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A Better Choice: Natural Sweeteners
Seeds for Change Wellness.....Silverdale, PA....267-377-0088...Contact Us
Local Office Serving Bucks & Montgomery Counties
Visit Our Blogs:
Seeds for Change & Just a List
Local Office Serving Bucks & Montgomery Counties
Visit Our Blogs:
Seeds for Change & Just a List
A Better Choice: Natural Sweeteners
Source
Got a sweet-tooth? Need an alternative to sugar? Eating natural foods doesn't have to be without an occasional
treat. Experiment with these alternative sweeteners found commonly in health food stores and co-ops. There are
many healthy sweet choices available to replace sugar.
Barley Malt Syrup:
Sprouted barley. Maltose, glucose, complex carbohydrates; 65 percent maltose, 30 percent complex
carbohydrate, 3% protein. Dark brown, thick and sticky; strong distinctive flavor, like molasses. Half as sweet as
white sugar.
Best used in combination with other sweeteners (use no more than 40% barley malt). Wonderful in spice cakes,
gingerbread and baked beans. I like it in cookies too. Substitute 1&1/3 cups barley malt for every 1 cup white
sugar called for. Reduce liquid in recipe by 1/4 cup and add 1/4 teaspoon baking soda per cup barley malt used.
Purchase only 100% barley malt, not barley/corn malt syrup. Store refrigerated. Organic available.
Blackstrap Molasses
70 percent sucrose. The dark, syrupy "leftovers" from the sugar-refining process. Marginally qualifies as a natural
sweetener, but it does contain most, if not all, of the redeeming value of the original cane plant--such as thiamine,
riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, and chromium, as well as other
micronutrients. Very strong flavor. A source of iron.
Excellent sweetener in quick-breads (such as zucchini bread), cookies, cakes, and pies. I sometimes use half
molasses and half honey, brown rice syrup, or barley malt syrup when baking.
Brown Rice Syrup
Brown rice and various enzymes. Maltose, glucose, complex carbohydrates; 50 percent maltose and 37 percent
complex carbohydrate. Amber colored syrup with mild "butterscotch" flavor. Half as sweet as white sugar.
Baked goods made with rice syrup tend to be hard or very crisp. Use brown rice syrup in cookies, crisps, granola,
pies, puddings. Do not use in cakes or any type of bread-- produces a gooey center. Substitute 1&1/3 cups for
every 1 cup white sugar called for in recipe. Reduce liquid by 1/4 cup and add 1/4 teaspoon baking soda per cup
rice syrup used. Store refrigerated. Organic available.
Date Sugar
Ground, dehydrated dates. Sucrose, glucose, fructose, complex carbohydrates. Contains folic acid. Mahogany
color, coarse granules, kinda moist.
Use in crisps, crunches, as sprinkle or topping. Substitute like amounts for white sugar. Have read that you should
dissolve in a small amount of water before adding to batters, but I have never done this. Use in combination with
other sweeteners. Burns easily. Purchase date sugar made from unsulfured, organically grown dates. Store in a
tightly closed jar.
Evaporated White Grape Juice and Brown Rice Syrup
(Fruitsource, manufactured by Fruitsource Confections, Inc.)33 percent or more complex carbohydrate. Yellowish-
white, granulated sweetener;
Fruitsource is especially good to use when Sucanat is too dark colored for use in a recipe. I often use half
Sucanat and half Fruitsource, when I wish to avoid having too strong of a"fruit" taste, such as when making
cookies, brownies, cakes, etc. Substitute like amounts for white sugar in recipes. Store airtight, away from all
moisture, or it will turn to granite! I buy small amounts and replace as needed.
Evaporated Whole Cane Juice (Rapadura, Sucanat)
* Buyer Beware of false claims! "Evaporated whole cane juice" is a term used loosely on labels. Florida Crystals,
turbinado, and raw sugar definitely do not qualify! Sugar cane, water removed. Minerals and molasses are
retained. Sucrose and invert sugars*. Amber-colored coarse granules, mild molasses-like taste. WARNING: Just
in: Sucanat may not be truly "evaporated" whole cane juice as it once was; have been informed that method has
been switched to "crystallization" which requires the adding back of molasses to an essentially refined product.
Rapadura, manufactured by Rapunzel, continues to be 100% organic and is obtained through an evaporation
process.
