Sweetening E-Liquid

[wesson]

I researched the posts on this site, but could not find a definitive answer to the following question. I find that I prefer a slightly sweeter taste in some of my vendor prepared e-liquids so I purchased some Sucralose liquid and Stevia crystals from a DIY e-liquid distributor with which to experiment. I intend to dissolve the Stevia in PG to make a liquid sweetener base. Is someone able to recommend a quantity of powder to liquid ratio - grams of Stevia to ml of PG? Also, how much of this prepared liquid or the liquid Sucralose should I add to my e-juice as a start point - i.e. drops or ml of sweetener to ml of e-liquid?

Thank you,

Peter

 

[Rat2chat2]

I used liquid Sucralose when I first began DIY but it was my experience that it caused my coils to gunk up quicker so I ceased adding it to mine. I used 1 drop per 10ml of liquid. (just what I used). You may find that cotton candy flavoring will add the sweetness you are looking for in your juices. Not much help but I am sure someone who is more proficient than me in DIY will help you and we will both learn something. Good luck to you.

 

[GaryR]

Wesson,
I would not recommend using powdered sweeteners for e-liquid because they all contain a high percentage of fillers (see Splenda's web site). Powdered sugar substitutes all add fillers to a level that provides approximate equivalence to a teaspoon of sugar. The pure extracts of sucralose and stevia are very potent and must be diluted for any practical use. Fillers most likely will gunk-up atomizers.

For both stevia and sucralose, I suggest a liquid sweetener that has nothing but pure extract and a base such as VG or PG. For example, NOW Foods has stevia liquids with both bases (PG base also contains alcohol). I'm just getting started with stevia, so will have to post my results at a later date. EZ-Sweetz Stevia is another brand I'm looking at for testing. EZ-Sweetz Sucralose liquid is also popular with many DIY vapers.

For sucralose, I use TFA's Sweetener product at between 1% and 3% depending on the recipe and the feedback I get from my testing folks. Unfortunately, TFA does not reveal the concentration of sucralose they use. The problem I see with sucralose products is that concentrations vary between brands, so we would need to do a side-by-side vape comparison to change brands. For example, NuSweet brand found on Amazon states their concentration is 25%, but several other brands I looked at on their respective web sites to not reveal their concentration. The best way to initially compare is to use their sugar equivalence statements.

I'm still trying to establish a sucralose vs stevia equivalence, but I suspect the stevia liquid will need to be use at a much higher percentage. Ultimately, the final test will be side-by-side comparison vaping after mixing into a recipe because other flavoring may chemically interact with the sweeteners

We add ethyl maltol (EM) to improve the sweet aroma (and for smoothing) and sucralose for a sweet tongue taste. However, I try to minimize the use of sweeteners. They all tend to mute the more delicate aroma molecules in flavorings and can kill a good recipe very quickly. So, I always evaluate a recipe first without sweeteners, then slowly add them later.

Good luck, Gary

 

[GaryR]

Sorry 'bout the long-winded first response, but for a more direct reply to your questions, if those are indeed pure stevia crystals you have, you might try emailing a company in FL called Emperor's Herbologist and ask what ratio to mix with PG to achieve something similar to store-bought liquid sweeteners. I notice they sell the crystals for around $20 per ounce, which should make a ton of liquid.

If you want to try some liquid sucralose such as EZ-Sweetz or TFA's Sweetener, for starters just add 3 to 4 drops per 10ml of e-liquid (using a drug store glass eyedropper), which would be close to 1%, and inch-up from there.

Best regards, Gary

 

[wesson]

Sorry 'bout the long-winded first response, but for a more direct reply to your questions, if those are indeed pure stevia crystals you have, you might try emailing a company in FL called Emperor's Herbologist and ask what ratio to mix with PG to achieve something similar to store-bought liquid sweeteners. I notice they sell the crystals for around $20 per ounce, which should make a ton of liquid.

If you want to try some liquid sucralose such as EZ-Sweetz or TFA's Sweetener, for starters just add 3 to 4 drops per 10ml of e-liquid (using a drug store glass eyedropper), which would be close to 1%, and inch-up from there.

