What can I use instead of sugar?

The truth about sugar

Sugar is everywhere! In almost every common packaged food and in all our fast foods, it is hard to escape. Juice of the sugar cane plant (Saccharum officinarum) is processed and refined into the forms we’re all familiar with: White sugar, raw sugar, brown sugar and molasses. White sugar is the most heavily processed and contains 16 calories per teaspoon. It has absolutely no vitamins or minerals and has a glycemic index of 68. Bacteria in our mouths feed on Sugar and result in tooth decay. The yeast overgrowth condition, Candida, is caused directly by another bacteria feeding on sugar as it goes through our bodies. Our Immune systems are weakened by it and our pancreas is stressed by it as it tries to produce sufficient insulin so that sugar in our blood can be absorbed by our cells and converted to energy. When the pancreas becomes so stressed it is unable to produce the quantity of insulin our bodies need the result is diabetes

There are many substitutes out there. I won’t go into all the harmful effects of artificial sweeteners here because I’d rather cut straight to the good news. Here are a few of the natural sweetners that we can substitute for refined sugar.

Natual Sweetners

Bee Honey which is sweeter than sugar contains small amounts of nutrients and has many medicinal properties when consumed raw. It has a GI of 83. so it’s not suitable for diabetics. Although it can be used in baking Ayurvedic wisdom guards against cooking it.

Xylitol (967) is derived from hard wood, rice husks and corn cobs. It is of a similar sweetness to Sugar but with a Glycemic Index (GI) of 7 is safe for diabetics. Although it is relatively expensive it has some added bonuses. It can be heated without degrading. It inhibits the growth of plaque and aids in the remineralization of tooth enamel thus protecting against tooth decay. Calcium absorption in the intestines also benefits from Xylitol. Avoid taking more than 30g in a day as it could have a laxative effect.

Rice and Barely Malt are made from germinated grains. Both contain B vitamins and some minerals. Their GI makes them unsuitable for diabetics. They are about half the sweetness of sugar and can be used in baking.

Agave syrup is made from the same cactus-like plant that gives us tequila. It is 90% fructose with a GI of 14 making small amounts ok for diabetics. It is about 25% sweeter than sugar and can be used in baking (use ? less than you would sugar and reduce liquid by ?.)

Stevia is perfectly safe for diabetics with a GI of Zero. It is very powerful being 300 times sweeter than sugar. The leaves of the stevia plant are processed into powders, capsules and drops which can be used in baking.

Yacon Syrup although still not well known is ideal for diabetics. From the root of the Yacon plant (Smallanthus sonchifolius) which originated in South America this syrup is about half as sweet as sugar and can be used in baking. Yacon contains inulin, an indigestible sugar that feeds the healthy bacteria in the gut without entering the blood stream.

Maple Syrup is the concentrated sap from the sugar maple tree. About 40 liters of sap go to create one liter of the syrup. It contains some vitamins and minerals and has a GI 0f 83, making it unsafe for diabetics. Use in baking as per honey.

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