With so many alternative options for white sugar, I feel there isn’t a need to use it anymore. White sugar, or table sugar is highly processed and refined. It holds no nutritional value. There are three types of sugar, fructose which is found in fruit, glucose which the body uses for energy and sucrose which is white sugar. All sugar is processed by the liver and any excess sugar, regardless of where it comes from, turns into triglycerides which is then stored as fat. Foods high in processed and refined sugars cause a blood sugar spike and then crash, resulting in feeling hungry again and unstable energy.
There are lots of sugar alternatives. Some being;
- monk fruit
- stevia (make sure it’s unprocessed and green in colour)
- pure maple syrup
- raw honey
The one I’ll be talking about is coconut sugar. You can find this at pretty much any grocery store. Coconut sugar is lower on the glycemic index, which means it’s going to cause less of a blood sugar spike and crash situation. Although in small amounts, it does contain essential minerals such as iron, zinc, copper, calcium and magnesium. Coconut sugar gets made with a two-step process. Liquid sap is collected from the flower of the coconut palm. The sap is then placed under heat until most of the water has evaporated. Coconut sugar contains a fibre called inulin which may slow down the absorption of glucose. So the “processing process” is very minimal.
Verdict:
Coconut sugar is still sugar and should be consumed sparingly. Excess consumption will still lead to the same issues that regular white sugar would lead to. However, it is a better alternative for baking, cooking, drinks, etc. It can be used with a 1:1 ratio as well. Try it out and make the switch!
Here's the recipe for these yummy lemon berry muffins!
Berry Lemon Blender Muffins
(makes ~12 muffins)
Ingredients:
· ½ cup plain grass-fed yogurt
· 3 eggs
· Juice of one lemon
· 1 tbsp lemon zest
· ¼ cup coconut sugar
· 2 tsp vanilla extract
· 2 ½ cups whole wheat flour
· 3 tbsp hemp seeds
· 2 tsp baking powder
· 2 tsp baking soda
· 1 tsp himalayan salt
· 1 cup mixed berries (just blueberries might work best)
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350. Spray a muffin pan with coconut oil spray.
2. Combine yogurt, eggs, lemon juice, lemon zest, coconut sugar and vanilla extract in a blender. Blend for about 30 seconds, then add in remaining ingredients except for berries and blend until combined.
3. Stir in berries and divide into 12 muffin tins.
4. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick can be inserted in the middle and it comes out clean.
Enjoy!
-xo Samantha
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