Best regards, Gary

Ah, Gary, please don't apologise for your response. The detailed information that you provided is really appreciated. When someone like me starts out in this hobby and knows almost nothing about mixing quantities, although I'm trying to read everything that I can find, folks like you really help. Thank you

Peter

 

[relapse]

Maybe I'm missing out, but I don't add any sweeteners to my liquids. I vape mostly creamy desserts and find them sweet enough with just the flavorings. I tried the EM, but to me it ruins what was a good juice.

 

[WillyZee]

I use Marshmallow for sweetness

 

[JD1]

Depending on the recipe I use one or more of the following, all TFA.

Sweetener, Brown Sugar Extra, Cotton Candy, Maple Syrup, Marshmellow, Sweet Cream, Caramel Candy.

 

[zoiDman]

I like Sweet e-Liquids.

And Sucralose can get me where I want to Go. Because with Sucralose, you make an e-Liquid as Sweet as you want it.

How Much to Use? I Dunno. How Sweet do you Want it?

But one thing that is Cool about using Sucralose is there is No Steeping Required. Just Add, Shake, and then Vape.

Adding 1 Drop/10ml is Probable a Good starting point. And if it Isn't Sweet Enough, add another Drop and see how you Like it.

 

[whiteweazel21]

Has anyone tried Ez-Sweetz monk fruit or sodium saccharin?

 

[zoiDman]

Has anyone tried Ez-Sweetz monk fruit or sodium saccharin?

Sodium Saccharin?

That Doesn't sound like something I would want to Vaporize and then Inhale on a Daily Bases.

 

[wesson]

Maybe I'm missing out, but I don't add any sweeteners to my liquids. I vape mostly creamy desserts and find them sweet enough with just the flavorings. I tried the EM, but to me it ruins what was a good juice.

The dessert and tobacco vapes are usually ok for me, but I'm finding that a lot of fruit flavours have almost no sweetness to them and/or are really "dry." I assumed that the dryness was caused by a lack of sweetness, however, could it be caused by be the level or ratio of either PG or VG? Is one these more "dry" that the other? I'm beginning to like cream type flavours, but I find that many of them, depending on the PG and nic (I vape 18mg) level, will sometimes have a black pepper aftertaste - I hate the taste of black pepper except on steak. lol.

Depending on the recipe I use one or more of the following, all TFA.

Sweetener, Brown Sugar Extra, Cotton Candy, Maple Syrup, Marshmellow, Sweet Cream, Caramel Candy.

I'm sorry, what does the acronym TFA mean?

I have some EM concentrate that I prepared in a solution of PG at a ratio discussed on ECF. I will use it occasionally, and sparingly, if I come across a vape where the flavour(s) are stand-out or not blending well. I picked up some East Coast Vapes "Black Cherry," where the cherry flavour was "in-your-face" and tasted kind of artificial; EM and additional steeping seemed to tone this down.

I like Sweet e-Liquids.

And Sucralose can get me where I want to Go. Because with Sucralose, you make an e-Liquid as Sweet as you want it.

How Much to Use? I Dunno. How Sweet do you Want it?

But one thing that is Cool about using Sucralose is there is No Steeping Required. Just Add, Shake, and then Vape.

Adding 1 Drop/10ml is Probable a Good starting point. And if it Isn't Sweet Enough, add another Drop and see how you Like it.

Good to know that the Sucralose additive does not require additional steeping. Thank you. I'll probably do as you suggest, add one drop to ten ml of juice, try it and increase as required until it reaches the level of sweetness that appeals to me, for a particular juice.

Peter

 

[zoiDman]

...

Good to know that the Sucralose additive does not require additional steeping. Thank you. I'll probably do as you suggest, add one drop to ten ml of juice, try it and increase as required until it reaches the level of sweetness that appeals to me, for a particular juice.

Peter

Yeah... It's kinda like adding Salt to a Steak. Put some on, Taste it, and if Not Enough - Add some More.

Just Go Slow. Because Sucralose is Very Sweet. And you can Easily Over Sweeten it by adding Too Much Too Soon. A Drop at a Time is a Good Call.

 

[wesson]

...I love this hobby! Its interesting and exciting to try new vapes and, best of all, I'm finally smoke free after 41 years of a pack a day analogues

Peter

 

[GaryR]

Peter,
Congratulations on your successful venture with vaping. I was a 50-year veteran of analogs at 2 packs a day when I quit.

