Tabiti
05-15-2009, 05:45 PM
As I see here are many people who tend to eat healthy and not to use artificial sweeteners, so here I start a thread regarding the most popular national sweeteners.
Barley Malt Syrup
Sprouted barley. Maltose, glucose, complex carbohydrates; 65 percent maltose, 30 percent complex carbohydrate, 3% protein. Dark brown, thick and sticky; strong distinctive flavor, like molasses. Half as sweet as white sugar.
Best used in combination with other sweeteners (use no more than 40% barley malt). Wonderful in spice cakes, gingerbread and baked beans. I like it in cookies too. Substitute 1&1/3 cups barley malt for every 1 cup white sugar called for. Reduce liquid in recipe by 1/4 cup and add 1/4 teaspoon baking soda per cup barley malt used.
Blackstrap Molasses
70 percent sucrose. The dark, syrupy "leftovers" from the sugar-refining process. Marginally qualifies as a natural sweetener, but it does contain most, if not all, of the redeeming value of the original cane plant--such as thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, and chromium, as well as other micronutrients. Very strong flavor. A source of iron. Excellent sweetener in quick-breads (such as zucchini bread), cookies, cakes, and pies. I sometimes use half molasses and half honey, brown rice syrup, or barley malt syrup when baking.
Brown Rice Syrup
Brown rice and various enzymes. Maltose, glucose, complex carbohydrates; 50 percent maltose and 37 percent complex carbohydrate. Amber colored syrup with mild "butterscotch" flavor. Half as sweet as white sugar. Baked goods made with rice syrup tend to be hard or very crisp. Use brown rice syrup in cookies, crisps, granola, pies, puddings. Do not use in cakes or any type of bread-- produces a gooey center. Substitute 1&1/3 cups for every 1 cup white sugar called for in recipe. Reduce liquid by 1/4 cup and add 1/4 teaspoon baking soda per cup rice syrup used.
Date Sugar Ground,
dehydrated dates. Sucrose, glucose, fructose, complex carbohydrates. Contains folic acid. Mahogany color, coarse granules, kinda moist. Use in crisps, crunches, as sprinkle or topping. Substitute like amounts for white sugar. Have read that you should dissolve in a small amount of water before adding to batters, but I have never done this. Use in combination with other sweeteners. Burns easily.
Evaporated White Grape Juice and Brown Rice Syrup
33 percent or more complex carbohydrate. Yellowish-white, granulated sweetener; Fruitsource is especially good to use when Sucanat is too dark colored for use in a recipe. I often use half Sucanat and half Fruitsource, when I wish to avoid having too strong of a"fruit" taste, such as when making cookies, brownies, cakes, etc. Substitute like amounts for white sugar in recipes. Store airtight, away from all moisture, or it will turn to granite! I buy small amounts and replace as needed.
Evaporated Whole Cane Juice (Rapadura, Sucanat)
Sugar cane, water removed. Minerals and molasses are retained. Sucrose and invert sugars*. Amber-colored coarse granules, mild molasses-like taste. WARNING: Just in: Sucanat may not be truly "evaporated" whole cane juice as it once was; have been informed that method has been switched to "crystallization" which requires the adding back of molasses to an essentially refined product.
Honey (better buy it directly from small producers and use less - 2-3 tablespoons daily are enough. Better don't use it if you have diabet! Causes allergies as well!)
Extracted from flower nectar (or from the so called manna - juice from the trees) by bees. Fructose, glucose, sucrose. Color and taste depend upon flower source. 20% to 60% sweeter than white sugar.
Maple Syrup
From sap of maple trees (not the imposters in grocery stores!); about 40 gallons of sap produce 1 gallon of syrup; 60% sucrose plus invert sugars; dark brown with maple flavor; high in potassium and calcium.
Stevia
A perennial shrub of the aster family; available in whole or broken leaves, coarse ground, powder extract, or liquid extract; 8-300 times sweeter than table sugar (depending on quality and whether it is leaf or extract) but with 0 calories; sweetening attributes are the glycosides (Steviosides, Rebaudiosides and a Dulcoside).
Sorbitol
Sorbitol, also known as glucitol, is a sugar alcohol that the body metabolises slowly. It is obtained by reduction of glucose changing the aldehyde group to an additional hydroxyl group. Sorbitol is a sugar substitute often used in diet foods (including diet drinks and ice cream) and sugar-free chewing gum, mints and cough syrups. It may be listed under the inactive ingredients. It also occurs naturally in many stone fruits and berries from trees of the genus Sorbus. Sorbitol is referred to as a nutritive sweetener because it provides dietary energy: 2.6 kilocalories (11 kilojoules) per gram versus the average 4 kilocalories (17 kilojoules) for carbohydrates.
