Let’s face it – almost all of us crave sweet at one point of the day or another. Then we give in to our craving and feel guilty about it, along with the feel of lethargy that sugar induces.
Here are our 5 top picks:
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Dates:
Dates boost of antioxidants. Try a handful of these in the next baking experiment. With a low glycemic index and some subtle sweetness, it may be perfect for batter for any baking. Substitute two-thirds cup for one cup of regular sugar.
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Honey:
Honey is 25 to 50% sweeter than sugar, and has a distinctive flavor. Using honey in baking or cooking makes the food dense and gives the food a beautiful brown color. Honey too packs a lot of antioxidant. A drop or two of honey in hot tea helps soothe a scratchy throat. Honey can also be used in salad dressing.
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Maple Syrup:
Maple syrup comes directly from plants sap, and packs almost 50 antioxidants. Get the real stuff from Whole Foods or local store. Maple syrup on a slice of plain brown bread is my comfort food.
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Applesauce:
Switch to applesauce for all white sugar you use for baking. Use the same amount of apple-sauce as you would have used sugar. This is easiest to make at home. Look up a recipe and make your own special apple-sauce
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Agave Nectar:
The Aztecs called this syrup ‘a gift from the Gods’. A derivative of the same plant as tequila (oh yes, cheers!), this golden sweetener tastes similar to honey and is perfect in hot or iced tea. Small note of caution – please use in moderation. Agave’s high fructose content can sometimes cross it in to the dangerfood zone!
Good news is no matter what we think; sweet doesn’t mean we have to load our body with harmful sugar. There are multiple sugar alternatives that we can use in our food so that we can eat out sweets without going on that guilt-trip.