Regarding the dryness and black pepper effects, it's hard to say what could be causing that. I rarely get those unless I'm using a clearomizer that has a charred coil. Also, the vapor we produce is mostly moisture from our throat and mouth, so I had to learn to drink more water. We also don't know what ingredients are in your premixed juices, so there could be components your smeller and taster just don't like. Some flavorings can have a dry taste and many can be very peppery if the strength is too high. Some folks have a sensitivity to high-PG liquids or liquids having substantial amounts of ethyl alcohol. Another thing is that nicotine can taste peppery if it is too old. Remember that heat and light can be detrimental to your juices over long periods of time.

TFA stands for The Flavor Apprentice, a food-grade commercial flavoring company out of California and is arguably the most popular one for vapers, along with Capella, FlavourArt, Flavor West and several others.

In addition to the ones suggested by others, some other flavorings that can add a very pleasant sweet aroma is coconut extract and strawberry or pear flavoring when used at low percentages. There's not enough there to recognize what the flavor is, but you get the nice effect for your recipe!

After a time, you may want to start experimenting with mixing your own liquids, and there's tons of resources on that subject in the DIY E-Liquid section of this WEB site. Every person has a different mix of taste and smell sensitivities, so you'll have to find your preferences and don't be disappointed if someone else's recipe does not work for you. Start out simple, perhaps with a pre-mixed PG/VG/Nic base and just a few samples of TFA and/or Capella flavorings. Be precise and keep lots of notes.

Best of luck!
Gary

 

[HauntedMyst]

I use Splendex in liquid form. Very sweet.

 

[SirEvelynTremble]

Side Effects of Sucralose

One of the most important things to note is that sucralose contains chlorine which can be harmful if consumed in large amounts. Chlorine is considered to have carcinogenic (cancer causing) effects. Also, excess or regular intake of sucralose can lead to toxicity. The following are the minor side effects in children and adults.

Fatigue
Headache
Dizziness
Nausea
Bloating
........
Blurred vision
Numbness
Shortness of breath
Weight loss
Abdominal pain
Confusion
Body pain
Cramps

The following are the severe effects:

Depression
Panic attacks
Joint pain
Migraine
Reduced growth rate
Hyperplasia of the pelvis
Anxiety
Heart palpitations
Abortion

Although there are no known long time sucralose dangers, it is believed to have a negative effect on the liver and the kidneys. Other potential effects include shrinking of the thymus glands and enlargement of the liver. It is also believed to be the cause of certain kidney diseases. In pregnant women, intake of sucralose can lead to still birth, abortion, decreased birth weight of the baby, etc. The number and severity of the effects also vary from person to person. Chances of long-term side effects are rare; provided the person does not consume sucralose containing products regularly, and in excess.

Read more at Buzzle: Sucralose Side Effects and Warnings

^^^^ from a blog. Not sure what "safe amounts" are of sucralose but I don't ever touch the stuff, nor aspartame or acesulfame K

 

[whiteweazel21]

That's sort of why I am looking for more natural alternatives, is any sweetener particularly better/worse for vaping? I'm trying to keep sweetener low...but I do like sweetness..

 

[JD1]

That's sort of why I am looking for more natural alternatives, is any sweetener particularly better/worse for vaping? I'm trying to keep sweetener low...but I do like sweetness..

The natural ones seem to gunk coils too fast to be usable, or at least that's my (limited) experience.

 

[zoiDman]

^^^^ from a blog. Not sure what "safe amounts" are of sucralose but I don't ever touch the stuff, nor aspartame or acesulfame K

Please do Not Ever confuse Splenda which is a Registered Trademark for the Chemical Compound Sucralose as the Blog you provided did.

...

Splenda usually contains 95% dextrose (D-glucose) and maltodextrin which the body readily metabolizes, combined with a small amount of mostly indigestible sucralose. Sucralose is made by replacing three select hydrogen-oxygen groups on sucrose (table sugar) molecules with three chlorine atoms. The tightly bound chlorine atoms create a molecular structure that is remarkably stable.[16] Sucralose itself is recognized as safe to ingest as a diabetic sugar substitute,[17][18] but some Splenda products may contain sugars or other carbohydrates that should be evaluated individually. Research as of 2003 suggested that the amount of sucralose that can be consumed on a daily basis over a person's lifetime without any adverse effects is 15 mg/kg/day,[19] or about 1 g for a 70 kg (150 lb) person. This was revised downward in 2008 to 9 mg/kg/day, or about 0.6 g.[20]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Splenda