 By Elena Voropay If no one knew smoking was unhealthy, people would never quit. The same principle applies to sugar, especially if you've got a sweet tooth like I do. The most treasured things in life seem to always be painted in a cuddly light of sweet reminding - "sugar and spice and all things nice," "sweetheart", "sugar-plum”, “Honey”.
White sugar has been singled out as one of worst diet offenders, an "evil" food which, along with fat, should be relegated to once-in-a-while treats. Experts tell us that sugar in any form may promote tooth decay and push out more nutritious foods in a diet. There is substantial evidence which links excessive sugar consumption with various health problems, such as headaches, hyperactivity, lowered immunity, obesity, diabetes, hypoglycaemia and heart disease. At the same time, most of us agree that there is no way we can live or function without our favourite sweet treats. After all, who doesn't have sugar cravings, at least occasionally? If you came across something sweet, chances are you will eat it any time, given the permission and a 'green light' from your dietician. Can something completely natural taste so good and be good for your body? Absolutely, but only if the source is natural.
The irony with sugar is that our bodies demand it all the time to drive our metabolism and to keep our cells functioning.
What Is Sugar?
Sugar is a carbohydrate, one of the most important sources of energy for the body. We use it for proper brain function and physical activity where it can be used as valuable fuel. If we don't use sugar right away, sugar is not turned to fat like we tend to believe. Rather, it is stored it in the liver and muscles as glycogen for later use. Naturally, many foods contains sugar. But let's not confuse our understandings of sugar – table sugar is sucrose (made of fructose and glucose) after several processing steps. What we do need is glucose, not sucrose. Glucose is the carbohydrate which fuels our cells and is found in fruit, vegetables, grains, legumes and dairy. Eating these foods will give you energy along with plenty of vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients and antioxidants, fibre and amino acids.
 However, the sweet story changes when we eat foods which are processed and mixed with other ingredients, packaged and transported to the supermarkets to be sold as convenience foods. Sugars contained in natural, whole foods are easily metabolised by the body. Processed table sugar, on the other hand, is the white crystalline substance devoid of nourishing spectacular features. It is an unnatural substance produced by industrial processes by refining it down to pure sucrose, after stripping away all the vitamins, minerals, proteins, enzymes and other beneficial nutrients.
Our systems treat it as a greedy starch which cannot metabolise completely resulting in the formation of metabolites, such as pyruvic acid and unstable sugars. These by-products interfere with the respiration of cells, preventing them from acquiring sufficient oxygen to function correctly.
While a ‘moderate’ intake of refined sugar is healthy, the problem with sugar happens when we eat too much of it. Experts define a moderate intake as about 10% of the total energy intake each day. Unfortunately, our taste buds don't know the amounts and our storage space for all carbohydrates is limited.
Sugar is addictive. Need proof? According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Americans eat an average of 20 teaspoons of sugar a day. This is over a kilo or 2-3 pounds of sugar each week. Add it all up and we've got approximately 61 kilograms or 135 pounds of sugar swimming down our stomachs per year. This is per man, woman and child. Just 20 years ago 10 kilos (26 pounds) or so was sufficient enough. Prior to the turn of this century (1887-1890), the average consumption was only 2 kilograms per person per year!
No surprise here - highly refined sugars in the forms of sucrose (table sugar), dextrose (corn sugar), and high-fructose corn syrup make so many foods taste so good. Most of this sugar is hidden in just about every food we buy - from obvious sweet sodas and cakes, to not-so-obvious pasta, beans and canned soups. Sugar itself is not so much of a problem, but the amounts we tend to consume are the reason for our ever-expanding bellies.
Manufacturers often compensate the shortcomings of processing with adding other natural and artificial fillers to make up for the taste, but the natural nutrient density of food is lost with no return. Sweetness is not the only reason for manufacturers adding sugars to various products. Simple carbohydrates and sugars can improve the texture and colour of foods. For example, they make cookies and biscuits crispier, breads softer, cakes more moist and yoghurts smoother. Additional simple carbohydrates balance the salty and sour taste and blend the consistency of sauces, gravies, spreads and dips. Added sugars make foods more attractive to the eye and appealing to the palate.
