4 Alternate Natural Sweeteners

Refined sugar, whether it originates from cane or beet, contributes only empty calories to our diet. Sometimes, in our efforts to improve our diet and therefore our health we are looking for a natural option to sweeten our food that will add nutrients not just calories.

There are four options that I would like to briefly explore here.

1. Rapadura
2. Honey
3. Agave nectar
4. Stevia.

Rapadura

Rapadura is evaporated cane juice. In some places it is called Panela or Jaggery. If the label says it is 100% evaporated cane juice then it is the same as rapadura. It is made by extracting the juice from the sugar cane by using a press. The juice is then evaporated and dries into granules. It has a different texture from sugar as it has not been heated and spun to produce the crystals of sugar.
Rapadura still has the all the nutrients that are in the cane juice. It is metabolized more slowly than refined sugar and does not cause your blood sugar to spike. In other words it has a low glycemic index rating. For a comparison between the components of rapadura, raw sugar and refined sugar click here.
I use rapadura in much of my baking. I find it very successful in cakes and biscuits. I always reduce the quantity of sweetening of any recipe so I might use 1/4 -1/3 cup of rapadua when the recipe asks for 1 cup sugar. Others might prefer things sweeter so experiment and see what suits you.

Honey

Honey is said to be 25 to 50 percent sweeter than sugar. I can be used in all forms of cooking. I sometimes use it in some cake recipes. In large quantities it can cause a spike in blood sugar levels. Raw honey contains enzynes and other health giving substances that are damaged by heat. As raw, unheated honey is usually more expensive it is a good idea to use it only when not heating it and to use cheaper heat treated honey for cooking purposes.

Agave Nectar

Agave nectar is relatively new on the supermarket shelves. However it is made from a plant that has been used for food in Mexico for thousands of years. The agave is a large spikey succulent type plant.
When the plants are 7-10 years old the leaves are cut off, leaving the core of the plant called the pina. The sap is extracted from the pina, filtered using enzymes and heated at a low temperature (under 118F), giving the resulting agave nectar.
Agave nectar has about the same calories as sugar but is sweeter so less is used.

Stevia

Stevia is a shrub that is native to Paraguay. While the leaves of this plant can be 30 times sweeter than sugar extracts from the leaves called steviosides are said to be about 300 times sweeter than sugar. The body does not metabolize the stevia leaf or any of its extracts so there are no calories. It doesn't raise blood sugar.
Raw herbal stevia contains nearly 100 identified phytonutrients and volatile oils. Most of these will be nonexistant in the refined extracts. On the down side many stevia products leave an aftertaste.

Make Your Own Stevia Extract
If you have access to stevia leaves you can make your own extract. Combine a measured portion of stevia leaves or herval powder with pure USP grain alcohol (eg Scotch) and let sit for 24 hours. Filter and dilute to taste using pure water. Reduce the alcohol content by heating vely slowly to allow the alcohol to evaporate off.
To make a water based extract. Pour boiling water over the leaves and allow to steep, strain when ready. This will now extract as much of the sweet glycosides as the alcohol. Either extract can be cooked down and concentrated into a syrup.

Stevia can be used for any cooking where sweetening is the only use. It does not caramelize, brown or crystalize like sugar does so it is not suitable for anything that needs these properties.

If you have a favorite natural sweetener please share it with us by leaving a comment.

Be healthy
Jocelyn

The Many Health Uses of Cinnamon

There are many foods, herbs, spices and common kitchen items that have other uses besides the common ones that we keep them in our kitchens for. Cinnamon is one of these. I have known for a long time of its usefulness in diabetes and thought it would be interesting to see how many other uses have been found for it.

I was very surprised at how large the list was.

Cinnamon and Diabetes

Regarding the use of cinnamon with diabetes the story goes that it was noticed that eating apple pie caused significant improvements in blood glucose levels. Eventually the scientists found that the magic ingredient was cinnamon. Subsequent studies have found that using between 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon each day can help to reduce the blood glucose levels. It seems that the cinnamon helps the receptors in the cells to respond more efficiently to insulin which helps to process glucose in the blood more efficiently. Some of the studies looking at how cinnamon helps diabetes found that it also helps in the control of cholesterol and that triglyceride levels can be reduced by as much as 20% .

The List

• insulin control - check levels often to guard against hypoglycemia
  
• cholesterol control
  
• cough - chew and swallow a pinch of powdered cinnamon
• dyspepsia
• digestive problems
• relieves nausea and vomiting
• diarrhoea
• antibacterial
• anti fungal
• antiviral
• suppresses E. coli, staphylococcus and candida albicans
  
• uterine stimulant - in pregnancy use only in normal food quantities in breastfeeding also as it can decrease the secretion of milk
  
• anti-clotting action protects against heart disease
• boost brain function and alertness
• strong antioxidant activity - ground cinnamon had the 2nd highest antioxidant capacity out of 16 tested seasonings, beaten only by cloves.
• reduced blood pressure in rats
  
• organic bug repellent on plants - put liquid soap and cinnamon in a spray bottle
  
  Cinnamon combined with honey has been used for the following things:
  
  
• arthritis - morning and night 1 cup of hot water with 2 spoons of honey and 1 small teaspoon cinnamon powder
  
• colds - 1 tablespoon lukewarm honey with 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon powder for 3 days
• upset stomach
• heart disease - reduction of cholesterol in the arteries
  
• immune system
• indigestion
• influenza
• pimples - mix 3 tablespoons honey and 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder into a paste. Apply at night and wash off in morning.
• skin infections - apply paste of equal parts honey and cinnamon powder - eczema, ringworm other skin infections
• weight loss 1/2 hour before breakfast, on an empty stomach, and at night before sleeping drink honey and cinnamon powder boiled in 1 cup of water.
• fatigue
• bad breath - gargle with one teaspoon honey and cinnamon powder mixed in hot water
• insect bites - 1 part honey to 2 parts lukewarm water add a teaspoon cinnamon powder to make a paste and massage on the itching bite
  
• hair loss - apply paste of hot olive oil, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder leave for 15 minutes then wash hair.
  
  I must say that I have not personally tried all of these but it is interesting to see how many different uses have been attributed to cinnamon.
  
  
  Two Types of Cinnamon
  
  
  There are two types of cinnamon and it is important to know the difference. Most cinnamon sold in USA and Canada is cassia otherwise known as Chinese cinnamon. This is different, but regarded as a substitute, to true cinnamon which is cinnarmomum zeylanicum of Ceylon. Cassia contains coumarin which is a blood thinner and can be dangerous if used to excess. Therefore it is important to know exactly which cinnamon is available to you before using in in larger than normal quantities.
  Ceylon cinnamon, if tested with a drop of tincture of iodine, is little affected but if put on cassia powder a deep blue black colour is produced. The one I tested in Australia was Ceylon cinnamon.
  
  If you know of any other uses of cinnamon please share them by leaving a comment.
  If you would like some tips or information on a particular topic or on anything about this article please let me know by leaving a comment and I will see what I can find for you.
  
  Keep in good health
  
  Jocelyn