Ever since we started our 100 Days of Real Food pledge it seems like we have been getting a lot of questions about sugar and other sweeteners. Can’t we have sugar? Isn’t it natural? Yes, I suppose it is technically “natural” since it is made from the sugar cane plant, but it is also a highly processed version of this plant similar to how white flour is made from the wheat plant. If we are going to start classifying things in this manner we could also technically say high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is “natural” since it is made from corn. And despite the mixed research on if HFCS is really worse for you than good ol’ white sugar, according to Michal Pollan, it just happens to be “a reliable marker for a food product that has been highly processed”.
A sweetener like honey can also be considered natural and somewhat “processed”, although the work is done by bees out in nature as opposed to in a factory. All of these (as well as other sweeteners) are high in energy and low in nutrients, although an alternative like honey or maple syrup might be slightly better in the nutrition department. According to Michael Pollan the moral of this story is that “sugar is sugar” and “organic sugar is sugar too.” In processed food there are “now some forty types of sugar used” including:
barley malt, beet sugar, brown rice syrup, cane juice, corn sweetener, dextrin, dextrose, fructo-oligosaccharides, fruit juice concentrate, glucose, sucrose, invert sugar, polydextrose, sucrose, turbinado sugar
There are also the sweeteners you can find in the grocery store baking aisle such as:
Splenda, Equal, agave syrup, corn syrup, molasses, maple syrup, Sweet-n-Low, brown sugar
No matter what kind of sugar you decide to use we think there are a couple of key takeaways:
- Consume any and all types of sugar in moderation mainly trying to reserve them for special occasions.
- When it comes to store-bought foods avoid those “that have some form of sugar (or sweetener) listed among the top three ingredients” according to Pollan.
- Given the choice go with a natural option like honey or even white sugar as opposed to the artificial stuff like aspartame (or Splenda).
As far as our 100 Days of Real Food rules go, we chose honey and 100% maple syrup as acceptable choices because they are made in nature and less often found in highly processed foods. This rule has resulted in us having to make from scratch anything we eat that contains a sweetener. Trust me when I tell you, I have searched high and low for a store-bought product containing 5 or less ingredients and honey or maple syrup as the sweetener. One may exist, but I have not found it. So this rule greatly helps us not only reduce, but also regulate our consumption of “sweets” since we have to make everything ourselves.
Do you have a standard replacement ratio? For example, I have a banana bread recipe that calls for 1/2 cup of sugar. Do you replace that with a half cup of honey/maple syrup? Quarter cup?
Hi Jessica. I don’t have a standard replacement. You may want to try and do an internet search to see if you can come up with what an appropriate substitution ratio might be. Jill
Hi!
While reading How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman I came across this conversion for sugar to honey in baking:
1. Reduce liquid by 1/4 cup for every cup of honey.
2. For every cup of honey, add1/2 teaspoon of baking powder to balance the honey’s acidity.
3. When substituting in quick breads, cookies, and cakes, reduce oven temperature by 25 degrees to prevent over browning.
Also keep in mind that honey is 25 percent sweeter than sugar, so you can use it more sparingly.
Hope this helps!
[...] natural sweeteners including honey, 100% maple syrup, and fruit juice concentrates are acceptable in moderation- Honey [...]
what about liquid stevia?
can i use this as a sugar substitute?
Hi Mandy. I am really not that familiar with liquid stevia. I do know the white powder form in which it is sold in the stores is pretty processed, so, I’m not sure how the liquid version differs. Jill
Hi there. Is Aguave Nector okay?
Hi Dina. We do not use agave. Here is some information on why: http://www.foodrenegade.com/agave-nectar-good-or-bad/ Hope that helps. ~Amy
You say that 100% maple syrup is ok, what about maple sugar if there are no other ingredients?
Hi Allison. Maple sugar is considered refined. If you are doing the 10 or 100 day pledge it would not fall within the rules: http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/real-food-defined-a-k-a-the-rules/ http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/05/06/mini-pledge-week-9-no-refined-sweeteners/. Hope that helps. ~Amy
What about organic cane sugar?
Hi Tonya. Cane sugar is refined. We try to avoid refined sugars whenever possible. ~Amy
I am trying to find a dry substitute for sugar for homemade premade mixes. I have tried sucanat, but my daughter is not a fan. My sister-in-law mentioned xylitol but I’m finding mixed reviews in my research? Is it considered refined? Can it be used as a substitute?
Hi Tracey. Xylitol is extracted from corn husks and hardwood and is certainly processed/refined. It boasts some health benefits but the jury is still out. It can also be uncomfortable to digest. There are many real food alternatives if you need a dry ingredient. Have you tried coconut palm sugar: http://foodbabe.com/2011/12/19/ditch-refined-sugar/? Best of luck. ~Amy
I recently learned about a sweetener on Dr. Oz called Monk Fruit in the Raw. The box reads the ingredients as dextrose and monk fruit extract. Would this be an acceptable alternative sweetener according to the pledge?
Hi Lauren. I’ve no real knowledge of this product. I will look into it out of curiosity. However, on the pledge honey and maple syrup are the only sweeteners that should be used. Best of luck. ~Amy
Is sucanat considered processed then?
Hi Noelle. Sucanat is minimally refined and would not be appropriate during the pledge. Sucanat, coconut palm sugar, and muscovado while better sugar choices should otherwise be used in moderation. ~Amy
[...] natural sweeteners including honey, 100% maple syrup, and fruit juice concentrates are acceptable in [...]
Hi – have you tried Honey Bars? They are sweetened with honey. Some have more than 5 ingredients, but Nutty Apricot doesn’t. http://www.honeybar.ca/products/nutty-apricot/ Not sure if your rules state they have to be organic.
Thanks
Hi. No, we’ve have not tried these. The ingredient list is a winner. And, no organic is recommended with many items but not required. ~Amy
Today at a local Kroger I found “unprocessed, organic brown cane sugar. Is this acceptable on the pledge?
Hello Melissa. The only sweeteners allowed during the pledge are honey and maple syrup. Outside of the pledge, we encourage you to limit your consumption of sugar (regardless of type) as much as possible but it is not prohibited.
Good luck. ~Amy