So, what happens when you load up on processed “white death” as it is often called by raw foodists? When the liver can no longer cope with the sugar load, it pours the accumulated sucrose back into the bloodstream in the form of fatty acids, which are then taken to storage areas of the body, namely the belly, thighs, hips, breasts, the back of upper arms or wherever the always hungry fat cells find their residence. Once the storage areas are filled, the body begins to distribute the metabolite acids into the active organs, such as the heart, liver itself and kidneys. With excess sugar consumption we've got cellulite, varicose veins, rotten teeth, kids bouncing off the walls with simple mineral depletion, impaired brain function, increased emotional instability, hyperactivity, never-mind nutritional imbalances. As the circulatory and lymphatic systems are invaded, sugar load in turn causes hormonal imbalances, abnormal blood pressure and threatened cardiovascular system.
Tricky Labels
Learning to read nutritional labels and ingredients lists can be a very valuable skill. Since 2002, it's been mandatory in Australia for manufacturers to include a detailed breakdown of the product's nutritional status on the packaging. They have to carry a label indicating how much sugar the product contains, as well as levels of energy in kilo-joules, protein, total fat, saturated fat, carbohydrate, sugars and salt per serve and per 100g of food, or 100ml for liquids.
Ingredients are usually listed in the order relative to their amount by weight – the greater the amount, the higher up it will appear on the list. But manufacturers are tricky – they figured out that consumers are smart enough to read nutritional labels and started putting small amounts of different sugars to the product. That way, no single kind of sugar is the main ingredient, but if you add them all up, sugar in the product may outweigh anything else.
If you read the list of ingredients on any packaged food, you may not see the word 'sugar' per se. This is because it is often listed under other names that still signify sugar's presence. 'No added sugar' on a label doesn't necessarily mean that the food doesn't contain it. A lot of foods are naturally sweet thus contain sugars. It may mean that no additional sugar was added to the product, but the food may still be loaded with sugars and other carbohydrates. The names used in the listings include:
- Brown sugar
- Beet sugar
- Cane sugar
- Confectioner's sugar
- Crystallised cane juice
- Dextrose
- Fructose
- Evaporated cane juice
- High-fructose corn syrup
- Honey
- Invert sugar
- Maltodextrin (or dextrin)
- Maple Syrup
- Molasses
- Raw sugar
- Sucrose (table sugar or white sugar)
- Turbinado sugar
Natural Sweet Solutions
Whatever the opinion about white sugar, you might wonder if "natural" sweeteners are better for you. Is there really a significant difference, or any difference between them at all? How do they taste and when should you use them?
To answer these questions, it helps to understand that sugar is sugar, whether it is white, brown, yellow, black, grape-colour, or if it comes as a liquid Maple Syrup, Honey or barley malt. Some sweeteners contain a bit of complex carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals, however, there are far more wholesome sources for these nutrients, such as natural fruit, vegetables, grains, berries, legumes, nuts, etc.
There is a dizzying array of refined sugar alternatives out there! To help you navigate all those sweet options, have a look at some of the most popular ones and make your own choice.
Raw Sugar (Demerara and Turbinado sugar)
Raw Sugar comes from sugarcane, a type of grass which grows in the tropics. Long ago people in India and parts of Asia realised that sugarcane was naturally very sweet thousands of years ago, and they started pressing it for the sweet juice and refining the result. The precise definition of Raw Sugar varies, depending on who you talk to. As you can tell from its name, Raw Sugar is cane sugar which has been minimally processed. Some well known examples of Raw Sugar include Demerara and Turbinado sugar.
When sugar cane is harvested, the leaves are stripped, and the juice is extracted by crushing or mashing, and then boiled and processed to extract the sugar. In order to extract regular table sugar from sugarcane, three steps are required. In the first stage, sugarcane is cut and then run through a press to extract the juice. The juice is boiled and then cooled which is essential in allowing it to crystallise. In the second stage, the product is further processed to remove major impurities.
Adherents to a raw food diet, for example, may have very specific definitions which involve certain temperatures and ways handling, while others may view any sort of lightly refined sugar as raw. In all cases, if it is Raw Sugar, the product should be of the first stage of the cane sugar refining process, and as a result it has some very distinctive characteristics.
Because it is minimally processed, the product contains various vitamins, minerals and the residual Molasses found in the original plant. The Molasses gives this rich crunchy sweetener with complex flavour and texture its brownish colour. Raw Sugar is more moist than regular sugar also because it has more Molasses than Table Sugar. For this reason, exposure to air can dry the tenderness out causing raw sugar to harden, so keep it in an airtight container.
