The health and wellness space is crowded with opinions about which sugar and sugar replacements are best or worst for your health. Regardless of which you pick, eating sweet foods in large quantities can have negative impacts on your health.
There are a few alternative sweeteners that can help reduce your sugar intake. Knowing which to use can be confusing and at times, misleading. All sweeteners provide roughly the same number of calories, but differ on level of processing, type of sugar (sucrose, glucose, or fructose) and glycaemic level. Here’s a comparison of three common sugar replacements that you might find in the supermarket aisle: Honey Honey is a natural sweetener that comes from bees. It is much less processed than white commercial sugars and has a lower glycaemic index, meaning that energy is released slower into the bloodstream. However, honey is denser than sugar so is higher in number of calories per teaspoon. Add a few drops or a drizzle of honey to your next smoothie or porridge. Maple Syrup Maple syrup is a natural by-product made by boiling down sap from a maple tree. Like honey, it has a low glycaemic index, however, is slightly lower in fructose. Be sure to buy the 100% pure maple syrup, as otherwise you are just buying maple flavoured sugar syrup. The 100% syrup is more expensive but isn’t loaded with refined sugars, flavours, and preservatives. Replace sugar with maple syrup in baking or use it to drizzle over pancakes. Rice Malt Syrup Rice malt syrup is a sweetener made from brown rice and is recommended for those looking to reduce their fructose intake. It is also a good option for vegans who want to avoid eating honey. However, rice malt syrup has a higher glycaemic index than sugar, honey, and maple syrup, along with a much higher price tag. Rice syrup works well as a substitution for honey or sugar in hot drinks. No matter what you pick, all sweeteners should be used sparingly. We suggest selecting the sweetener that tastes best to you and sticking to a light drizzle or spoonful.
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Cane sugar, caster sugar, brown sugar…there are an endless number of names for sugar. Being able to identify sugars on nutritional labels is a challenging task, along with knowing which is best and which to steer clear from.
Nutritionally speaking, sugar refers to simple carbohydrates that when digested, break into glucose. It is the body’s ideal energy source with the four most common forms including:
Distinguishing features of sugars include their source, flavour profile and level of processing. Here’s a quick guide that compares the main types of sugars: Granulated White Sugar White granulated sugar, otherwise known as table sugar, is 99.9% sucrose and made from processing and refining of sugarcane or beet. During this process, the moisture, minerals, and compounds that give sugars their colour are removed to create a by-product known as molasses. Caster Sugar Caster sugar has an almost identical composition to granulated sugar but with smaller crystals, so it dissolves quickly. This sugar is best used for baking, particularly meringues and light sponges. Icing Sugar Icing sugar is a form of white sugar that has been ground into a fine powder. It dissolves quickly and makes a smooth icing for baked goods. Raw Cane Sugar (& Coffee Sugar Crystals) Raw sugar, also called turbinado sugar, is made from cane juice and is formed if the final refining process is bypassed. Similar to white sugar, it is 99% sucrose but has a more golden colour and is a healthier alternative than table sugar. This is because it is less processed so retains some of the molasses and moisture from the sugarcane plant. Therefore, you are consuming slightly less sugar and calories per serving. Brown Sugar Brown sugar is refined white sugar with varying amounts of molasses added back into the sugar after processing. It contains 95% sucrose and 5% molasses, so when used in baking it provides a toffee flavour and moistness. Coconut Sugar Coconut sugar is made from the sap of coconut trees and is less processed than other sugar varieties. It has a more natural brownish colour and is often perceived as a “healthier sugar alternative”, however is still high calorie. Sweeteners Several artificial sugar substitutes also exist, such as Equal or Splenda. These are sugar free and non-caloric, however are made from chemical compounds and are not real foods. These sweeteners are also a lot sweeter than sugar which makes you crave more. The bottom line is to make sure you always prioritise natural sugars, get familiar with food labels and alternative names for added sugars, and have no more than 6 teaspoons or 25g of added sugar daily. When you do use sugar, try to consume “healthier” varieties such as coconut sugar or honey, which have slightly higher nutritional value. There are so many types of flours on the market, which differ in consistency, use and nutritional value. From classic wheat flour, through to almond or rye, here’s a quick guide to help you make the right choice.
