Healthier Forms of Sweeteners

• HONEY is twice as sweet as white sugar and contains small amounts of minerals and enzymes.  The darker the honey, the stronger the flavor, but the more minerals it contains.  Beware of mainstream brands of honey which are overheated, finely filtered, which removes most of the bee pollen, and often processed with sugar or corn syrup.  Look for raw, unfiltered honey, usually found in the health food section of the grocery store. 

• Blackstrap Molasses is a by-product of the sugar refining process; it is what is left over after white table sugar has been made from the sugar cane.  Blackstrap molasses is very high in minerals such as calcium, iron and potassium.  Blackstrap molasses has a very strong flavor, almost coffee-like.

• Agave Nectar is a new sweetener extracted from the core of Agave, a cactus-like plant native to Mexico.  It is about35% sweeter than sugar and it absorbs slowly into the body eliminating the highs and lows associated with sugar intake.  It has a delicious sweet, mild flavor.

• Maple Syrup comes from the sap of the maple trees, which has been boiled down to make a concentrated sweetener. It takes 40 gallons of maple sap to make one gallon of pure maple syrup, so it can be a little expensive, but well worth the price.  It is available in Grade A and Grade B.  Grade A has a delicate flavor and a light amber color.  Grade B is thicker, darker and has more minerals and a stronger flavor.  This is an excellent substitute for pancake syrup, which is most always made with corn syrup and contains no nutrients.

• Fruit Sweeteners can be found in products ranging from soft drinks to cereals.  The most common fruit sweeteners are apple, white grape and pear juices, often used in their concentrated form.  Look also for fruit sweeteners sold individually, such as FruitSource brand sweetener.

• Grain sweeteners, such as barley malt and brown rice syrup are the sweetener of choice of many natural food enthusiasts, given that they are largely composed of complex carbohydrates and are absorbed slowly by the body.

• Stevia is an herb from South America.  Stevia is 300 times sweeter than sugar and is non-caloric and does not affect blood glucose levels, so it can be used by people with diabetes or hypoglycemia.  It comes in tablet, powder or liquid form. It is excellent in iced tea.

• Sucanat is a brand name which is the abbreviation for “Sugar Cane Natural”.  It is an unrefined sweetener which contains only the dehydrated juice of organically grown sugar cane.  It is mechanically extracted and no chemicals are used during this process. It contains all the vitamins and minerals sugar cane has before it is processed into white sugar.