Molasses
The truth behind the phrase "slow as Molasses" becomes apparent when you reflect on Molasses's thick, viscous, syrupy texture. The word Molasses comes from the Portuguese word melaço which comes from mel mellis, the Latin word for "Honey". Molasses has a rich, full bodied flavour that add natural colour to food. It contains vitamins, minerals and trace elements naturally found in the sugar cane plant and is a good source of iron, vitamin B6, potassium, calcium and magnesium.
There are different types and sources of Molasses and some are sweeter than others. This depends on how much sugar has been removed or at what stage of sugar processing they have been collected. In some parts of the world Molasses is also called Sorghum Syrup. The most common Molasses sold today comes from sugar cane, but it is not the only source. Molasses may come from beetroot, same as sugar. In the cuisine of the Middle East, Molasses is produced from carob, grape, date, pomegranate, and mulberry.
There are three major grades of cane Molasses: mild or first Molasses, dark or second Molasses, and black-strap Molasses. The results of the first boiling is first Molasses which has the highest sugar content. The second boiling produces second Molasses which is darker in colour and has a slightly bitter taste. Black-strap Molasses comes from the third boiling.
These three types of Molasses may be sulphured or unsulphured. Sulphured Molasses is made from young green sugar cane that has not matured long enough and is usually treated with a preservative sulphur dioxide during the sugar extracting process. If you prefer higher quality, choose unsulphured Molasses - the finest first Molasses made from the juice of matured sun-ripened cane and the clarified and concentrated juice.
Molasses that comes from the sugar beet is different from cane Molasses. Only the syrup left from the final crystallisation stage is called beet Molasses. Anything that comes before is not true Molasses, but intermediate syrups which are referred to as high green syrup and low green syrup. These are recycled within the crystallisation plant to maximise extraction. Beet Molasses is about 50% sugar by dry weight, predominantly sucrose but also containing significant amounts of glucose and fructose.
Interestingly, the versatile use of this sweetener extends beyond your dietary choices. Molasses is an excellent cheating agent. If you place an object with iron rust for two weeks in a mixture of one part Molasses to nine parts water, you will get the rust cleaned.
Table Cane Sugar
Table Cane Sugar is made by the same process as Raw Sugar, but is more refined and dried which removes a lot of various natural enzymes and nutrients, including the residual Molasses. It lacks vitamins, minerals, fibre, protein and trace elements.
White Table Sugar is 99.5 to 99.9% pure sucrose. The sugar may be turned it into light brown, dark brown, and white sugars by heat. Powdered or confectioner's sugar is simply pulverised white sugar.
Evaporated cane juice is similar to Raw Sugar and is a healthier alternative to refined sugar. While both sweeteners are made from the same source, evaporated cane juice does not undergo the same degree of processing that refined sugar does and retains more of the nutrients found in sugar cane.
Fructose
Commercial crystalline fructose and liquid fructose are the sweetest of all nutritive sweeteners. These highly refined substances are derived from refined cane or beet sugar and corn syrup. Fructose is 50 - 60% sweeter than sugar, so you don't need as much of it to get the full-flavoured drink or treat.
Fructose is an interesting sweetener and although it is a simple sugar, it doesn't get absorbed by the same active transport as glucose. Instead of being broken down and absorbed in the stomach and then in the intestines like other sugars and carbohydrates, Fructose by-passes the blood-sugar-pancreas-insulin loop and goes straight to the liver for processing. For this reason Fructose doesn't raise blood sugar or Insulin levels dramatically and is recommended as a suitable sweetener for diabetics and those who have troubles with blood sugar control and Insulin sensitivity. Because the sweetness diminishes greatly when cooked, your best bet is to go for raw Fructose.
The controversy with Fructose metabolism is a hot subject these days. Though fructose seems to enter the bloodstream somewhat more slowly than glucose, it is more likely to end up stored as fat rather than glycogen. Glucose can be used by the body immediately and is a preferred fuel for all cells and tissues. Fructose, on the other hand, has to be metabolised to glucose first before becoming available for body tissues. Additionally, it may cause allergic reactions, malabsorption and exacerbate cholesterol and blood sugar problems in some people. Some vegetarians choose not to use Fructose because livestock feed is one by-product of its production. Honey, Maple Syrup, brown sugar, Turbinado, cane juice, table sugar, fruit contain fructose, but these also have glucose in varying amounts.
Honey
Honey is a sweet substance made from plant nectar (sucrose) by the Honeybee. Other insects can also produce Honey, but apart from silkworms, bees are the only insects that have a major commercial benefit for us. The bee product is naturally sweet, and was the only major sweetener in use among humans for quite some time.