Wheat Flour Wheat is the most popular and widely used cereal for flour production and is a rich source of fibre. Regular wheat flour, also known as all-purpose or white flour, is refined flour that contains only the endosperm (starch) from the grain. It can also come in wholewheat/wholemeal form which includes the brain, endosperm and germ. This provides wholewheat flour with a slightly darker colour, coarser texture, and higher nutritional value. Wheat is a good source of insoluble fibre and rich in vitamin B1, B3 and B5, riboflavin and folate. It also contains higher amounts of iron, calcium and protein then other types of flour. This flour is commonly used to produce bread, muffins, pasta, pastries, cakes, and biscuits. Spelt Flour Spelt is an ancient grain that consists mostly of starchy sugars so when used creates softer and denser products. When combined with its high fibre content, this helps to slow digestion and increase satiety. Spelt is also high in unsaturated fatty acids, and has high levels of minerals and vitamins, such as magnesium, zinc, manganese, calcium, potassium and B vitamins. It can be used to replace wheat flour in the production of bread, pizza crusts and cookies. Rye Flour Along with wheat and spelt flour, rye is the only other flour that can be used to make bread or yeast. It is a good source of fibre and retains a large amount of nutrients, including iron, magnesium, manganese, potassium, zinc, selenium and B vitamins. Further, it is more effective than wheat flour in reducing LDL cholesterol. Rye flour is most often used for making bread and produces a denser and darker loaf with a coarser texture. Oat Flour Oat flour is naturally gluten free (providing there has been no cross-contamination) and can be made at home by blending whole oats. It has a silky texture and similar taste to wheat flour, except with a higher protein content. It is also high in magnesium, iron, zinc, selenium and soluble fibre, particularly beta-glucan, which helps induce feelings of satiety. Further, oats are high in antioxidants, such as avenanthramides, which help to lower blood pressure. Oat flour can be used as a gram-for-gram replacement for wheat flour in pancakes, cakes, biscuits, etc. Coconut Flour Coconut flour is made by grinding and drying coconut pulp. It is another gluten free flour alternative with a higher protein, fibre and fat content, and lower carbohydrate content. Coconut flour contains medium chain triglycerides which help produce energy and reduce appetite. It has a slightly sweeter and coconutty flavour compared to wheat flour and can be used as a replacement in desserts and pastries. Due to its fibrous nature and lower density, it is important to not use too much or to add more binding agents to your batter. Buckwheat Flour Buckwheat is a type of gluten free pseudocereal, which means its seeds do not grow on grass. It is often considered a superfood due to its high content of protein, calcium, potassium, magnesium, folate, B6 and vitamin K. It also has a lower glycaemic index, which makes it ideal for people with type 2 diabetes. Buckwheat has a nutty flavour and is often used as a substitute for wheat flour in noodles, porridge, and baking. Since it absorbs a lot of moisture, more liquid should be added to batters before baking. Rice Flour Rice flour is made by grinding white or brown rice. It is more nutritious than wheat flour and a good source of fibre, vitamins, and minerals, such as calcium and zinc. It also contains choline, which helps maintain a healthy liver. Rice flour is more affordable than other gluten free flour varieties. It is most often used as an alternative thickener in chilled or frozen food recipes because it inhibits the separation of liquids. Rice flour’s neutral flavour and high starch content, which creates elasticity in doughs, also makes it ideal for sponge cakes, noodles, and fritters. Almond Flour/Meal Almond meal is made from ground almonds that are blanched, crushed and sieved. It can also be made at home by pulverising almonds into a fine flour. Almond meal is very high in healthy fats, proteins, manganese, magnesium, calcium and vitamin E. It is also rich in magnesium, which assists with controlling blood sugar levels and reducing insulin resistance. It can be rather oily or moist but is easily used as a gluten free substitute for wheat flour when making pizza bases, desserts, and raw treats. Ultimately, there is no correct answer for which type of flour is best. It depends on what you are trying to make and the properties you desire, such as gluten-free, high protein, low carb, or high fibre. Use this table to find which one is best for you. |
Monica AnderssonMonica leads NordicHealth, a naturopathic and remedial massage clinic in Mosman on Sydney’s North Shore. Archives
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