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04.06.2014

Sugar: Addictive, Tempting, delicious…harmful

Addictive, Tempting, delicious, harmful – sugar can wreak havoc on the body.
We all know (or should know!) that white sugar is not that great…. some might even put it in the ‘evil’ category. Check out the list below or some great natural/alternative sugars!

Raw honey

Of course unless you’re a vegan, raw honey is proabaly the most popular natural sweetener! Remember to purchase honey that’s been organically and locally produced to reap the full benefits. Add it to your tea, drizzle over your cereal or pancakes, or add it to your cookies and biscuits when baking.

Molasses

Blackstrap molasses will provide you with a whole host of important minerals, has a low glycemic index, which means the glucose and carbohydrates are metabolised slowly, demanding less insulin production and stabilising blood sugar. It’s quite thick and strong, it’s also sweeter than sugar and so you’ll need less and is best used in baking. Be sure to buy unsulfured, organic Molasses.

Maple syrup

Maple syrup is the deliciousness that flows from the saps of maple trees.Mostly associated with pancakes and waffles, maple syrup is a great natural sweetener to use in home made cookies, crumbles, ice creams, cakes, and it is delicious when drizzled over fruit. However, be sure to buy authentic organic maple syrup to ensure your body is receiving the full nutritional benefits. Conventional syrups are usually fake coloured sugar water and not so healthy.

Dates

Dates are naturally very sweet, but they’re also packed with fibre. If you are using them whole, the Medjool dates are the best. Dates are great in puddings, bars, snack balls, muffins, cakes… the list goes on. You can even make your own date paste (actually tastes like caramel!) by softening them with a little water over low heat, and then blending.

Xylitol

A natural sugar alcohol found in the fibers of fruit and vegetables. It tastes very much like sugar but has a very low impact on the blood sugar and is much lower in calories. Xylitol is commonly used by health conscious people in baking because it’s the perfect substitute for regular sugar, as it has the same sweetening ability as sugar, which means that you can use the same quantity of xylitol as sugar when baking.

Rapadura Sugar

Rapadura is unrefined and is produce from evaporating the water from pure sugar cane juice.  Popular for its beautiful caramel flavour and golden colour, Rapadura is the perfect product for baking and can be substituted 1:1 for regular sugar. It metabolises much slower than refined white sugar and it will not affect your blood sugar levels as much.  The difference between Rapadura and Raw Sugar, is that Rapadura has been extracted from the sugar cane using a press and over very low heat.  Because a low heat has been used, all of the vitamins and minerals have been retained due to the molasses’s remaining in tact.  Unlike Raw Sugar which has been extracted using very high heat, which strips it of the natural vitamins and minerals.

Stevia

A herb native to South American, that is 300 times sweeter than sugar, so you only need a small amount. If you’re diabetic or worried about your blood sugar levels, stevia is the way to go. Stevia is the only safe calorie-free sweetener currently available, it can be used in a variety of baking, desserts, as well as your tea and coffee.

Coconut Sugar

Coconut sugar is becoming a favourite among vegans and raw foodies. It has a low glycemic index, can be substituted for sugar basically 1:1
It’s made from boiled down coconut tree sap .. but still has the same fructose content as honey. However, it is one of the most sustainable sweeteners in the world.
http://coconutpalmsugar.com/Sustainability.html

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