This wonderfully rich golden liquid is the miraculous product of Honey bees and a naturally delicious alternative to white sugar.
All types of Honey are 20% or more sweeter than sugar, but it is not quickly absorbed into the bloodstream. Like sugar and other sweeteners, Honey is a source of simple carbohydrates. Its composition on average, is 17.1 % water, 82.4 % total carbohydrate and 0.5 % proteins, amino acids, vitamins and minerals. But there is great difference in proportion and composition of carbohydrates it contains. The main average carbohydrate content of Honey is Fructose (38.5 %) and glucose (31%). The remaining 12.9 % of carbohydrates is made up of Maltose, Sucrose and other sugars. The vitamins found in Honey may include (depending on floral variety) niacin, riboflavin and pantothenic acid; minerals present include calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium and zinc. Just as the colour and flavour of Honey varies by floral source, so does the vitamin, mineral, antioxidant and amino acid content.
The fascinating process of making Honey begins when the bees feast on flowers. To make their mountains of Honey, the bees have to eat a lot of sucrose-rich flower nectar which the plants make at the base of the petals of many flowers, in plant glands called nectarines. Bees also eat pollen which is the plant's equivalent for sperm – it forms part of the sex life. This nectar then mixes with special enzymes in the bees' saliva which converts it to glucose and Fructose and turns it into Honey. The bees carry the Honey back to the hive where they deposit it into the cells of the hive's walls.
To make just 1kg of Honey, worker bees have to fly a total distance equal to 10 trips around the Earth! They travel outside the hive to collect nectar from flowers a total of some 10 million several visits to flowers. Wow, that seem like a lot of work. No wonder we have a saying: “Busy as a bee.” But bees are not as occupied as we think and aren't as busy. They work for only 20% of the time and spend the rest of the time just hanging around.
A colony of bees includes a single queen, an assortment of drones, and a large number of worker bees. The social structure of a hive of bees is actually quite complex, and naturalists have devoted extensive study to the lives of bees and the ways in which they communicate. To harvest Honey, humans set up facilities specifically designed for housing bees known as apiaries. The assortment of flowers in the region to flavour the Honey and encourage the bees to stay is important. The beekeeper provides a solid structure for the bees to use as a hive. Bees use the Honey they produce as a food source when they have difficulty finding other foods. Bees don't just made Honey, they also pollinate our fruit and seed crops. The fluttering of their wings provides the necessary ventilation to reduce the moisture's content making it ready for consumption.
As a general rule, the darker the Honey, the more intense the flavour. Honey can be used in baking, utilised as a spread on breads, or added to drinks for additional sweetness. It is also used in the manufacture of savoury foods, like Honey glazed hams.
Commercial Honey is heated to prevent crystallisation and yeast formation. For best taste and nutrients, look for Raw Honey that hasn't undergone high heat or extensive filtration. Research indicates that Raw Honey’s unique composition makes it useful as an antioxidant as well as an anti-fungal and anti-microbial agent.
Barley Malt
Barley malt is a thick, dark, slow-digesting sweetener made from sprouted and roasted whole barley. This viscous, medium brown liquid sweetener has a malt-like flavour with a Molasses-like character. Being about half as sweet as white sugar, Barley Malt contains about half complex carbohydrates and half maltose, plus a small amount of glucose. These sugars are very complex, which means that they are broken down by the body more slowly without causing a “sugar high” like refined sugar does.
Barley Malt is an excellent source of iron, magnesium and zinc and is a good source of Vitamin E and protein. Besides adding nutrition-packed sweetness, pure Barley Malt extract has an ability to ferment, so it can promote growth of good bacteria in you digestive tract. This is why it is sometimes used medicinally as a bulking agent to promote bowel regularity.
Some say Barley Malt is to bread and beer as grapes are to wine. It is ideally suited to brewing for many reasons. Malted barley has a high complement of enzymes which convert its starch supply into simple sugars, an important step of the beer manufacturing process. In addition, Barley Malt is high in protein, so it will feed the yeast used in bread-making and beer-making. The malt flavour is also a valuable addition to any dark breads or rich thick beer. Natural Barley Malt is perfect in baked goods when you don't want a pronounced sweetness.
To make Barley Malt syrup, barley grains are allowed to sprout, or germinate. The resulting sprouted barley is dried, often in a kiln or quick drying oven. Next, the sprouts are slowly cooked which forms a sweet, dark liquid. The syrup is strained to remove impurities and then it is bottled or canned.
