Since I gave you the scary bad info about refined and processed sugar I thought I should give you some good news about natural sweeteners. Here is a list that I have compiled. I will note my favorites and the ones I have had recommended by people I trust.
My personal favorite - Stevia. Stevia is a South American herb that has been used as a sweetener by the Guarani Indians of Paraguay for hundreds of years. The leaves of this small, green Stevia rebaudiana plant have a delicious and refreshing taste that can be 30 times sweeter than sugar. You can buy powdered or liquid. I love the liquid, especially the flavored. It works so well in my water and herb tea. Not good for baking though:(
Xylitol is commonly used in sugar free products and especially in chewing gum because of the positive effects on teeth. I was amazed at the many benefits of xylitol as reported by Wikipedia. Check it out
Erythritol is a naturally occurring sugar alcohol that is found in our bodies, as well as in many fruits, vegetables and even certain fermented foods. Make sure the erythritol you use comes from an organic source!
• Virtually calorie-free (0.2 cals/gram)
• A glycemic index of zero, so while it sweetens, it does so without adding calories or spiking blood sugar the way other sweeteners often do.
• Research indicates that for most people, it's highly digestible!
Certified Organic Sugar Cane. The cane juice, rich in molasses, vitamins and minerals, is extracted, clarified, evaporated and crystallized. The result is a blond- colored, delicious and natural organic sugar that will enhance all your favorite recipes. Use as a one-for-one replacement for refined white sugar. Great tasting but high glycemic index for those of us concerned about our blood sugar.
Organic Sucanat® is a whole cane sugar. It's made by simply crushing freshly cut sugar cane, extracting the juice and heating it in a large vat. Once the juice is reduced to a rich, dark syrup, it is hand-paddled. Hand paddling cools and dries the syrup, creating the dry porous granules.
Because Sucanat still contains all of the cane's natural molasses, it has a deep brown color and a distinct, natural molasses flavor that enhances many foods. It can be substituted for brown sugar in any recipe and it is especially good in chocolate-based recipes, for baking and for BBQ sauces and marinades. It is an excellent source of iron, calcium, vitamin B6, potassium and chromium, which helps balance blood sugar. This is what our cooking demo guru recommended for use in baked goods.
Organic Turbinado Sugar is made by crushing the freshly-cut sugar cane to squeeze out the juice, rich in, vitamins and minerals. The cane juice is evaporated and spun in a centrifuge, or turbine, to produce the large sparkling golden crystals. I have used this as a brown sugar substitute and people loved the taste.
Organic Molasses is a blackstrap molasses with a rich, full-bodied robust flavor that adds natural color and opulent caramel molasses tones to recipes. It is especially good in molasses cookies, in other baked goods, breads, sauces, BBQ sauces and in marinades. It can be used as a one-for-one replacement for refined blackstrap molasses. It is loaded with vitamins, minerals and trace elements naturally present in the sugar cane plant and is a good source of iron, vitamin B6, potassium, calcium and magnesium.
Now that you have some sweet choices (couldn't resist), experiment and enjoy!
Wishing you wellness,
My personal favorite - Stevia. Stevia is a South American herb that has been used as a sweetener by the Guarani Indians of Paraguay for hundreds of years. The leaves of this small, green Stevia rebaudiana plant have a delicious and refreshing taste that can be 30 times sweeter than sugar. You can buy powdered or liquid. I love the liquid, especially the flavored. It works so well in my water and herb tea. Not good for baking though:(
Xylitol is commonly used in sugar free products and especially in chewing gum because of the positive effects on teeth. I was amazed at the many benefits of xylitol as reported by Wikipedia. Check it out
Erythritol is a naturally occurring sugar alcohol that is found in our bodies, as well as in many fruits, vegetables and even certain fermented foods. Make sure the erythritol you use comes from an organic source!
• Virtually calorie-free (0.2 cals/gram)
• A glycemic index of zero, so while it sweetens, it does so without adding calories or spiking blood sugar the way other sweeteners often do.
• Research indicates that for most people, it's highly digestible!
Certified Organic Sugar Cane. The cane juice, rich in molasses, vitamins and minerals, is extracted, clarified, evaporated and crystallized. The result is a blond- colored, delicious and natural organic sugar that will enhance all your favorite recipes. Use as a one-for-one replacement for refined white sugar. Great tasting but high glycemic index for those of us concerned about our blood sugar.
Organic Sucanat® is a whole cane sugar. It's made by simply crushing freshly cut sugar cane, extracting the juice and heating it in a large vat. Once the juice is reduced to a rich, dark syrup, it is hand-paddled. Hand paddling cools and dries the syrup, creating the dry porous granules.
Because Sucanat still contains all of the cane's natural molasses, it has a deep brown color and a distinct, natural molasses flavor that enhances many foods. It can be substituted for brown sugar in any recipe and it is especially good in chocolate-based recipes, for baking and for BBQ sauces and marinades. It is an excellent source of iron, calcium, vitamin B6, potassium and chromium, which helps balance blood sugar. This is what our cooking demo guru recommended for use in baked goods.
Organic Turbinado Sugar is made by crushing the freshly-cut sugar cane to squeeze out the juice, rich in, vitamins and minerals. The cane juice is evaporated and spun in a centrifuge, or turbine, to produce the large sparkling golden crystals. I have used this as a brown sugar substitute and people loved the taste.
Organic Molasses is a blackstrap molasses with a rich, full-bodied robust flavor that adds natural color and opulent caramel molasses tones to recipes. It is especially good in molasses cookies, in other baked goods, breads, sauces, BBQ sauces and in marinades. It can be used as a one-for-one replacement for refined blackstrap molasses. It is loaded with vitamins, minerals and trace elements naturally present in the sugar cane plant and is a good source of iron, vitamin B6, potassium, calcium and magnesium.
Now that you have some sweet choices (couldn't resist), experiment and enjoy!
Wishing you wellness,
Regina
No comments:
Post a Comment