This is the sweetener I use most at home, because of its rich flavor, relatively low cost, and ease of substitution.
Use in virtually anything calling for refined sugar. Replace refined sugars with like amounts. Add 1/4 tsp. baking
soda per cup Sucanat. Be sure to purchase organic. Any pesticides and chemicals used on the cane will be
concentrated during processing. Store in tightly covered container.
Honey
Extracted from flower nectar by bees. Fructose, glucose, sucrose. Color and taste depend upon flower source.
20% to 60% sweeter than white sugar; use less!
Use in all baked goods. Honey has a very distinctive taste that takes getting used to for some people, but once
you start cooking with it, it grows on you. Once source I have says use 2/3 to 3/4 as much honey as white sugar in
recipes, but the other says only 1/2 as much. I tend to use half and have been satisfied. Reduce liquid by 1/4 cup,
but if there is no liquid to reduce, add 3-4 tablespoons of flour for each 1/2 honey used. Also add 1/8 teaspoon
baking soda per half cup of honey. Reduce oven 25 degrees and adjust baking time. Buy only pure, raw honey,
as some honey has sugar added to it and/or has been cooked. Some vegans don’t use honey as bees are
sometimes killed after season. Don’t give honey to children under age 2, as it can transmit botulism. Honey can
adversely affect blood sugar levels.
Maple Syrup
From sap of maple trees (not the imposters in grocery stores!); about 40 gallons of sap produce 1 gallon of syrup;
60% sucrose plus invert sugars; dark brown with maple flavor; high in potassium and calcium.
Use in all baked goods; wonderful in cakes and pies. Substitute 2/3 to 3/4 cup maple syrup for 1 cup white sugar.
Reduce liquid in recipe by 3 T. and add 1/4 tsp. baking soda per cup maple syrup. Great on whole-grain
pancakes and waffles. Buy only pure U.S. organic. Some maple producers still use illegal formaldehyde pellets
and other additives during processing. Store refrigerated
Maple Syrup Granules (Maple Sugar)
Dehydrated maple syrup. 93% sucrose, 1% to 3% invert sugars. Light brown granules with maple flavor.
Use in all baked goods. This stuff is quite expensive, but I think it is perhaps the most richly flavorful of the bunch.
Substitute straight across for white or brown sugar called for in recipes. Add 1/8 teaspoon baking soda per cup
maple sugar. Store in tightly closed container. Organic available.
Mixed Fruit Juice Concentrate
Peach, pear, grape, and pineapple juice most common. Sucrose, some natural fructose. Generally amber colored
and fruity tasting.
Use in all baked goods and desserts, especially spice, carob, and chocolate cakes. Substitute 2/3 cup for 1 cup
white sugar. Reduce liquid 1/3 cup per cup and add 1/4 teaspoon baking soda per cup concentrate. Reduce oven
25 degrees and adjust baking time. Some concentrates are more acidic than others. Store in refrigerator, but use
at room temperature.
Stevia
Stevioside A perennial shrub of the aster family; available in whole or broken leaves, coarse ground, powder
extract, or liquid extract; 8-300 times sweeter than table sugar (depending on quality and whether it is leaf or
extract) but with 0 calories; sweetening attributes are the glycosides (Steviosides, Rebaudiosides and a
Dulcoside).
Grade A Paraguayan Stevia is the best, but hard to locate in the United States. Chinese and other non-
Paraguayan Stevia may have an unpleasant aftertaste (bitter or grassy-tasting). (Emperor's Herbologist
Stevioside is exceptional and has no unpleasant aftertaste.) For use in baking, the leaves are best dried and
finely ground with a mortar and pestle. Dried stevia keeps its flavor for months. Use one teaspoon in place of one
cup of sugar. Another source says to use 1-1.5 T. of green Stevia powder to replace 1 cup of sugar, or 1/4 tsp.
white Stevia extract powder to replace 1 cup sugar. To make your own liquid solution, dissolve 1 tsp. white Stevia
powder in 3 T. pure water and pour concentrate into a small bottle with a dropper; store in fridge. Approximately 1
tsp. of concentrate equals 1 cup of sugar. You will have to experiment in converting recipes, adjusting liquid and
dry ingredients to make up for the lack of bulk that Stevia provides. Ground Stevia may be sprinkled lightly over
cooking vegetables and meats, cereals and salads; significantly enhances the flavor and nutritional value of the
food.