You can buy Barley Malt in either liquid or powdered form. Pure extract is relatively expensive, so it is sometimes adulterated with corn syrup, which is cheap. The best place to store barley malt syrup is in a dry, dark, cool temperature spot. Once it has been opened, it should be stored under refrigeration and used relatively quickly. If you use it slowly and keep Barley Malt in the warm cupboard, it is likely to ferment.
Agave Syrup
Agave Syrup is a delicious, natural liquid sweetener which is derived from the carbohydrates present in the Agave plant. With a mild taste and a slight hint of a vanilla-like aroma, the Agave Syrup has been a favourite sweetening agent from historic times. The unfiltered Agave Syrup contains many minerals and retains a natural and unique flavour.
While many people think of Agave as being a member of the cactus family, the plant is actually a more closely related to lilies. The Agave is a desert succulent which flourishes in volcanic soil, not a cactus which grows out of sand as some have been led to believe. With large, thorn-edged, fleshy leaves, Agave plants are widely grown all over the semi-arid and volcanic terrain of Mexico and parts of South America. Typically, Agave grows in the form of a rosette of thick, fleshy leaves which are often toothed and may also have large spikes on the ends of their leaves. Many Agave species flower only once, putting up a tall stalk of aromatic flowers and then dying off. The flowers are sweet and edible. Since the plants tend to grow runners and offshoots, smaller Agave plants are left behind after the parent dies.
The Agave plant is has been grown and used by the Aztecs in the region in Mexico for thousands of years. Agave juice is known by the natives of Mexico as "Honey water" because it flows from the leaves and roots of Agave plants. Even today it is used as part of religious ceremonies by the Aztec tribes of the American continent. There are over 200 species of Agave in Mexico, including Agave tequilana (also called Blue Agave or Tequila Agave), the Salmiana, Green, Grey, Thorny, and Rainbow varieties.
To produce Agave Syrup, first the juice is expressed from the core which stores all the mineral enriched sap needed for the budding of Agave flower. This Agave sap is the main source of Agave Nectar that is used to produce delicious Agave Syrup.
The juice is filtered, then heated and hydrolysed. This process turns carbohydrates naturally found in Agave plant juice into sweet fructo-oligosaccharides. This minimal processing and minimal heat provides vitamins, minerals and enzymes in Agave Syrup that are not found in other processed sweeteners. The plant contains Diosgenin, a chemical also found in wild yam and fenugreek which acts as a hormonal regulator, an anti-inflammatory, a liver protectant, an anti-stress and an anti-fatigue chemical. Another prominent chemical in Agave is Sarsapogenin, which is useful for psoriasis and bleeding gums. The syrup naturally contains Iron, Calcium, Potassium & Magnesium other phytonutrients. When added to other foods, Agave Syrup also helps other nutrients to be properly absorbed by the body.
Agave syrup is sweeter than Honey, though less viscous. It is also sweeter than sugar, though has a significantly lower calorie count and doesn't raise the blood sugar nearly to the same extent as most other carbohydrates. Because Agave Syrup is sweeter and richer, you also don't need as much to satisfy the sweet tooth.
Similar to Honey, the main form of carbohydrate in Agave Syrup is a form of simple sugar fructose combined with oligosaccharide called inulin. These forms of carbohydrates are metabolised differently than sucrose, absorbed slowly into the bloodstream giving it a low Glycemic Index score.
Inulin is more complex than simple sugars, such as sucrose, glucose or fructose. It is produced by many types of plants used by some plants as a means of storing energy and is typically found in roots or rhizomes. Inulin belongs to a group of naturally occurring simple sugars linked together and have excellent nutritional and functional characteristics. Inulin contains 1/3rd to 1/4th the food energy of sugar or other carbohydrates and 1/6th to 1/9th the food energy of fat. This means inulin has only about 1.5 calories per gram. Its presence in food increases Calcium and Magnesium absorption, while promoting probiotic bacteria. Nutritionally, it is considered a form of soluble fibre which is excellent for digestive function.
Fructose, the second sweetener found in Agave Syrup, does not significantly raise blood sugar levels, preventing Insulin highs and lows associated with sugar intake and instead provides a sustained, steady source of energy. It is also a perfect sweetener for diabetics, and especially popular among people with poor Insulin sensitivity, those who are predisposed to Insulin resistance or are simply watching their carbohydrate intake.
Every gram of Agave Syrup provides only 3 calories per gram instead of 4 you get from sugar. One tablespoon of this sweetener which weighs 21 grams and contains 16 grams of total carbohydrates, a small portion of which is not digestible and gives you only around 60 calories, not the 84 which is equivalent to table sugar.
