Sweeteners 101

How do you sweeten your food? Do you reach for a yellow packet of Splenda? Or is it a teaspoon of white sugar in your coffee? Perhaps a drizzle of honey on your toast?

For those trying to reduce consumption of processed and chemically treated foods, or just trying to reduce sugars from the diet, the market is full of misinformation. If you aim to go all natural, there aren’t many choices at the end of the day. With so many sweetening products and sugar alternatives claiming to be natural, it’s easy to get confused when looking for the healthiest, best tasting options. The right choice, though, can help prevent serious health problems encouraged by sugars and artificial sweeteners.

Most refined sugars are stripped of their nutrition through processing and are almost never “healthy” or even slightly “natural.” The alternatives, like maple syrup, barley malt and rice syrups, unrefined brown sugar, molasses, honey and agave nectar, all lend sweetness to food, but there are drawbacks to each one. The following sweeteners are listed according to the level of processing, from heavy to light.

Granulated white sugar has recently been championed by the processed food industry as a return to all natural goodness, but don’t buy into the hype. Common, ultra-refined sugar made from cane and/or beets flushes calcium and other minerals from bones and organs. Although initially alkaline, sugar has an acidic effect on the body. For recipes that need sugar’s carmelizing quality, use organic, unbleached varieties sparingly. Check out Suconat, an organic, fair-trade variety.

Confectioners sugar is granulated white sugar that's been crushed to a fine powder. It’s used primarily for icing and decorating desserts like funnel cakes. Leave this sweetener at the carnival with the cotton candy.

Agave nectar is a high-fructose syrup around twenty-five percent sweeter and more caloric than sugar. Agave nectar is concentrated fructose that has been highly processed with enzymatic chemistry, similar to corn syrup. High-fructose things are not found in nature and may have unpleasant long term effects. Research the production methods and the debate surrounding these “nectars” and you may conclude these products are hardly natural. A traditional Mexican product called miel de agave is of a different order, produced by boiling the sap of the agave.

Xylitol is a naturally occurring sugar alcohol found in small amounts in many fruits and vegetables including berries, cauliflower, corn, mushrooms, plums and oats. Current studies have shown no xylitol toxicity in humans, but it is dangerous and potentially fatal to dogs. Much of the xylitol on the world market is produced in China from Chinese Birch trees. In the United States, some xylitol is obtained from corn cobs. This presents a concern about domestic xylitol being derived from genetically modified corn. For baking or cooking it’s a good choice, but it will ruin yeast breads and stop bacterial action in yogurt and fermented foods. Also, people with sensitive digestion who begin using using substantial amounts of xylitol may notice mild diarrhea or cramping. Xylitol is produced in normal human metabolism along with the enzymes that break it down, so any initial discomfort usually disappears within a few days when enzyme production adjusts itself. Xylitol can create a cooling effect in the mouth that different people may find pleasant, unpleasant or neutral.

Erythritol is another sugar alcohol that naturally occurs in mushrooms and some fermented products like soy sauce and wine. Sugar alcohols are only partially absorbed in the small intestine, but erythritol is well absorbed and quickly excreted by the liver. For this reason erythritol is not associated with mild intestinal distress or laxative effects that can occur with other sugar alcohols. Both xylitol and erythritol create a distinct cooling effect in the mouth that can detract from subtle flavors and textures. The sweet white crystals are obtained by precise yeast fermentation of fruits and vegetable fiber, resulting in an enzyme reaction that yields erythritol. Check out the sweetener Swerve. 

Stevia refers to extracts and preparations derived from the green leaves of the stevia plant, a subtropical member of the chrysanthemum family. New mass-market preparations have removed Stevia’s distinct liquorice-like taste and rely on an extract called Rebiana that is 300 to 400 times sweeter than cane sugar. This compound is isolated from the leaves and added to bulking agents like corn dextrose, which dilute the sweetness and provide sugar-like measurability. The new processes are removing the unpleasant aftertaste associated with stevia, however these processes take the stevia in products like Truvia and Stevia in the Raw further from nature. Despite this processing, stevia products can be near perfect alternatives in sweetening all types of cooking and beverages.