Start experimenting today with some of the healthy alternatives to sugar and artificial sugar substitutes.
Source
Got a sweet-tooth? Need an alternative to sugar? Eating natural foods doesn't have to be without an occasional
treat. Experiment with these alternative sweeteners found commonly in health food stores and co-ops. There are
many healthy sweet choices available to replace sugar.
Barley Malt Syrup:
Sprouted barley. Maltose, glucose, complex carbohydrates; 65 percent maltose, 30 percent complex
carbohydrate, 3% protein. Dark brown, thick and sticky; strong distinctive flavor, like molasses. Half as sweet as
white sugar.
Best used in combination with other sweeteners (use no more than 40% barley malt). Wonderful in spice cakes,
gingerbread and baked beans. I like it in cookies too. Substitute 1&1/3 cups barley malt for every 1 cup white
sugar called for. Reduce liquid in recipe by 1/4 cup and add 1/4 teaspoon baking soda per cup barley malt used.
Purchase only 100% barley malt, not barley/corn malt syrup. Store refrigerated. Organic available.
Blackstrap Molasses
70 percent sucrose. The dark, syrupy "leftovers" from the sugar-refining process. Marginally qualifies as a natural
sweetener, but it does contain most, if not all, of the redeeming value of the original cane plant--such as thiamine,
riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, and chromium, as well as other
micronutrients. Very strong flavor. A source of iron.
Excellent sweetener in quick-breads (such as zucchini bread), cookies, cakes, and pies. I sometimes use half
molasses and half honey, brown rice syrup, or barley malt syrup when baking.
Brown Rice Syrup
Brown rice and various enzymes. Maltose, glucose, complex carbohydrates; 50 percent maltose and 37 percent
complex carbohydrate. Amber colored syrup with mild "butterscotch" flavor. Half as sweet as white sugar.
Baked goods made with rice syrup tend to be hard or very crisp. Use brown rice syrup in cookies, crisps, granola,
pies, puddings. Do not use in cakes or any type of bread-- produces a gooey center. Substitute 1&1/3 cups for
every 1 cup white sugar called for in recipe. Reduce liquid by 1/4 cup and add 1/4 teaspoon baking soda per cup
rice syrup used. Store refrigerated. Organic available.
Date Sugar
Ground, dehydrated dates. Sucrose, glucose, fructose, complex carbohydrates. Contains folic acid. Mahogany
color, coarse granules, kinda moist.
Use in crisps, crunches, as sprinkle or topping. Substitute like amounts for white sugar. Have read that you should
dissolve in a small amount of water before adding to batters, but I have never done this. Use in combination with
other sweeteners. Burns easily. Purchase date sugar made from unsulfured, organically grown dates. Store in a
tightly closed jar.
Evaporated White Grape Juice and Brown Rice Syrup
(Fruitsource, manufactured by Fruitsource Confections, Inc.)33 percent or more complex carbohydrate. Yellowish-
white, granulated sweetener;
Fruitsource is especially good to use when Sucanat is too dark colored for use in a recipe. I often use half
Sucanat and half Fruitsource, when I wish to avoid having too strong of a"fruit" taste, such as when making
cookies, brownies, cakes, etc. Substitute like amounts for white sugar in recipes. Store airtight, away from all
moisture, or it will turn to granite! I buy small amounts and replace as needed.
Evaporated Whole Cane Juice (Rapadura, Sucanat)
* Buyer Beware of false claims! "Evaporated whole cane juice" is a term used loosely on labels. Florida Crystals,
turbinado, and raw sugar definitely do not qualify! Sugar cane, water removed. Minerals and molasses are
retained. Sucrose and invert sugars*. Amber-colored coarse granules, mild molasses-like taste. WARNING: Just
in: Sucanat may not be truly "evaporated" whole cane juice as it once was; have been informed that method has
been switched to "crystallization" which requires the adding back of molasses to an essentially refined product.
Rapadura, manufactured by Rapunzel, continues to be 100% organic and is obtained through an evaporation
process.
This is the sweetener I use most at home, because of its rich flavor, relatively low cost, and ease of substitution.