The colour of Agave Syrup ranges from light to dark depending on the degree of processing. Dark Agave Syrup is produced from the more wild Salmiana species, as opposed to the Blue Agave variety which is used to make tequilla and amber Agave Nectars. It pours easily and dissolves readily, even in cold drinks. Due to its versatility of use, mild flavour, high sweetness, and satisfying and pleasant sweetness, Agave Syrup ranks among the top choices of natural sweeteners.
Maple Syrup
Maple Syrup is made from the boiled sap of sugar maple trees, primarily in the North-eastern United States and Canada. Maple Syrup is one of the many wonders of the world believed to have been discovered by Native Americans as long ago as the 1600s. Most of the world's Maple Syrup comes from Canada.
This viscous amber liquid with its characteristic earthy sweet taste is made from the sap of the sugar, black or red maple tree. The process of creating Maple Syrup begins with tapping (piercing) the tree, which allows the clear and almost tasteless sap to run out freely. The sap of the sugar maple tree is collected in late winter and early spring. On average, sap contains about 2% natural sugar. Some trees produce less, but some have been know to produce as much as 10%. With warmer weather approaching, the "sap run" nears completion which causes maple leaf buds to swell. After collection the sap is then boiled to evaporate the water producing syrup with the characteristic flavour and colour of Maple Syrup.
Having a little Maple Syrup is like taking multivitamins that actually taste good. Its sugar content is only 60%, so it has almost half the calories of regular table sugar. It is a rich source of niacin, biotin, folic acid, potassium, magnesium, phosphorous, iron, thiamin, copper, and vitamins B2, B5 and B6. Zinc and manganese, well-known antioxidants, are two really big reasons Maple Syrup is a great health food.
Maple Syrup may help to support reproductive health and provides special benefits for men. Zinc is concentrated more highly in the prostate than in any other human tissue, and low levels of zinc in this gland relate to a higher risk for prostate cancer. Manganese is a catalyst in the synthesis of fatty acids and cholesterol, it also participates in the production of sex hormones, thus helping to maintain reproductive health.
Maple Syrup is available in individual containers which can be stored in a cool dry place unopened. Once you open the bottle store it in the refrigerator. Maple Syrup can be frozen, although it should be defrosted before use since it very viscous and hard to pour when frozen. If any mold appears in the syrup, even if just on the surface, you should throw away the entire container since it may be contaminated.
The quality of the syrup varies in characteristics such as colour, taste and consistency. All Maple Syrups are labelled with a grade based upon an official United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) grading system. There are three versions of Grade A Maple Syrup, including Light Amber, Medium Amber and Dark Amber. Generally, the darker the syrup – the stronger its flavour. The lighter the colour, the more subtle the flavour Maple Syrup is also available in a Grade B version, although since it has the most pronounced taste, it is usually reserved for cooking and use in processed foods.
One tree can produce 30-50 litres of sap a year, but it takes 40 litres of sap to produce just one litre of syrup, which explains the number of imitation Maple Syrup products on the market. Real Maple Syrup carries a special maple leaf logo and should be amber in colour. Pure Maple Syrup is distinguished in its labelling from maple flavoured syrups. While they are generally more expensive, their rich unique flavour makes them worth the extra money.
Maple Syrup is extremely unlikely to give you an allergic reaction the same way some other sweeteners do, so anyone can eat desserts made out of Maple Syrup. Pour it on your favourite cereal topped with walnuts and raisins, add to puréed cooked pumpkin, drizzle on a toast with peanut butter or stir in a cup of milk. Add Maple Syrup to shakes and smoothies to boost the nutrient power of each treat.
Brown Rice Syrup
Brown Rice Syrup represents thick and smooth Honey-coloured liquid with a buttery flavour and delicate sweetness, which makes it an ideal choice for baking and desserts.
Brown rice is simply white rice that still has the bran intact and thus becomes a much better source of fibre. Besides the fibre found in the brown rice, the bran contains nutrients like magnesium, manganese, and zinc.
