anyone who knows anything at all about Kosher products.If you will not, (or cannot), sweeten your food with sugar, and must have something that is 100% natural, AND 100% kosher, you have a choice between "Just Like Sugar", and most brands of agave nectar. So, I'd suggest you try "Just Like Sugar", (just one bottle), to test it out. As for me, though I think I'll stick with "Splenda" most of the year...being raised as I have been raised, I might just get one or two bottles of "Just Like Sugar" for Passover. It's not at all a bad product...just slightly sticky, and more than slightly expensive.P.S.: It also seems to have a sleep-inducing quality. At least, I seem to be getting a bit sleepy now -- and a glass of lemonade, sweetened with"Just Like Sugar" is the only thing I've eaten or drunk for at least the last 2 hours. Hmmmmm.... (Zzzzzzzz....)

My order of Just Like Sugar came today. I put some in my blender with some refrigerated coffee and some Coffeemate. After blending it up, I cautiously tasted it. Having used so many different types of sugar substitutes over the years, I was expecting to be disappointed.I used stevia for years, from several different companies. After 16 years of use, the balls of my feet hurt so badly that it was painful to walk. I stopped using stevia, and they improved. Then, I experimented again with it - my feet were painful, again. So, I have been looking for a sweetener for my coffee that had no calories, and did not impair my health. When I saw "Just Like Sugar" here on Amazon, I thought I would give it a fair trial.To my delight, I thought it tasted wonderful! No aftertaste, no sickening sweet taste, and very, very smooth. I know it has only been a day, but my first impression is that it is delightful. I will most definitely order it again, and really like the taste!UPDATE - ONE WEEK LATER: My original opinion stands. I really like "Just Like Sugar"! For me, there is no aftertaste, no bloating like I always got with Xylitol, no foot pain like I eventually got with Stevia, and no extreme thirst issues, as I got with Swerve, which is erythritol. No bloating, no diarrhea, and no strange feelings in my stomach after ingesting it.Glad someone makes this, and hope that my initial experience with it holds.

The reason I bought this product to try and replace my Splenda usage when I drink coffee. It tastes sort of like sugar, but you need a LOT of it to have any effect. After I mixed in 10x the amount compared to my regular amount of two Splenda packets, my coffee tasted sweeter, but not in a good way, kind of acrid. I haven't tried baking with it yet, but I have a feeling it's going turn out about the same. I think I'll be sticking with less refined cane sugar for a while, at least until I try other alternatives such as Stevia, or Zsweet.