Julie's Blog - 3/14/2008

By: Julie Deardorff (Chicago Tribune)

If, like me, you're having a hard time giving up sugar, the following can be used in small amounts in place of artificial sweeteners until you're ready to give it up altogether. (I'll post a separate entry on Agave syrup, the subject of some controversy).

The products below are available at most health food stores and gourmet or specialty food stores. Online, visit localharvest.org. Check Asian or Mediterranean grocery stores for ground date sugar. Prices listed are approximate.

Brown rice syrup

Amber colored, with a mild butterscotch or caramel-like flavor; it's about half as sweet as sugar and is gluten free, according to Connie Bennett, author of "Sugar Shock." The syrup is made by fermenting cooked brown rice with enzymes. After straining off the liquid, the process converts the rice starches into about 50 percent soluble complex carbohydrates, 45 percent maltose and 3 percent glucose.

Cost: $5 to $6 for 16 ounces.

Real maple syrup

A little drop goes a long way. It's made by boiling down maple sap and contains a full complement of minerals and is particularly rich in potassium and calcium, said Ann Louse Gittleman, author of "Get the Sugar Out."

Cost: $7 to $10 per pint.

Honey

Although it has more calories and raises the blood sugar even more than white sugar, Jonny Bowden lists raw, unfiltered honey in his book "The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth" (Fair Winds Press, $24.99) because it contains enzymes and phytonutrients and has some reported medicinal benefits. But it could cause allergic reactions to pollen-sensitive individuals.

Cost: $3.50 and up -- way up -- for 16 ounces.

Blackstrap molasses

Another Bowden favorite, molasses is the thick syrup that's left after sugar beets or cane is processed for table sugar. Blackstrap contains the lowest sugar content of the molasseses and has a bitter-tart flavor. It has good-for-you ingredients, but few consume enough of the strong-flavored syrup to benefit.

Cost: $5 to $6 for 16 ounces.

Sorghum syrup

The National Sweet Sorghum Producers and Processors Association makes this very clear: Sorghum syrup is not the same as molasses, a byproduct of the sugar-making process. Sorghum syrup comes from sorghum cane: Juices are extracted and then concentrated through evaporation. Genuine sorghum contains nutrients such as iron, calcium and potassium. The association recommends substituting sorghum cup for cup in any recipe or dish that calls for molasses, honey, corn syrup or maple syrup.

Cost: $8 to $12 for 16 ounces.

Date sugar

If you simply can't do without sugar, this is Gittleman's favorite stand-in. It's made from pulverized dried dates; although it has the consistency of sugar, it isn't refined like sugar. It also contains fiber and is high in many minerals. One tablespoon of date "sugar" is counted as one fruit exchange in the diabetic exchange system. Because it has an intense flavor, you might be inclined to use less.

Cost: $6 to $8 for 12 ounces.