Sucanat/ Rapadura Sugar
These two sugars are minimally processed and are derived from dehydrated sugar cane juice. They are superior to common white sugar in many ways. The process
used in extracting the juice from the plant is mechanical,
not chemical. This means no added chemicals, and the
original complex sugars, minerals and molasses of the
cane plant are retained.
Xylitol—A Polytol Sweetener
The commercial xylitol product is usually derived from
nomicellulose, a fiber found naturally occurring in birch
bark, almond shells and corn cobs. It is naturally manufactured in our bodies and is a natural substance found at
low levels in many foods.
Granulated Sugars
Jimbo’s…Naturally! carries a very limited selection of
the granulated sweeteners mentioned below, as well as a
limited selection of products containing these sweeteners.
Granulated sugars such as evaporated cane juice, turbinado sugar and yellow “D” sugar are not as refined as white
sugar and have not been bleached, but they still contain
high percentages of sucrose. Fructose is a sweetener derived from highly refined corn syrup. Although it is a natural sweetener when it occurs in fruits and honey, in its
refined form it has no nutrients and is 60 percent sweeter
than sucrose. However, it is absorbed more slowly by the
body than sucrose. Fructose is preferred for pastries and
lighter desserts because, unlike other sweeteners mentioned, it does not change the color of the baked good.
FOR ADDITIONAL READING
Laurel’s Kitchen
by Laurel Robertson
The Whole Foods Encyclopedia
by Rebecca Wood
The Flap About Sugar
As with fats and oils, the issue of sugar is full of con-
troversy. Some say less processed sugars (honey, maple
syrup, barley malt, brown rice syrup) are healthier than
refined sugars (white table sugar, brown sugar, fructose).
Others say there is no difference: sugar is sugar. Studies
show conflicting evidence, with some linking sugar consumption to increased levels of cholesterol and cancer, as
well as hyperactivity in children. Other research disputes
these studies.
Jimbo’s…Naturally!
seeks to carry the highest
quality, most nutritionally sound product available.
Whenever possible, we will carry organically grown
produce and products containing organically grown
ingredients.
It’s not clear who or what to believe. But it is clear that
the body needs glucose, a simple sugar, to live. We can
get this “fuel” by eating whole grains, fruits and vegetables, all complex carbohydrates that our bodies break
down into glucose.
The policy at Jimbo’s…Naturally! is to not sell
white sugar or products containing white sugar. We
do make rare exceptions to this policy if the product is of exceptionally high quality and would be a
service to our customers. We also look at products
made by companies with an outstanding commitment to worthwhile cause, such as the environment.
All exceptions are taken through a stringent review
process.
Even though we don’t need added sugars to live, most of
us eat too much sugar—about 135 pounds per person annually. (Up from 50 pounds a century ago.) The problem,
as many nutritionists see it, is that we eat too much of a
nutritionally empty product.
Jimbo’s…Naturally! does not carry synthetic sweeteners or products containing synthetic sweeteners.
We carry a variety of healthy alternatives to these
chemical sweeteners.
Guide to
Sweeteners
White sugar doesn’t start out that way. Before being refined, the sugar cane plant contains only 10 to 14 percent
sucrose and is a whole food with minerals, organic acids,
pectin and gums. The juice of the sugar cane plant is actually quite healthy and not too sweet.
During processing, these nutritional benefits are lost.
First, the cane is crushed, the juice extracted and then
boiled, strained and evaporated. The syrup is filtered
through either diatomaceous earth or animal bone charcoal. The resulting crystals are put in a centrifuge, dried
and bleached with phosphoric acid and then packaged. It
is now 99 percent pure white sucrose.
The farming of sugar cane is a concern, too. Because
sugar cane depletes the mineral reserves in the soil, fertile
soil is destroyed. To keep farming, massive amounts of
chemical fertilizers and chemicals are pumped back into
the soil.
However, you have choices! Jimbo’s…Naturally! offers
a wide selection of healthy alternatives to white sugar.
Sugars such as barley malt syrup, brown rice syrup, maple
syrup and honey do not depend on soil-depleting farming
methods, and most contain small amounts of minerals
and vitamins. The taste hasn’t been bleached away with
the color, so the flavor of these “healthier” sugars tends to
place a natural limit on how much is used.
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Sugar, ah sweet sugar! Who knows where the attraction to sweet things first began? Perhaps prehistoric
humans were instinctively drawn to the sweet berries and fruits; the bitter foods were often the poisonous
ones. Or perhaps it goes back to mother’s milk, which tastes sweet. Whatever the reason, the attraction
goes back tens of thousands of years.
Today, there are many alternatives to white table sugar, a product that is grown and processed with a dizzying amount of chemicals. Although no sugar can really be called “healthy,” less refined sugars are an
attractive alternative, both for the health of our bodies and the planet.