Unrefined brown sugar a.k.a. evaporated cane juice is the crystallized result of evaporating purified cane juice. Its distinctive caramel flavor comes in a variety of nuances including demerara, muscovado, turbinado and jaggery. These varieties keep much of the original flavor, color and nutrients of the cane, making them slightly more nutritious and much more flavorful than refined varieties. However, it is still pure sugar.

Molasses is about sixty-five percent as sweet as sugar with a pungent, warm flavor. It is the syrup that remains after the sucrose is crystallized out of sugar cane juice during the refining process. Molasses can be great in baking, as all gingersnap addicts will agree. There are three grades of molasses: mild or barbados, also known as first or light molasses from the first boiling of the cane; dark, or second molasses; and blackstrap, from the third boiling. These grades may be sulphured or unsulphured. Blackstrap is highest in minerals and lowest in sugar, and is often preferred by health conscious people for these reasons. Unsulphured molasses is made from mature cane, which does not need sulphur treatment.

Amasake is an ancient whole grain sweetener from Asia made from cultured brown rice. It has a thick, pudding-like consistency that works well in many recipes from baking to oatmeal. Amasake can be found at larger Asian groceries.

Barley Malt is sprouted barley that has been soaked further, then cooked down to make a thick syrup. Malted barley is rich in enzymes that help convert its starch into sugars and it also contains protein. Barley malt is digested more slowly and produces a gentler rise in blood sugar compared to other sweeteners. With a rich malt flavor that enhances many baked goods and candies, Aunt Patty's Barley Malt is a good choice.

Rice syrup is about half as sweet as regular sugar and is a good choice because its complex sugars are absorbed slowly into the bloodstream. Many rice syrups include barley malt, which is a problem for people with gluten sensitivity. Aunt Patty's is a great choice for chai teas and coffee drinks.

Maple Syrup is twice as sweet as white sugar with an earthy caramel flavor. During March and April the sap of the sugar maple tree is collected and boiled down to make Grade A and B syrup. Grade B syrup is made toward the end of the season resulting in a darker, strong-flavored syrup that's great for those who love the taste of maple. Late season syrup also contains more minerals, including manganese which is essential to the body’s ability to make some of its most important enzymes. Maple syrup and maple sugar are among the least refined sweeteners and are more nutritious then refined table sugar and high fructose corn syrup.

Coconut sugar, sometimes mislabeled palm sugar, is made from the sweet sap of tropical coconut palm blossoms. It has a potent, yet subtle sweetness with a hint of caramel. Considered a low glycemic food, coconut sugar is a 1:1 substitute for white sugar and tastes great in coffee or recipes. It is also relatively high in amino acid proteins, and can be found in health food stores and ethnic food shops.

Honey produced by bees from flower nectar is the oldest unrefined sweetener. Honey arrived in North America ten years after the pilgrims landed at Plymouth, when an order of honeybees arrived from Italy in 1630. Bees forage up to a mile from their hive and visit various types of blossom for nectar. When a particular flower is cited on the honey container then it was the predominant flower blooming in the harvest area. Dark honeys will have stronger flavors than lighter ones. Choose local, raw and unfiltered varieties. Health note: Honey can contain spores of clostridium botulinum, a common soil bacteria that can cause botulism. Don't feed honey to children under the age of one because of the risk of food poisoning. The stomach acids of infants are not strong enough to counter some bacterial spores.

Date sugar consists of ground, dehydrated dates. A high-fiber whole food, with plenty of vitamins and minerals, date sugar can be substituted for granulated sugar or brown sugar cup for cup, but it doesn’t dissolve in liquids. Date sugar is a healthier sugar alternative that can be used in recipes.

 

Ethan Engel is the associate editor of Marmapoints.