As we head into the holidays, we will probably be eating and cooking a lot more sweets. It’s just that time of year, and there’s no reason why we should totally deny ourselves. That being said, all sugars are not created equal. Here are the sweeteners that I prefer to use:
1. Stevia: This is made from the stevia plant and has no carbs. It has a rating of zero on the glycemic index. It is a gazillion times sweeter than sugar, so use sparingly. It come sometimes leave a bitter aftertaste. The best chocolate I’ve ever tasted, that is sweetened with stevia is Coco Polo.
2. Raw Honey: It has more calories than refined sugar, but more nutrients and trace minerals. Always buy organic, raw honey because conventionally produced honey has been found to be devoid of nutrients, and high in pesticides. Raw honey has half the glycemic index of refined/pasteurized honey.
3. Manuka Honey: This is exclusively from New Zealand, where the bees feed on the tea tree bush. It’s been found to have medicinal properties. With a UMF (unique manuka factor,) of between 18 – 18, this honey can help with all kinds of conditions such as sore throats and external wounds. It’s very strong and so delicious. If it wasn’t so expensive, I’d eat it on toast everyday!
4. Brown Rice Syrup: This is one of my favorite sweeteners for baking and pancakes. It does, however, have quite a high glycemic index, so if you need to avoid sugars for health reasons, it may not be the best choice. It has a caramel/malty taste, and is not too sweet. I love Lundberg’s Brown Rice Syrup. There was a scare a while ago about arsenic found is some brown rice syrups, however, Lundberg has directly addressed these issues thoroughly.
5.Coconut Palm Sugar: This is made from the sap of coconut palms. It’s a relatively new find for me, and I love it because it its slightly nutty taste. It has a pretty low glycemic index of around 35, which is just a bit higher than raw honey.
6. Date Puree: This is so healthy, and a great way to sweeten desserts, cookies, cakes and even your breakfast oatmeal when you are trying to stay away from too much sugar. I simply simmer 1 cup of dates in 2 cups of water for about 30 minutes and then puree them (remember to remove the stones!). I keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
7. Agave Nectar: There has been so much controversy about Agave Nectar, and a lot of hype about it being no better than high fructose corn syrup. I disagree. It has a pretty low glycemic index (15-30), and is great for sweetening tea, especially iced tea. If you are confused about what you’ve read, I think this blog post best explains it.
8. Xylitol: This has a very low glycemic index (7). It’s a natural sugar alcohol. It is thought to have numerous health benefits – even fighting cavities, which is why it’s now added to many brands of chewing gum. I looks like white refined sugar, and can be used in place of sugar for virtually anything.
