Sweeteners

Sweeteners are sugars, or sugar substitutes, used in food preparation to give foods a sweet taste and to enhance the flavor of other ingredients and to preserve foods. With the exceptions of simple chemical compounds like salt, vinegar and water, everything we eat and drink will contain sugar of some sort - even meat. All plants and animals need sugar in some form for the energy needed to survive. Even meat, which is made of protein, will contain sugar which was being used to fuel the cells of the animal. Plants create sugar with photosynthesis, and all of their cells require sugar as well. Although sugars are an important source of energy in the diet, consumption of too much sugar can negatively influence our health. The invention of non-nutritive sweeteners makes it possible to consume intensely sweet foods without some of the consequences listed above; unfortunately, most of these sweeteners have their own side effects. Moderation is vital in the consumption of all sweet foods to prevent obesity and to live a healthy life.

Caloric Sweeteners

 Organic Sweeteners

Agave Syrup has a similar consistency to honey and tastes delicious! Organic Sweet Cactus Nectar is an exciting new sweetener naturally extracted from the pineapple-shaped core of the Agave, a cactus-like plant native to Mexico. agave contains the plants natural minerals Iron, Calcium, Potassium & Magnesium. With 90% fruit sugar content, Agave Nectar absorbs more slowly into the body decreasing the highs and lows associated with sucrose intake. Sweet Cactus Nectar is at least 25% sweeter than sugar. When baking, replace 1 cup sugar with 3/4 cup of Agave Nectar. Reduce recipe liquids 1/3 and oven temperature 25°F. The Glycemic index is very low.

Confectioners or powered sugar does not substitute well for granulated sugar in baking. In other uses, substitute 1 and 3/4 cups confectioners sugar for 1 cup granulated sugar.

Demerara, Muscavado, Turbinado and Jaggery - Sugar Cane

• Demerara is used as the generic name of a type of specialty raw cane sugar often used in home baking and in sweetening coffee. It is normally brown in colour—the natural colour of cane sugar. It takes its name from the Demerara colony in Guyana, which was the original source of this type of sugar.are variour grades of granulated, dark brown sugar obtained from the sugar cane juice. They retain some of the nutrients of raw cane sugar but are not as nutrient-rich as granulated cane juice or molasses. Brown sugar is more moist than granulated, and has a stronger flavor. Pack brown sugar firmly to measure and substitute in equal amounts.
• Jaggery - is a traditional unrefined non-centrifugal whole cane sugar consumed in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean. It is a concentrated product of cane juicewithout separation of the molasses and crystals, and can vary from golden brown to dark brown in color. It contains up to 50% sucrose, up to 20% invert sugars,moisture content of up to 20%, and the remainder made up of other insoluble matter such as wood ash, proteinsand bagasse fibers.
• Muscovado is a type of unrefined sugar with a strong molasses flavour. It is also known as Barbados or moist sugar. It is very dark brown in color, and slightly coarser and stickier than most brown sugars. Unlike most brown sugars, which are composed of refined white sugar with molasses added, muscovado takes its flavor and color from the sugar cane juice it is made from. It offers good resistance to high temperatures and has a reasonably good shelf life. The unrefined sugar goes well with coffee and other beverages, and was one of the most prominent export commodities of the Philippines in the 1800s.
• Turbinado sugar (popular brand name(s) include Sugar in the Raw) is a type of sugar cane extract. Put simply, it is created by spinning sugar cane in a cylinder or turbine. In comparison, white sugar removes the molasses from Turbinado sugar, and brown sugar is the result of adding molasses to white sugar (though brown sugar can be made by mixing white and carmelized white sugar). Turbinado sugar is similar in appearance to brown sugar but paler, and in general the two can be exchanged freely in recipes.

Fructose - A very sweet sugar, C₆H₁₂O₆, occurring in many fruits and honey and used as a preservative for foodstuffs and as an intravenous nutrient. A sugar that is the commonest of ketoses and the sweetest of the sugars. It is also known as D-fructose, D-fructopyranose, and levulose fruit sugar. It is found in free state, usually accompanied by D-glucose and sucrose in fruit juices, honey, and nectar of plant glands. D Fructose has approximately the same caloric value measure for measure as granulated sugar, but tastes sweeter. Sugar substitution - replace 2/3 cups of fructose for each cup of granulated sugar. In baking, it is best to use a recipe that has been formulated for fructose.

