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Diserning Between Good and Bad Sweeteners

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I have been thinking a lot about what the difference is between certain sweeteners. I googled sweeteners…and I read a lot about it here. What I learned most is that any sugar that is processed lacks trace nutrients. Also that when things say “natural,” “whole” and “unrefined” they are open terms without legal protection.{great isn’t that awesome?? NOT} Table sugar (sucrose), is typically extracted from sugar cane, and basically doesn’t have any nutrients left in it. The most wholesome cane products that have their trace nutrients intact are Sucanat {which I use} and Rapadura {which I have never heard of}. Some other good alternatives are Agave, Maple or Birch syrup, and Grain sweeteners! 
 
Here is a list of CANE SWEETENERS Masqueraded AS “HEALTHFUL”. These cane products are refined to pure sucrose and then “painted” with a little molasses to lightly color and flavor the sugar.
Brown Sugar, Demrera, evaporated Cane Juice, Florida Crystals,Raw sugar Muscovado, Naturally Milled Orafanic Cane Juice, Organic plantation Milled Sugar, Raw Sugar, Sugar-in-the-raw, Turbinado, Unrefined Cane Juice, Whole Cane, Yellow -D, and Honey

I thought it was interesting to see honey on this list, but it did say honey is the least refined and that is does still obtain all of the flower nectar’s original nutrients.
 
I have recently started buying raw local honey {it tastes amazing!!} to also help with seasonal allergies.
 
I also read that “Corn syrup and high fructose corn syrup are pure hydrolyzed products devoid of trace nutrients and are not recommended. They’re cited by some nutritionists as leading causes of obesity.” And, as you probably know, stay away from artificial sweeteners as much as possible because they are a chemical and not food!
 

I love what it said at the end of this article….“No matter which sweetener you choose, keep in mind that feeding a sweet tooth is simply going to increase your cravings for more sweets and refined carbs and will also reduce your ability to enjoy the natural sweetness of fruits, vegetables and whole grains. So, swap good sweeteners for bad, but use them in moderation.”

I totally agree with this. I have let myself eat a few treats in the last two weeks and have totally felt more of a craving for unhealthy food. I am now trying harder to not want to buy the Milky Way in the grocery line {I didn’t but I wanted to!}. I went without sugar for 60 days. I KNOW I can do better than I am doing right now! I know how crappy white sugar makes me feel and it is just not worth it!  

 

Comments

  1. Very interesting and good read. I work in the Organic Foods Division at General Mills as a food scientist. You would totally fit the consumer our brands try to sell to. Though don’t worry I am not in marketing. I do Research and Development. Sugar has a lot of buz around here right now and it was good to see the list of the unhealthy ones you showed. I only disagree with the Honey one becasue that is the only sweetener or sugar that is not processed. Though I have never heard of the Sucanat you use or the Rapadura. Though as a scientist I feel our body uses sugar the same way and it doesn’t matter too much where is comes from and really appreciated your quote about the sweet tooth thing. Using too much of any sugar will lead to being unhealthy, but there are better choices. Though be carefull with the raw honey. Since it is the most natural state it is prabably the least clean from a microorganism standpoint. Adults would be fine but carefull with the younger kids. I know with the non-raw honey 1-2 years is recomended. Raw would probably be the same. Your bars look great too. very simple version of the ones sold in stores. And I like the fewer amount of ingreidents – more like the product I work on, LARABAR. Fun to catch up through facebook and blogs

  2. What about Stevia? We use this instead of sugar and honey. Copy and pasted this from Wikipedia. Medical research has also shown possible benefits of stevia in treating obesity and high blood pressure. Because stevia has a negligible effect on blood glucose, it is attractive as a natural sweetener to people on carbohydrate-controlled diets.
    And definitely not all honey is created equal. Raw honey still contains it’s natural enzymes and good bacteria. Other honey has been heated and cooked, thus killing all the enzymes contained in its natural state. So you are left with mostly just the sugar-like substance. So this is why they can claim that isn’t so- called ‘healthful.’ And we’ve used the local honey for allergies also. Works like a dream! And your bars look really yummy!