Saturday, October 19, 2013

Natural Sweeteners...a better choice


Honey, preferably raw:  Raw honey is chock full of enzymes and amylases that help us more easily digest carbs.  Local honey contains pollens that can help ease allergies.  Honey has trace amounts of vitamins and minerals and contains many antioxidants.

Maple Syrup:  Maple syrup is full of trace minerals such as calcium, manganese, iron and zinc.

Rapadura:  aka dehydrated cane sugar juice.  This sweetener is rich in minerals and is close enough to sugar for baked goods.

Stevia:  This is an herb and a little goes a long way.  Some people are sensitive to stevia and be aware that many commercial packets contain additives.

Date Sugar:  Date sugar does not dissolve easily, so it is great on top of muffins or in oatmeal.  It is high in tryptophan, which is an amino acid that has a calming effect.

Molasses: high in B vitamins and minerals such as iron, zinc, copper, calcium and chromium, this sweetener.

Sorghum syrup:  ditch all that agave syrup/nectar and try sorghum syrup, instead.  It is rich in B vitamins and minerals such as phosphorus, iron and calcium.

The best thing we can do is get used to a lower sweets diet and save sweetened food as a treat rather than a regular part of our daily diet.  It takes some time, but one thing I've personally noticed is that the less refined/fake sugars in my diet, the more I taste the natural sweetness of fruits and vegetables and the flavors of unsweetened foods.

The Healthy Home Economist
Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon
Nutrition Facts
The World's Healthiest Foods
Authority Nutrition


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