If you're trying to
lose weight, limiting refined white sugar is a step in the right direction: one
cup contains 774 calories and 200 grams of sugar. But when you're craving a
chocolate chip cookie, you want it to taste like Grandma's — not like a dull,
tasteless cracker. There are many all-natural sugar substitutes, but are they
really healthier than refined white?
Agave Nectar (also
called agave syrup)
Replace 2/3 cup for every one cup of sugar
432 calories, 97 grams sugar
Replace 2/3 cup for every one cup of sugar
432 calories, 97 grams sugar
·
How
it's made: Produced from
the same spiky plant as tequila. Once the blue agave plant reaches seven to 10
years old, the leaves are removed revealing the core of the plant called the
pina. Sap is extracted from the pina, filtered, and heated at a low temp to
break down the carbohydrates into sugars.
·
Additional
info: Lower on the
glycemic index, it offers sweetness without the spike in your blood sugar
levels. However, like white sugar, most agave
syrup is highly processed.
·
Baking
tips: Since it is a
syrup, you'll need to reduce the amount of liquid in the recipe by one-quarter
cup. Combine agave with the liquid or fats in your recipe before adding to the
dry ingredients in order to prevent oil from layering on top. Since agave
browns faster, lower the oven temp by 25 degrees, and because it can be a
little sticky, you might want to line your pan with parchment paper.
·
How
it's made: During the
sugar-making process, juice extracted from sugar cane is boiled down until the
sugars crystallize. The syrup left over after crystallization is known as
molasses. Sugar cane juice usually undergoes three cycles of boiling and
blackstrap molasses is the by-product of the third boiling cycle. This variety
of molasses contains the least amount of sugar and has the highest
concentration of vitamins and minerals.
·
Additional
info: Blackstrap
molasses is rich in nutrients; one cup contains more than the RDA of calcium,
potassium, and iron. It's also full of copper and B vitamins, which helps
eliminate cancer-causing free radicals.
·
Baking
tips: With such a
distinct, robust flavor, molasses is best saved for spiced breads and cookies.
Since it's acidic, add half a teaspoon of baking soda to the recipe if it’s not
already used, and reduce the liquid in the recipe by one-third cup.
Keep reading to learn
about baking with honey, maple syrup, and Sucanat.
·
How
it's made: Bees gather
nectar from flowers, and spread it throughout the honeycombs in the hive where
it evaporates and turns into a thick syrup, which is used to feed the colony.
·
Additional
info: It offers 132 mg
of potassium and may help reduce sore throats. Raw honey is rich
in B vitamins and also vitamin
C.
·
Baking
tips: Decrease the
liquid in your recipe by one-fifth, and lower the baking temp by 25 degrees to
prevent browning.
·
How
it's made: Sap is collected
from maple trees, boiled to evaporate the water, and the syrup is then filtered
and bottled. It takes between 35 and 50 gallons of sap to make just one gallon
of real maple syrup.
·
Additional
info: A one-cup
serving offers 180 mg of calcium, and also contains manganese, iron, and zinc,
important minerals for a strong immune system; it also contains 322 mg of
omega-6 fatty acids.
·
Baking
tips: Always use real
maple syrup — not maple flavored. Reduce the amount of liquid in recipes by
three tablespoons for each cup of maple syrup used. Baked goods will have a
brownish tint and also brown much faster so bake for less time or lower the
temp of the oven by 25 degrees.
Raw Cane Sugar
(evaporated cane sugar)
Replace one cup for every one cup of sugar
720 calories, 192 grams sugar
Replace one cup for every one cup of sugar
720 calories, 192 grams sugar
·
How
it's made: Freshly cut
sugar cane is crushed to extract the juice. Then the cane juice is heated to
evaporate the water, and then spun in a centrifuge to produce crystals that are
golden-colored due to the fact that the molasses is not removed.
·
Additional
info: Also know as
demerara or turbinado sugar, it's less refined than white sugar though it
is not any better from a nutritional standpoint; although it contains some molasses, it's too
small an amount to really offer the health benefits that molasses does.
·
Baking
tips: Since the
crystals can be larger than regular sugar (depending on the brand), you might
want to dissolve it in the liquids or beat it in with the eggs to ensure a
smooth texture.
·
How
it's made: Glycosides are
the components of stevia leaves responsible for the plant’s sweetness. The
leaves are placed in hot water, which is passed through a resin material to
trap and collect the glycosides. The resin is then washed with alcohol to free
the glycosides, and is then crystallized into the form you buy.
·
Additional
info: Some research
shows it can lower blood pressure and blood sugar levels. Since it's
calorie-free it's helpful for weight management.
·
Baking
tips: Reduce pan size
and baking temp by 25 percent, add an additional egg white or slightly increase
baking powder/soda, and add fruit puree or yogurt for moistness.
·
How
it's made: Whole sugar cane
is juiced and that liquid is heated in a large vat until it becomes a rich,
dark syrup. It's then crystallized, creating dry, porous, dark-brown granules.
·
Additional
info: Unlike refined
white sugar, Sucanat contains iron, calcium, vitamin A, vitamin B6, potassium,
and chromium.
Baking tips: Very similar to
baking with sugar, since it has a brownish color and tastes warm like molasses,
it's best used to replace brown sugar.
