With a growing interest in nutrition many people are turning away from regular white sugar in search of healthier sugar alternatives. Let’s first get an important fact out of the way: molecularly, sugar is sugar regardless of form. Therefore just because you decide to sweeten your tea with honey doesn’t mean you’re cleared to use 3 teaspoons versus 1 teaspoon of sugar. Let’s also avoid slapping “Villain” over all boxes of sugars. The problem with consumption of sugar by Americans is a decreased sensitivity to the sweet stuff thanks to overloading most processed food with some form of sugar. This overload increased our threshold for sugar, thus increasing the amount of sugar our tastebuds want in order to be satisfied. But we can fix this threshold by steering clear of processed foods, artificial sugars, and teaching our taste buds to appreciate smaller does of sugar.
AGAVE NECTOR
This sweeter than sugar nectar is harvested from the Blue Agave plant. It’s a good jumping off point for slowing decreasing your sugar intake since it lacks a distinctive flavor. As already mentioned, it is sweeter than sugar so try using a bit less to sweeten your beverages and meals.
HONEY
Honey adds an additional element of earthiness, try a teaspoon in a dijon dressing or balsamic vinaigrette. Be wary of utilizing honey for very sweet desserts as honey tends to be less sweet than sugar, therefore to attain the higher level of sweetness with addition of even more honey, you’ll end up with an overpowering honey flavor.
MAPLE SYRUP
Be sure to purchase Grade A, meaning not the processed variety with added sugars. This real maple syrup is harvested from maple trees then bottled, no messing around with additives. You’ll notice the grades of syrup are followed by color: golden, amber, dark, and very dark. Try them all if you like, or stick to amber, a popular choice. For baking, you’ll want to use 1/3 cup less syrup than required sugar, since maple syrup is a bit sweeter. You’re also adding moisture, so adding a few minutes to baking time is a good idea.
CRUSHED BERRIES
Crushed berries offer a fabulous alternative and add a bit more flavor. Use in teas, salad dressings, smoothies, and muffins. If crushing with a spoon isn’t enough, simmer the berries with some water and a bit of lemon juice until they all burst, which release their juices. Pass through a sieve if you want no pulp (all that pulp has nutritious fiber though!)
APPLE SAUCE
Either make your own sugar-free apple sauce or check the labels when purchasing jarred versions. When baking, substitute apple sauce for the sugar in a 1:1 ratio. As mentioned above, add a few minutes of cooking time since you’re adding moisture. The final product won’t be as sweet, but as you wean yourself off sugar you’ll barely notice.
BEETS
Try roasted beets in chocolate baked goods for elevated flavor and nutrition. Roasted vegetables in general become sweeter when roasted due to the breaking down of cell walls which release their natural starches and sugars. Roast beets in aluminum foil at 425 degrees until tender, 30-45 min depending on size. Let them cool then peel and grate or puree and add in place of sugar to your favorite chocolate cake or brownie recipe. Like the applesauce and syrup substitutions, you may need to add a few minutes of cooking time. The beets will add a deep red color to the batter, which when paired with the brown chocolate will look beautiful. The chocolate will mask the earthiness of the beets so don’t worry about a noticeable beet flavor in your dessert.
