Of course we have no nutritional need for sweeteners – whether they’re dry or liquid – but they sure do make life sweet! Here is some helpful info about the sweeteners we can most certainly cut down on but don’t necessarily have to live without if we don’t want to.
Dry Sweeteners
White Sugar – The two major types of refined sugar produced in the United States are beet sugar and cane sugar, the latter being more common and very resource-intensive. Choose organic, fair-trade sugar when possible.
Brown Sugar – Brown sugar is simply refined white sugar with molasses added to it. Everything you use white and brown sugar for can be replaced with Sucanat (see below).
Confectioners’ or powdered sugar – This is simply granulated sugar that has been crushed into a powder, so it’s very soft and very fine.
Turbinado sugar is a made by separating raw cane sugar crystals in a centrifuge (turbines, hence the name) and washing them with steam. Turbinado sugar does not pass through a bone char filter, as is the case with some refined white sugars, because its brown color is desirable. You can replace white sugar with turbinado measure for measure.
Sucanat stands for SUgar CAne NATural and is made from evaporated sugar cane juice. It is then milled into granules much the same size as white sugar, but with a tawny hue. Though I don’t look to sugar for my nutrients, it’s worth saying that it does contain trace vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients found in sugar cane. Sucanat has a mild flavor, with a hint of molasses. As an all-purpose sweetener for baking, cooking, and in hot or cold drinks, use it as a 1-to-1 replacement for white sugar, though it’s a little coarse and might not dissolve as well in beverages.
Date Sugar is not actually sugar in the conventional sense (in that it’s not made from cane or beets), but rather it is made dates that are dehydrated and ground. Since dates are high in fiber and rich in vitamins and minerals, date “sugar” has some nutrients as well. It can be used measure for measure for sugar in baking or used in place of brown sugar to make crumb toppings for pies and fruit crisps. Like sucanat, it doesn’t dissolve well, so it’s not a good option for sweetening beverages.
Liquid Sweeteners
Maple Syrup is the boiled-down sap of maple trees. It takes 40 gallons of sap to make one gallon of syrup. Not all maple syrup is pure, so it is best to buy organic maple syrup. Substitute 2/3 to 3/4 cup maple syrup for 1 cup white sugar. (If using as a replacement in baked goods, be sure to reduce the liquid in the recipe by 3 tablespoons and per cup of maple syrup and add additional baking powder to help them rise.)
Agave Nectar – made from the cactus-like agave plant, it has the viscosity of bee’s honey, so it’s a perfect replacement when you want a mild liquid sweetener for baking or tea/coffee.
Molasses – Unsulphured molasses is made from the juice of sun-ripened cane; sulfured molasses is a byproduct of refined sugar. Blackstrap molasses, however, is the residue of the cane syrup after the sugar crystals have been separated and contains high levels of calcium, iron, and potassium.
Rice Syrup – A traditional Asian sweetener, brown rice syrup is made from rice starch converted into maltose, a complex sugar. Rice syrup is the mildest-flavored of the liquid sweeteners and contains trace amounts of B vitamins and minerals. Use it interchangeably with honey in cooking and baking, to sweeten hot or cold beverages and cereals, or as a spread for fresh breads.