Barley Malt Syrup
Barley malt syrup is made from sprouted barley, which
is dried, mixed with water and cooked to syrup. Unlike
simple sugars (fructose, sucrose, glucose), it is made of
slow-digesting carbohydrates that enter the bloodstream
steadily over a two-hour period. This prevents the rapid
fluctuations in blood-sugar levels caused by ingestion of
simple sugars.
Barley malt syrup’s strong flavor works well in baked
goods calling for an earthy, robust sweetener. The powdered form of the syrup is good for sweetening hot cereals and cookies.
Brown Rice Syrup
Like barley malt, brown rice syrup is made from grain
and is more slowly absorbed by the body than most other
sweeteners. Best of all, brown rice syrup’s mild butterscotch-flavored sweetness doesn’t overpower other flavors. Try brown rice syrup in all baked goods.
Like barley malt, brown rice syrup has a long shelf life
and requires no refrigeration. Unlike honey, it does not
crystallize.
Date Sugar
Date sugar is made from pitted, dehydrated, crushed dates
and is nearly as sweet as white sugar, so it should be used
moderately. It contains some minerals, but it doesn’t dissolve well, so date sugar may be more useful in cooking
than baking.
Fruit Juice Sweeteners
These sweeteners include juices, concentrates, purees
and dried fruits. Concentrates, usually made from grapes,
apples and pears, are perfect for baked goods and
cereals.
Honey
The folklore of honey goes back more than 5,000 years.
Its manufacturing process—with bees as hardworking
employees—is wholly natural. However, today most
honeys in conventional markets have added corn syrup,
or the nutrients have been destroyed by the heating and
filtering processes.
Honey comes in wonderfully distinct flavors—sage,
avocado, wildflower and buckwheat, to name a few—
depending on the flowers that the bees pollinate. It works
well in baked goods, on cereals and toast, but is a very
concentrated sweetener. Be careful not to give honey to
children under the age of one because of the threat of
infant botulism.
Crystallization can develop in raw, unheated honey. To
fix, place the honey jar in a saucepan with hot water and
heat slowly until all the crystals are dissolved. Store honey in a dry, dark cupboard; it will stay fresh indefinitely.
Maple Syrup
A uniquely North American product, maple syrup has a
wonderful flavor that makes it a staple sweetener in the
kitchen. Use it on hot cereals, baked goods and homemade lemonade.
Its price is high because it takes 40 gallons of sap to make
one gallon of syrup, and the sap only flows for a month
or so in the spring.
sweet sorghum plant, a cereal grain commonly grown in
the southern United States. It has high iron content and a
strong, tart taste.
Maple syrup comes in three grades—A, B and C. Grades
are based on color and strength of flavor, not quality.
Grade A is the lightest color syrup with the highest sugar
content, and grade C is the darkest with the most mineral
content. A and B are great on pancakes and as a sweet
topping, while C’s richer flavor is better in baked goods.
Some producers use formaldehyde pellets to prolong sap
flow. To be safe, look for organic maple syrup or syrup
produced in Canada or Vermont, where the practice is either forbidden by law or discouraged by the producers
themselves.
Stevia
Store syrup in a cool cupboard during cool months, but
refrigerate during the summer.
Stevia is extremely sweet. It is a noncaloric herb, native
to Paraguay, suitable for diabetics, and doesn’t cause
tooth decay. Stevia has been used as a sweetener and flavor enhancer for centuries. It is available in both powder
and liquid forms.
Less refined sugars are an
attractive alternative, both for the
health of our bodies and the planet!
Molasses
There are two very different kinds of molasses. Blackstrap molasses is the dark, strong-tasting residue that is
a byproduct of sugar refining. It contains some minerals
from the original sugar cane, plus calcium and iron from
the processing. Barbados molasses, the starting material
for making rum, is made by crushing sugar cane stalks in
roller mills to extract the juice, which is then filtered and
slowly boiled down to a syrup. Barbados molasses has a
lower mineral content than blackstrap and is a little lighter and sweeter. In both types, look for the unsulphured
varieties. The strong taste of all molasses makes it a better flavoring than sweetener.
Lo Han
Lo Han Kuo is the fruit of the plant Momordica grosvenorii, a member of the Cuccurbitaceae family (cucumber,
melon, squash, and gourd family). Lo Han Kuo extract
tastes sweet, and is not recognized by the body as sugar.
It is non-caloric as well as low-glycemic (i.e., has little
effect on blood sugar or insulin levels).
Sorghum Syrup
Sorghum syrup is made from the boiled juice of the
Sweeteners Substitution Table
Substitute for one cup white sugar
Dry Sweeteners:
2/3 cup date sugar
1 cup Sucanat
Liquid Sweeteners:
½ cup honey
1/3-1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup molasses
1-1¼ cup barley malt syrup
1-1¼ cup brown rice syrup
Note: With the above liquid sweeteners,
reduce other liquids in recipe by ¼ cup.