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Sugar and Sugar Substitutes
Sugar is a pure
carbohydrate, an important nutrient that supplies energy to the body.
Sugars and starches occur naturally in many foods that also supply other
nutrients, like milk and milk products, fruit, bread, cereals, grains, and
most vegetables. Foods containing naturally occurring sugars can be
included in a well-balanced diet when consumed in moderation.
Sugar plays an important role in making
foods taste better. It does more than add a sweet taste:
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Sugar helps bread rise by "feeding"
the yeast required in bread making.
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Sugar is responsible for the even
browning of baked goods.
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In jams and jellies, sugar helps
prevent yeasts and molds from growing once the jar has been opened and
exposed to air.
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Frozen and canned fruits keep their
vibrant color with the help of sugar syrups that reduce oxidation and
browning.
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Sugar contributes body and texture to
ice cream, beverages, baked goods, and other products. The
smoothness of ice cream and sorbet is the work of sugar--it blocks large
ice crystals from forming.
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Condiments like salad dressing and
ketchup need a little sugar to offset their acidity and balance their
flavor
Sugar provides 15 calories per teaspoon, which is not a
significant amount. However, in the recent past, there has been a huge
increase in the amount of sugar consumed by Americans. This leads to the
consumption of too many calories and contributes to weight gain and
obesity. The majority of these additional calories come from added
sugars. Added sugars are sugars and syrups added to foods during
processing and preparation. This is in addition to the
naturally-occurring sugars already present, and can add a great deal of
calories to the food item.
When looking at a food item, you can identify if there are
naturally-occurring and/or added sugars used in the food’s preparation by
looking at the ingredient label; however, you cannot distinguish between
the two. Words that end in “-ose” indicate that sugar is present in that
food item. Most often you will see glucose, sucrose (table sugar),
fructose, lactose (milk sugar), or maltose where sugar is present. In
recent years, you can find sugar alcohols that supply a very low amount of
calories compared to regular sugars. They are sorbitol, xylitol, and
mannitol.
Sugar
Substitutes or Non-Calorie Sweeteners
If you are looking to lower the calories of your favorite
sweet-treats, without giving up the sweet, the FDA has approved the use of
several non-calorie sweeteners that may do just the trick. Most
non-calorie sweeteners are man-made chemicals that provide only the sweet
taste to foods. However, when trying to substitute the non-calorie
sweetener for sugar in your recipe, you will find that the substitute does
not have the chemical food properties found in natural sugar. Your bread
may not rise, and your ice cream may have an odd texture. This shouldn’t
frustrate you; however, read the tips below for answers to your questions.
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Saccharin - Can be used in hot and cold foods to
sweeten them. Rumors exist that claim this sweetened causes
cancer. The studies performed on saccharin found that very large
amounts of saccharin, the equivalent of 875 bottles of diet soft drink
per day in humans, does cause cancer in rats. You will find that
this rate of consumption is impossible to attain! Evidence from
other studies performed on humans suggests that saccharin does not cause
cancer in humans. Refer to this website for further details:
www.saccharin.org.
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Aspartame - "NutraSweet" - Only
a tiny amount is needed to add a powerful punch of sweetness. This
substitute can be used in baking, but can be altered by high
temperatures. Check out the NutraSweet website at
www.nutrasweet.com for answers
to your baking questions.
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Acesulfame Potassium - "Sweet
One" - Used in baking and cooking as well as in colder treats. The
texture of products using this substitute may be altered. To reduce the
texture changes, it may be best to use some of the real sugar in the
original recipe. Check out
www.sweetone.com for more suggestions.
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Sucralose - "SPLENDA" -
Sucralose can be substituted in any sugar-containing food product,
including baked goods, processed foods, cold foods, and drinks.
Unlike the others listed above, SPLENDA is made from natural sugar, not
man-made, but slightly altered at the molecular level. Thus, it
tastes much like sugar and maintains the same chemical properties.
Additionally, it does not have an aftertaste like the others.
SPLENDA is sold in granular form in large boxes or in small packets.
Use the following tips when preparing foods with SPLENDA this holiday
season or check out the SPLENDA website at
www.splenda.com.
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To successfully incorporate SPLENDA
granular into a recipe, either combine it thoroughly with the other
dry ingredients, dissolve it in liquid, or cream it with butter or
other fat sources used in the recipe.
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In cakes, for every 1-cup of
SPLENDA granular, add 1/2 cup nonfat dry milk powder (sifted) and 1/2
tsp baking soda and add to the other dry ingredients.
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If a recipe calls for sifting all
the dry ingredients, measure SPLENDA granular first before sifting.
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In bar cookies, brownies, muffins,
and quick breads, add 1/2 tsp baking soda for every 1 cup SPLENDA
granular used in the recipe. Check for doneness 3-5 minutes
earlier than the recipe recommends in these products.
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In muffins and quick breads, you
may add 1-2 Tbsp of honey or molasses to add more flavor and moistness
to the recipe.
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When a recipe calls for beating
butter, sugar, and eggs together, you may have to beat the ingredients
longer when you substitute SPLENDA for sugar to provide for a more
fluffy and even texture.
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Baked goods made with little or no
sugar will not brown. If you add 1 Tbsp molasses for every cup
of SPLENDA granular used, browning will be achieved.
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When SPLENDA is used in fruit
fillings, pudding, and custards, the product may not be as thick, they
may cook a little faster, and you may consider adding 1/2 tsp vanilla
or almond extract for added flavor.
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You should check your baked
products for doneness earlier than normal when you substitute SPLENDA
for sugar. Check cakes 7-10 minutes earlier and cookies 1-2
minutes earlier.
Using Spices
as Sweeteners
Spices can also help to bring out the natural sweet flavors
in foods. See the tips below!
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Add
ginger to a fruit glaze and toss it with fresh fruit.
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Add
cinnamon to cooked cereals and fruits.
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Add
nutmeg to cookies or rice dishes.
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Spice up
ground coffee before brewing with cinnamon, ginger, mace, nutmeg, and/or
allspice.
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Add a
touch of vanilla extract to sweeten coffee, puddings, and your favorite
baked goods.
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Seasoning carrots with ginger or using cinnamon in your sweet potatoes
could be key to enticing your kids’ taste buds for veggies.
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Experiment with flavors by adding SMALL amounts of spices or vanilla to
maximize and enhance taste.
Sources:
www.eatright.org;
www.diabetes.org;
www.caloriecontrol.org/lowcal.html;
www.sugarsavvy.org
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