It makes good sense to avoid refined white sugar in your diet and replace it with a healthier alternative. There are lots of Sugar Substitutes to choose from, but they are not always healthier and they typically do not offer the same sweetness when added to a recipe!
Regarding calories, it’s good to know as a reference point that one cup (200 grams) of refined white sugar contains 774 calories.
Here are some facts about popular alternative sweeteners to help you make a choice ….
Honey
Replace 3/4 cup for every one cup of sugar
773 calories, 209 grams sugar
- How it’s made: Bees gather nectar from flowers, and spread it throughout the honeycombs in the hive where it evaporates and turns into a thick syrup, which is used to feed the colony.
- Additional info: It offers 132 mg of potassium and may help reduce sore throats. Raw honey is rich in B vitamins and also vitamin C.
- Baking tips: Decrease the liquid in your recipe by one-fifth, and lower the baking temp by 25 degrees to prevent browning.
Maple Syrup
Replace 3/4 cup for every one cup of sugar
600 calories, 159 grams sugar
- How it’s made: Sap is collected from maple trees, boiled to evaporate the water, and the syrup is then filtered and bottled. It takes between 35 and 50 gallons of sap to make just one gallon of real maple syrup.
- Additional info: A one-cup serving offers 180 mg of calcium, and also contains manganese, iron, and zinc, important minerals for a strong immune system; it also contains 322 mg of omega-6 fatty acids.
- Baking tips: Always use real maple syrup — not maple flavored. Reduce the amount of liquid in recipes by three tablespoons for each cup of maple syrup used. Baked goods will have a brownish tint and also brown much faster so bake for less time or lower the temp of the oven by 25 degrees.
Continue on to the next page for details about another sugar substitute …