• Fructose is readily utilized by diabetic animals. In persons with diabetes mellitus or parenchymal hepatic disease, the impairment of fructose tolerance is relatively small and not at all comparable to the diminution in their tolerance to glucose.
• High fructose consumption has been fingered as a causative factor in heart disease. It raises blood levels of cholesterol and another type of fat, triglyceride. It makes blood cells more prone to clotting, and it may also accelerate the aging process. Most fructose sneaks into the diet in the forms of sucrose and HFCS. Sucrose breaks down during digestion into equal parts of glucose and fructose. HFCS consists of 55 percent fructose blended with 45 percent glucose. As is the case with any other refined food, a little fructose won't hurt you. The problem comes with the sheer quantity of "hidden" fructose being consumed through the HFCS and sucrose in processed foods. For example, conventional and "new age" soft drinks almost universally contain 11 percent HFCS by weight-2.2 pounds per case.
• The hazards associated with fructose appear to be dose dependent, if you eat predominantly natural foods, and avoid large quantities of processed foods, you have little to worry about. Fructose accounts for only 5 to 7.7 percent of the wet weight of cherries, pears, bananas, grapes, and apples. That's about 5.5 to 8 teaspoons per pound of fresh fruit. There's even less fructose - 2 to 3 percent, or roughly 2 to 3 teaspoons per pound - in strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, oranges, and grapefruit. Honey, refined by bees, contains 40 percent fructose, but its extreme sweetness deters most people from consuming it in large amounts.

Fruit juice and rice syrup - are common sweeteners used for many health-store packaged cereals, cookies and other products. Since both still contain sugar, albeit natural with some vitamins and minerals, they are still potentially a problem for diabetics and hypoglycemics.

Honey - Honey is natural and unrefined sugar, and contains a host of nutrients and enzymes that have a multitude of beneficial attributes. Honey consists of numerous types of sugars, but will not cause the rapid rise and fall of blood sugar levels as does white sugar. Honey can be stored for a long time without any nutritional loss.  Crystallization does not affect the nutritional value of honey and it can simply be warmed to melt back down.  Honey is a mixture of sugars and other compounds. The specific composition of any batch of honey will depend largely on the mix of flowers consumed by the bees that produced the honey. Honey has a density of about 1500 kg/m³ (50% denser than water), which means about 12.5 pounds per US gallon.

Typical honey analysis:

• Fructose: 38%
• Glucose: 31%
• Sucrose: 1%
• Water: 17%
• Other sugars: 9% (maltose, melezitose)
• Ash: 0.17%

The varieties or flavors of honey are determined by the kind of flowers from which the bees gathered nectar.  These are six different varieties of honey.

• Wild Flower honey is produced from the nectar of what ever flowers are in bloom.  It is a dark honey with a strong flavor.  It is usually less expensive and therefore excellent for use in bread baking or to eat.  Its flavor is usually too strong to substitute for sugar in recipes such as pies or icing.
• Gallberry honey comes from the gallberry flower and is common in southern Georgia.  It is a dark, stronger flavored honey also.
• Orange Blossom honey comes from the blossom of the orange trees and has a very distinctive flavor.  It has a medium color and flavor and especially good for sweetening herbal teas or eating on bread.
• Clover honey is perhaps the most popular honey.  It comes, of course, from the nectar of the clover flower.  It is a light, very mild and very sweet honey.  Clover honey, because of its high sucrose content, tends to crystallize more readily than other honeys but this does not harm the nutritional value.  Heat the container of honey in a pot of very warm water to liquefy it again.
• Tupelo honey is a very mild, nicely flavored honey.  Enjoy using it for sweetening where you don't especially want to taste a honey flavor, such as in apple or pumpkin pie, or cream cheese icing, real whipping cream, or yogurt.  It comes from the Tupelo flower which grows in the Florida pan-handle and the deep South.  It is higher in a sugar called levulose and lower in sucrose.  Levulose is assimilated more slowly by the body and can therefore be tolerated by diabetics.  Tupelo honey will not crystallize.
• Sage honey has all the qualities of Tupelo only a little milder and sweeter.  It comes from the west from the nectar of the blossom of the Sage bush.

Toxic (Mad) Honey

There are several types of honey that are known to be toxic to humans.

