sugar alternatives

Since I've had a few questions, I thought I'd give a run-down of some of the sugar alternatives out there, and how well they work in certain foods. These are taken from Sally Fallon's Nourishing Traditions, an awesome book. I encourage you to check it out for yourself!

1) Raw Honey: Raw (not heated above 117 degrees) has natural enzymes which aid in in digestion (especially grains) and also has nutrients from plant pollens. It does not raise blood sugar levels as much as refined sugar.
Especially good in: sweetening oatmeal and toast...it retains its healthful properties best when not heated.

2) Maple Syrup: It's rich in trace minerals.
Especially good in: baked goods, cream-based desserts

3) Rapadura: This is dehydrated cane sugar juice (whole sugar), and it is rich in minerals (especially silica). It behaves very similarly to sugar in food preparation, and has a great flavor.
It's important not to overdo this sweetener, as it can alter blood sugar levels as badly as sugar.
Especially good in: cookies & cakes (I've also used it to make chocolate chips, and it worked beautifully)

4) Stevia Powder: This powder is made from an herb native to South America. Use sparingly: a pinch of stevia is as sweet as a spoonful of sugar. A problem with this sweetener is that is adds no bulk, thus it does not work well in baked goods.
Especially good in: salad dressings, smoothies, whipped cream & pie crusts.

5) Date Sugar: This is made from dehydrated dates ~ very nutritious! However, it does not dissolve well (will not work in many desserts).
Especially good in: oatmeal (I would like to add that I have a wonderrul cookie recipe that calls for date sugar, and I am dying to try it. I'll let you know how it goes)

6) Molasses: Molasses is a by-product of refined sugar. It can contain many minerals.

7) Malted Grain Syrups: Usually made from barley. It is low in fructose.

8) Sorghum Syrup: This syrup is made from a grain. Ittcontains B vitamins and irom, calcium, and phorsphorus.

9) Naturally Sweetened Jams: Jams sweetened with dehydrated sugar cane juice are much preferred to fructose or high fructose coryn syrup.

.......And a couple which Sally Fallon does not address.......

10) Agave Syrup: This syrup is the sap of the agave plant (which I believe is kind of cactus). It has a low glycemic index, which is a huge plus in my book. A drawback, however, is that it is high in fructose. I have read that it has a variety of uses: I have used it in a crunchy apple salad, and it was outstanding.

11) Brown Rice Syrup: Made from cooking brown rice and then evaporating most of the water, this syrup is said to have a caramel-like flavor and can be used in a variety of products. I haven't used it yet, but I have some and plan to use it soon.

12) Coconut Sugar: I have not tried this yet but hope to some day. This "sugar" is made from the sap of coconut flowers. The sap is then boiled down into various forms: paste, granulated, or rock. It has a low glycemic index and has the advantage of being a traditional sugar. I find this sugar very exciting!



So there you have it. There are more sugars out there, but these are the ones I've either (a) tried, (b) want to try, or (c) have heard really good things about. I hope this has helped to answer any questions you might have had.

I don't know about you guys, but I find this stuff so exciting!