Xylitol (from Greek ξύλον - xyl[on], "wood" + suffix -itol, used to denote sugar alcohols) is an organic compound with the formula (CHOH)3(CH2OH)2. This achiral species is one of four isomers of 1,2,3,4,5-pentapentanol. This sugar alcohol is used as a naturally occurring sugar substitute found in the fibres of many fruits and vegetables, including various berries, corn husks, oats, and mushrooms. It can be extracted from corn fibre,birch, raspberries, plums, and corn. Xylitol is roughly as sweet as sucrose with only two-thirds the food energy.
Xylitol is widely used in Finland, its "home country". Many Finnish confectioneries employ xylitol, or have a xylitol version available. Virtually all chewing gum sold in Finland is sweetened with xylitol.[7]
The formerly Spanish company Chupa Chups, now Dutch-Italian, makes a xylitol-based breath mint, Smint, that it markets worldwide.
In China, Japan, and South Korea, xylitol is found in a wide assortment of chewing gums. There is a brand of gum named "Xylitol" in all three countries. Japan also has a brand called "Xylish". In addition, when Extra introduced xylitol-containing products to Hong Kong and Guangdong, the word "xylitol" is transcribed into Cantonese as "曬駱駝" (Jyutping: saai3 lok6 to4), which literally means "suntan camel", and the camel is used as a figurative icon in its advertisements.[8]
In 2004, popular North American Trident gum was reformulated to include xylitol, but not as the main sweetener (which are still aspartame, sorbitol and maltitol). The green apple flavor can be found without aspartame. It is also found in Smokey Mountain Snuff,[9] and IceBreakers brand Ice Cubes Gum from Hershey. A discontinued sugarless gum, Carefree Koolerz, was sweetened exclusively with xylitol. Xylichew, made in Finland (available in US), is also sweetened exclusively with xylitol.
Altoids brand gum has been sweetened with xylitol in order to reduce sugar content.
In 2006, William Wrigley Jr. Company reformulated their Orbit gum to contain xylitol and released it under the name "Orbit Complete". Critics have noted that the amount of Xylitol in some chewing gums is small, and other sugar alcohols may be used in larger amounts. Xylimax gum and mints have 1 gram of xylitol per piece, and xylitol is the only sweetener. (available in USA)
Read that parts of the plant Glycyrrhiza glabra Fabaceae (we call it sweet root here) was used for thousands of years in China instead of candies. But I don't know if there are any products containing it.
Barley Malt Syrup
Sprouted barley. Maltose, glucose, complex carbohydrates; 65 percent maltose, 30 percent complex carbohydrate, 3% protein. Dark brown, thick and sticky; strong distinctive flavor, like molasses. Half as sweet as white sugar.
Best used in combination with other sweeteners (use no more than 40% barley malt). Wonderful in spice cakes, gingerbread and baked beans. I like it in cookies too. Substitute 1&1/3 cups barley malt for every 1 cup white sugar called for. Reduce liquid in recipe by 1/4 cup and add 1/4 teaspoon baking soda per cup barley malt used.
Blackstrap Molasses
70 percent sucrose. The dark, syrupy "leftovers" from the sugar-refining process. Marginally qualifies as a natural sweetener, but it does contain most, if not all, of the redeeming value of the original cane plant--such as thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, and chromium, as well as other micronutrients. Very strong flavor. A source of iron. Excellent sweetener in quick-breads (such as zucchini bread), cookies, cakes, and pies. I sometimes use half molasses and half honey, brown rice syrup, or barley malt syrup when baking.
Brown Rice Syrup
Brown rice and various enzymes. Maltose, glucose, complex carbohydrates; 50 percent maltose and 37 percent complex carbohydrate. Amber colored syrup with mild "butterscotch" flavor. Half as sweet as white sugar. Baked goods made with rice syrup tend to be hard or very crisp. Use brown rice syrup in cookies, crisps, granola, pies, puddings. Do not use in cakes or any type of bread-- produces a gooey center. Substitute 1&1/3 cups for every 1 cup white sugar called for in recipe. Reduce liquid by 1/4 cup and add 1/4 teaspoon baking soda per cup rice syrup used.
Date Sugar Ground,
dehydrated dates. Sucrose, glucose, fructose, complex carbohydrates. Contains folic acid. Mahogany color, coarse granules, kinda moist. Use in crisps, crunches, as sprinkle or topping. Substitute like amounts for white sugar. Have read that you should dissolve in a small amount of water before adding to batters, but I have never done this. Use in combination with other sweeteners. Burns easily.
