Sugar is an ingredient that is added to candy, baked goods and even vegetables to increase the flavor, but the benefits of traditional sugar are minimal. Sugar has a high-glycemic index and few nutritional benefits. Your body quickly burns through sugar, leaving you feeling hunger again shortly after you have eaten. There are healthy alternatives to sugar available and using these products can help increase the nutritional composition of your sweetened foods.
Agave Nectar
Agave nectar is commonly used as a replacement for honey by people who eat a vegan diet, but it can also be a replacement for sugar. Agave nectar comes in a semi-liquid form and is taken from the agave cactus in Mexico. When compared with table sugar, agave nectar is close to three times as sweet; therefore, to sweeten foods less agave nectar has to be used. The calories in agave nectar are comparable to the calories found in table sugar, but your body breaks agave nectar down differently.
According to Karen Shelke, a food chemist and principal with the food science think tank Corvus Blue, who is cited by the "Los Angeles Times," agave nectar is generally about 90 percent fructose. Therefore, the glycemic index of agave nectar is low, which means that agave is more slowly digested by your body and does not result in the considerable spikes and dips in blood sugar that occur with traditional sugar.
Maple Syrup
Maple syrup is commonly used as a flavoring in breakfast foods, but can also be a replacement for sugar. Maple syrup is similar to sugar in that, it is digested and broken down quickly by your body, which means that it can contribute to spikes and dips in your blood sugar levels. Despite this, maple syrup contains a variety of healthy minerals such as zinc, magnesium and thiamine.
Brown Rice Syrup
Brown rice syrup comes from the process of fermenting brown rice. Brown rice syrup has a slightly nutty flavor and can be used to replace traditional sugar in a variety of recipes. The glycemic index of brown rice syrup is low, which means that by using it instead of sugar you can avoid the rapid spikes and dips in your blood sugar. Brown rice syrup also contains B vitamins, thiamine, niacin and vitamin K.
Black Strap Molasses
Black strap molasses is a flavorful alternative to traditional sugar. It is the concentrated byproduct that occurs from the process of boiling out all the naturally occurring nutrients found in cane sugar. Using black strap molasses instead of sugar will provide you with iron, calcium, magnesium and potassium. According to the Office of Dietary Supplements at the National Institutes of Health, 1 tbs. of black strap molasses provides 20 percent of your daily iron intake.
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