Use in virtually anything calling for refined sugar. Replace refined sugars with like amounts. Add 1/4 tsp. baking
soda per cup Sucanat. Be sure to purchase organic. Any pesticides and chemicals used on the cane will be
concentrated during processing. Store in tightly covered container.
Honey
Extracted from flower nectar by bees. Fructose, glucose, sucrose. Color and taste depend upon flower source.
20% to 60% sweeter than white sugar; use less!
Use in all baked goods. Honey has a very distinctive taste that takes getting used to for some people, but once
you start cooking with it, it grows on you. Once source I have says use 2/3 to 3/4 as much honey as white sugar in
recipes, but the other says only 1/2 as much. I tend to use half and have been satisfied. Reduce liquid by 1/4 cup,
but if there is no liquid to reduce, add 3-4 tablespoons of flour for each 1/2 honey used. Also add 1/8 teaspoon
baking soda per half cup of honey. Reduce oven 25 degrees and adjust baking time. Buy only pure, raw honey,
as some honey has sugar added to it and/or has been cooked. Some vegans don’t use honey as bees are
sometimes killed after season. Don’t give honey to children under age 2, as it can transmit botulism. Honey can
adversely affect blood sugar levels.
Maple Syrup
From sap of maple trees (not the imposters in grocery stores!); about 40 gallons of sap produce 1 gallon of syrup;
60% sucrose plus invert sugars; dark brown with maple flavor; high in potassium and calcium.
Use in all baked goods; wonderful in cakes and pies. Substitute 2/3 to 3/4 cup maple syrup for 1 cup white sugar.
Reduce liquid in recipe by 3 T. and add 1/4 tsp. baking soda per cup maple syrup. Great on whole-grain
pancakes and waffles. Buy only pure U.S. organic. Some maple producers still use illegal formaldehyde pellets
and other additives during processing. Store refrigerated
Maple Syrup Granules (Maple Sugar)
Dehydrated maple syrup. 93% sucrose, 1% to 3% invert sugars. Light brown granules with maple flavor.
Use in all baked goods. This stuff is quite expensive, but I think it is perhaps the most richly flavorful of the bunch.
Substitute straight across for white or brown sugar called for in recipes. Add 1/8 teaspoon baking soda per cup
maple sugar. Store in tightly closed container. Organic available.
Mixed Fruit Juice Concentrate
Peach, pear, grape, and pineapple juice most common. Sucrose, some natural fructose. Generally amber colored
and fruity tasting.
Use in all baked goods and desserts, especially spice, carob, and chocolate cakes. Substitute 2/3 cup for 1 cup
white sugar. Reduce liquid 1/3 cup per cup and add 1/4 teaspoon baking soda per cup concentrate. Reduce oven
25 degrees and adjust baking time. Some concentrates are more acidic than others. Store in refrigerator, but use
at room temperature.
Stevia
Stevioside A perennial shrub of the aster family; available in whole or broken leaves, coarse ground, powder
extract, or liquid extract; 8-300 times sweeter than table sugar (depending on quality and whether it is leaf or
extract) but with 0 calories; sweetening attributes are the glycosides (Steviosides, Rebaudiosides and a
Dulcoside).
Grade A Paraguayan Stevia is the best, but hard to locate in the United States. Chinese and other non-
Paraguayan Stevia may have an unpleasant aftertaste (bitter or grassy-tasting). (Emperor's Herbologist
Stevioside is exceptional and has no unpleasant aftertaste.) For use in baking, the leaves are best dried and
finely ground with a mortar and pestle. Dried stevia keeps its flavor for months. Use one teaspoon in place of one
cup of sugar. Another source says to use 1-1.5 T. of green Stevia powder to replace 1 cup of sugar, or 1/4 tsp.
white Stevia extract powder to replace 1 cup sugar. To make your own liquid solution, dissolve 1 tsp. white Stevia
powder in 3 T. pure water and pour concentrate into a small bottle with a dropper; store in fridge. Approximately 1
tsp. of concentrate equals 1 cup of sugar. You will have to experiment in converting recipes, adjusting liquid and
dry ingredients to make up for the lack of bulk that Stevia provides. Ground Stevia may be sprinkled lightly over
cooking vegetables and meats, cereals and salads; significantly enhances the flavor and nutritional value of the
food.
Start experimenting today with some of the healthy alternatives to sugar and artificial sugar substitutes.