The marvellous nutty flavour and chewy texture of non-polished rice is what gives Brown Rice Syrup its unique taste. Brown Rice Syrup is about one half as sweet as sugar, but the pleasant texture and taste leave little room for desired sweetness
In sharp contrast with the regular sugar cubes, Brown Rice Syrup will help you tame the roller coaster ride of your blood-sugar levels while pampering your sweet tooth. Unlike simple sugars such as mono-saccharides and di-saccharides, Brown Rice Syrup is a polysaccharide or in other words a complex sugar that dissolves easily but slowly in the bloodstream. Generally a healthy helping of Brown Rice Syrup consists of approximately 50% soluble complex carbohydrates, 45% maltose and 3% glucose. Moreover, the maltose and complex carbohydrates components of this kind of syrup takes a longer time to digest thus maintaining the energy flow for longer period. So, apart from controlling blood-sugar levels, Brown Rice Syrup has a healthy effect on your cholesterol levels and may help to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
It is naturally extracted from sprouted brown rice by steeping brown rice with a special enzyme preparation. The conventional method of preparing Brown Rice Syrups begins with fermenting the brown rice with special enzymes to disintegrate the natural starch content of the grains. Then, the fermented liquid is strained off and cooked until the desired consistency of syrup is reached. Following this method the broken whole grains or brown rice are converted into a smooth-flavoured and pleasantly sweet liquid extract.
The thick, sweet syrup can be used like Honey, Molasses, and other liquid sweeteners, and with some planning it can also replace granulated sugar. Since Brown Rice Syrup will cause an elevation in blood sugar, it is not suitable for people with low Insulin Sensitivity and Diabetics.
When using Brown Rice Syrup to replace other liquid sugars, it can be used as a cup for cup replacement. The sweetener tends to be less sweet than many other sugars, and it has a faintly nutty flavour which is not always appropriate for all foods. Taste it before using it extensively, experiment with small batches before committing and be patient – practice is the key. Since rice syrup is less sweet, the end dish will obviously be less sweet as well.
If you want to substitute Brown Rice Syrup for granulated sugar and other dry sweeteners, it should be done with care. Since it is a liquid, it can cause a liquid imbalance in the recipe, which can be disastrous for baked goods. Generally, around one and one quarter cups of Brown Rice Syrup should be used for every cup of sugar, and a quarter cup of some other liquid in the recipe should be removed to compensate for the additional moisture in the food.
Stevia
Stevia is a word both for a plant and for a sweetener extracted from the leaves of that plant. The plant Stevia Rebaudiana is also sometimes called Sweet-leaf or Sugar-leaf, in a reference to the natural sweetness held in the leaves. This remarkable non-caloric perennial shrub native to Paraguay and Brazil used as a sweetener and flavour enhancer for centuries. Native Americans in these regions realised that the leaves were sweet, and used them to season teas and other foods. Its popularity spread to the rest of the world during the 18th century, when people first began taking the product with them to Europe in large volumes. As Europeans began to explore the foods consumed by Native Americans, they were introduced to Stevia. In the early 1900s, Stevia exploded into popularity in several markets, but the rest of the 20th century was accompanied by vicious battles over it around the world.
Since artificial sweeteners have been banned in Japan for more than 20 years, the Japanese are the greatest consumers of Stevia and it is now estimated that in Japan Stevia is being used in over 30% of their food products. In Japan, Stevia is used in Coca Cola for its Diet Coke, by Sunkist and Nestle as a sweetener and by Wrigleys in their sugar free gums.
Stevia is made by crushing or distilling the leaves of the plant to form a powder or a syrup with an intensely sweet flavour
If you've ever tasted Stevia, you know it's extremely sweet. The glycosides in its leaves (Steviosides/Rebaudiosides) account for its incredible sweetness, making it unique among the nearly 300 species of Stevia plants. It has been shown that Stevia is much sweeter than other sugars, meaning that only a small amount needs to be used. The body also processes Stevia very slowly, which greatly reduces the risk of getting a sugar high you would expect from natural sugars, a sudden burst of energy followed by fatigue and a need for another "fix".
In addition, Stevia is essentially calorie free, which is why it is popular with dieters. Studies suggest that Stevia may have a regulatory effect on the pancreas and could help stabilise blood sugar levels in the body, making it a wise choice for people with diabetes and hypoglycaemia, although diabetics should always consult their doctors about additions to their diet which may alter their blood sugar.
The traditional and ongoing use of Stevia in South America, speak for its effectiveness in improving overall health and general well being. Stevia is a good source of potassium, a major mineral for healing, muscle function, digestion, brain power, nerve conductivity, fluid balance and the elimination of toxic wastes. Stevia is rich in manganese, a mineral important to the healthy function of the glandular system, hormone production, and transmission of impulses between nerves and muscles. Chromium in Stevia assists metabolism and promotes efficient Insulin function.
