Sugar

Read about that^ in a vegan cookbook. Was going to grow some but then saw loads of conflicting info on the internet about it. Some say it's good for you some say it's very bad. Anyone eaten any and not died?

If so it being 30(?) times sweeter than sugar how does it work? DO you dry it or eat it fresh?

Watched a program on artificial sweeteners the other week and they compared the amount of sweetener needed to replicate that of sugar in a fizzy drink and the difference was staggering. In an 8 gallon tank they needed about 10kg of sugar compared to a small bowl of sweetener (these figures may be completely wrong, just there to illustrate massive difference). They also tested brain activity when comparing sugar and sweetener and sugar triggered a "fulfillment or pleasure" receptor that the sweetener didn't, supposedly because sugar gives you energy where as sweetener doesn't.