Evaporated White Grape Juice and Brown Rice Syrup
33 percent or more complex carbohydrate. Yellowish-white, granulated sweetener; Fruitsource is especially good to use when Sucanat is too dark colored for use in a recipe. I often use half Sucanat and half Fruitsource, when I wish to avoid having too strong of a"fruit" taste, such as when making cookies, brownies, cakes, etc. Substitute like amounts for white sugar in recipes. Store airtight, away from all moisture, or it will turn to granite! I buy small amounts and replace as needed.
Evaporated Whole Cane Juice (Rapadura, Sucanat)
Sugar cane, water removed. Minerals and molasses are retained. Sucrose and invert sugars*. Amber-colored coarse granules, mild molasses-like taste. WARNING: Just in: Sucanat may not be truly "evaporated" whole cane juice as it once was; have been informed that method has been switched to "crystallization" which requires the adding back of molasses to an essentially refined product.
Honey (better buy it directly from small producers and use less - 2-3 tablespoons daily are enough. Better don't use it if you have diabet! Causes allergies as well!)
Extracted from flower nectar (or from the so called manna - juice from the trees) by bees. Fructose, glucose, sucrose. Color and taste depend upon flower source. 20% to 60% sweeter than white sugar.
Maple Syrup
From sap of maple trees (not the imposters in grocery stores!); about 40 gallons of sap produce 1 gallon of syrup; 60% sucrose plus invert sugars; dark brown with maple flavor; high in potassium and calcium.
Stevia
A perennial shrub of the aster family; available in whole or broken leaves, coarse ground, powder extract, or liquid extract; 8-300 times sweeter than table sugar (depending on quality and whether it is leaf or extract) but with 0 calories; sweetening attributes are the glycosides (Steviosides, Rebaudiosides and a Dulcoside).
Sorbitol
Sorbitol, also known as glucitol, is a sugar alcohol that the body metabolises slowly. It is obtained by reduction of glucose changing the aldehyde group to an additional hydroxyl group. Sorbitol is a sugar substitute often used in diet foods (including diet drinks and ice cream) and sugar-free chewing gum, mints and cough syrups. It may be listed under the inactive ingredients. It also occurs naturally in many stone fruits and berries from trees of the genus Sorbus. Sorbitol is referred to as a nutritive sweetener because it provides dietary energy: 2.6 kilocalories (11 kilojoules) per gram versus the average 4 kilocalories (17 kilojoules) for carbohydrates.
Xylitol (from Greek ξύλον - xyl[on], "wood" + suffix -itol, used to denote sugar alcohols) is an organic compound with the formula (CHOH)3(CH2OH)2. This achiral species is one of four isomers of 1,2,3,4,5-pentapentanol. This sugar alcohol is used as a naturally occurring sugar substitute found in the fibres of many fruits and vegetables, including various berries, corn husks, oats, and mushrooms. It can be extracted from corn fibre,birch, raspberries, plums, and corn. Xylitol is roughly as sweet as sucrose with only two-thirds the food energy.
Xylitol is widely used in Finland, its "home country". Many Finnish confectioneries employ xylitol, or have a xylitol version available. Virtually all chewing gum sold in Finland is sweetened with xylitol.[7]
The formerly Spanish company Chupa Chups, now Dutch-Italian, makes a xylitol-based breath mint, Smint, that it markets worldwide.
In China, Japan, and South Korea, xylitol is found in a wide assortment of chewing gums. There is a brand of gum named "Xylitol" in all three countries. Japan also has a brand called "Xylish". In addition, when Extra introduced xylitol-containing products to Hong Kong and Guangdong, the word "xylitol" is transcribed into Cantonese as "曬駱駝" (Jyutping: saai3 lok6 to4), which literally means "suntan camel", and the camel is used as a figurative icon in its advertisements.[8]
In 2004, popular North American Trident gum was reformulated to include xylitol, but not as the main sweetener (which are still aspartame, sorbitol and maltitol). The green apple flavor can be found without aspartame. It is also found in Smokey Mountain Snuff,[9] and IceBreakers brand Ice Cubes Gum from Hershey. A discontinued sugarless gum, Carefree Koolerz, was sweetened exclusively with xylitol. Xylichew, made in Finland (available in US), is also sweetened exclusively with xylitol.
Altoids brand gum has been sweetened with xylitol in order to reduce sugar content.
In 2006, William Wrigley Jr. Company reformulated their Orbit gum to contain xylitol and released it under the name "Orbit Complete". Critics have noted that the amount of Xylitol in some chewing gums is small, and other sugar alcohols may be used in larger amounts. Xylimax gum and mints have 1 gram of xylitol per piece, and xylitol is the only sweetener. (available in USA)
Read that parts of the plant Glycyrrhiza glabra Fabaceae (we call it sweet root here) was used for thousands of years in China instead of candies. But I don't know if there are any products containing it.