As a medicinal herb Stevia is used as a tonic, anti-fungal and antibacterial, for sore throats, colds, flu, allergies, sinus congestion, headaches, fatigue, pain, rheumatism, diabetes, food poisoning, balancing glucose levels in the blood, regulating blood pressure, supportive action to pancreas, spleen, liver and heart; for strengthening nerve and immune systems, and externally for treating burns, cold sores, acne, eczema, dermatitis, psoriasis, dandruff, cuts and wounds (with crushed Stevia leaves applied to the area to arrest bleeding).
Although Stevia sounds like a miracle herb, scientific research may suggest otherwise. Some scientists are concerned that Stevia could cause cancer and reproductive malfunction, but we need more thorough analysis of the compound and more controlled studies to make a final conclusion.
Some people hail the extract as a healthy all natural alternative to sugar, while others have health concerns about it, on the basis of laboratory research which suggests the need for further study. Since the passage of the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA), Stevia can be sold legally in the United States, but only as a "dietary supplement." Even so, it can be found in many forms in most health-food stores, and is also incorporated into drinks, teas and other items (all labelled as "dietary supplements"). To do so would render the product "adulterated," according to the FDA.
Stevia is available in many forms including liquid, teas, plants/leaves, pure white and green powdered extract and powdered blends with different fillers. Stevia can be used as a healthy substitute in any recipe, added to any dish since it is heat stable. The average conversion rate of sugar to Stevia is 1 cup of sugar per one teaspoonful of pure Stevia extract.
When used in beverages, Stevia dissolves quickly and easily and, depending on your taste preference, only a pinch is all that is needed. The real challenge to using Stevia is knowing what ingredients to use in a recipe to make up for the volume and consistency lost with the elimination of sugar, especially in baked goods. That’s why it’s a good idea to find Stevia cookbooks with proven recipes when you’re starting out.
High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)
High Fructose Corn Syrup has the same number of calories as table sugar and is equal in sweetness. It is composed of either 42 % or 55 % fructose, with the remaining sugars being primarily glucose. Glucose is one of the simplest forms of sugar that serves as a building block for most carbohydrates. Fructose is a simple sugar commonly found in fruit, berries, Honey and other natural sweeteners. By the composition is nearly identical to table sugar (sucrose), which is composed of 50 % fructose and 50 % glucose.
High Fructose Corn Syrup is made from corn, known scientifically as Zea mays. This moniker reflects its traditional name, maize, by which it was known to the Native Americans as well as many other cultures throughout the world. Hot, fresh corn-on-the-cob is an almost essential part of any diet and a worthy part of any healthful menu. Corn is a good source of many nutrients including thiamin (vitamin B1), pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), folate, dietary fibre, vitamin C, phosphorus and manganese.
The corn wet milling industry makes HFCS from corn starch using a series of unit processes. First, corn is steeped to soften the hard kernel. The next step includes physical separation of the kernel into its separate components—starch, corn hull, protein and oil. Starch is used for making Corn Syrup. After the breakdown of the starch to glucose, three types of enzymes (alpha-amylase, glucoamylase, and glucose-isomerase) are added to change the starch to glucose and then fructose. Pure glucose is then added to the mixture to create some ratio of fructose to glucose which comprises the final product - HFCS. It is sold principally in two formulations—42% fructose (HFCS-42) and 55% fructose (HFCS-55)—with the balance made up of primarily glucose and higher sugars.
HFCS-42 is slightly less sweet than sugar, and is used in baked goods and tinned goods and other such foodstuffs. HFCS-55, on the other hand is slightly sweeter than sugar, and is used extensively in sweetened beverages, where increased sweetness is desired. Because HFCS-55 is sweeter than sugar, but equivalent in terms of calories per gram, soft drink manufacturers can provide a sweeter taste to consumers without increasing calorie count.
High Fructose Corn Syrup is used in foods and beverages because of the many benefits it offers. HFCS is an excellent flavour enhancer, especially with regards to fruit and spice flavours HFCS contains no artificial or synthetic ingredients, keeps food fresh, enhances fruit and spice flavours, retains moisture in bran cereals, helps keep breakfast and energy bars moist, maintains consistent flavours in beverages and keeps ingredients evenly dispersed in condiments. In addition to providing sweetness at a level equivalent to sugar, High Fructose Corn Syrup makes foods such as bread and breakfast cereal "brown" better when baked, gives chewy breakfast bars their soft texture and also protects freshness. HFCS keeps products fresh by maintaining consistent moisture.
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