• The most common of these in the northern hemisphere, popularly known as Mad Honey, is produced from the flowers of rhododendrons, mountain laurels and azaleas. The nectar of these plants may contain grayanotoxin, a compound which is both psychoactive and poisonous to humans but harmless to bees. The effects of Mad Honey have been reported in Western literature as early as 401 BC (see Xenophon's description of the effects of toxic honey in the Anabasis). The shape of the azalea flower, however, makes access to nectar difficult for honeybees. Furthermore, during the time when azaleas bloom, there are usually other flowers available that are more appealing to the honeybee. Thus, lethal honey is rarely encountered. Mad Honey is also sometimes called Green Honey, Crazy Honey or Meli Chloron (ancient Greek).
• Toxic honey may also result when bees are in close proximity to tutu bushes (Coriaria arborea) and the vine hopper insect (Scolypopa australis). Both are found throughout New Zealand. Bees gather honeydew produced by the vine hopper insects feeding on the tutu plant. This introduces the poison tutin into honey. Only a few areas in New Zealand (Coromandel Peninsula, Eastern Bay of Plenty and the Marlborough Sounds) frequently produce toxic honey. Symptoms of tutin poisoning include vomiting, delirium, giddiness, increased excitability, stupor, coma and violent convulsions. It is generally agreed that as little as one teaspoon of toxic honey may produce severe effects in humans. In order to reduce the risk of tutin poisoning, humans should not eat honey taken from feral hives in the risk areas of New Zealand. Since December 2001, New Zealand beekeepers have been required to reduce the risk of producing toxic honey by closely monitoring tutu, vine hopper, and foraging conditions within 3 km of their apiary.
• Honey, corn syrup and other natural sweeteners are a potential and acute threat to infants. Harmless to adults because of a mature person's stomach acidity, botulinum spores are widely present in the environment and are among the few bacteria that can survive in honey. Since an infant's digestive juices are non-acidic, ingestion of honey creates an ideal medium for botulinum spores to grow and produce sufficient levels of toxins to cause infant botulism. For this reason, it is advised that neither honey, nor any other sweetener, be given to children under the age of 18 months. Once a child is eating solid food, the digestive juices are acidic enough to prevent the growth of the spores.

Sugar to Honey Substitution

Maple syrup is a natural sugar but the heating process used to obtain the proper consistency destroys much of its nutritional value.  It should therefore be used in moderation.

Molasses is a by-product of the refining process of table sugar.  Blackstrap molasses is the only form that contains any substantial amount of nutrients; 1 tablespoon has 14% of the U.S. RDA of calcium and 28% of iron. When using molasses, substitute 1 and 1/3 cup molasses for each cup of sugar, reduce other liquids in the recipe by 5 tablespoons, add 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and omit or decrease baking powder by 1 teaspoon.

Sucanat (SUgar CAne NATural) is a registered trademark of PRONATEC AG Switzerland and of NutraCane, Inc.. It is made from fresh cut, nutrient-rich, sugar cane that has not had the molasses removed from it like refined white sugar. The juice is pressed from the cane, then concentrated into a thick, rich syrup that retains the nutritious mineral salts, vitamins and trace elements. Without refining or adding harmful chemicals, the syrup is dehydrated, then milled into a powder. Nothing is added or removed from the juice except water. is non-refined cane sugar It is essentially pure dried sugar cane juice. The juice is extracted by mechanical processesSucanat has a mild molasses flavor and is not so sweet as white sugar. Nutritional Analysis of Sucanat, approximately 150g (one cup):

• Water - 2.7g,
• Calories - 570kcal,
• Carbohydrate - 135.g,
• Fat - 0g,
• Sodium - 0.5mg,
• Potassium - 1,125mg,
• Vitamin A - 1600IU,
• Thiamin (B1 - 0.21mg,
• Riboflavin (B2 - 0.21mg,
• Niacin - 0.20mg,
• Calcium - 165mg,
• Iron - 6.5mg,
• Vitamin B6 - 0.60mg,
• Magnesium - 127mg,
• Zinc - 2.3mg,
• Copper - 0.3mg,
• Pantothenic acid - 1.8mg,
• Chromium - 40mcg,
• Phosphorus - 48mg

 Non - Caloric Sweeteners

• Acesulfame Potassiumwas first approved in 1988 as a tabletop sweetener, acesulfame potassium, also called Sunett, is now approved for products such as baked goods, frozen desserts, candies, and, most recently, beverages. More than 90 studies verify the sweetener's safety. About 200 times sweeter than sugar and calorie free, acesulfame potassium often is combined with other sweeteners. One major beverage maker mixes acesulfame potassium with aspartame to sweeten one of its diet sodas. Worldwide, the sweetener is used in more than 4,000 products, according to its manufacturer, Nutrinova. Acesulfame potassium has excellent shelf life and does not break down when cooked or baked.
• Amazake - Amazake is a traditional sweet, low-alcoholic Japanese drink made from fermented rice. It is part of the family of traditional Japanese foods made using Aspergillus oryzae (麹, kōji that includes miso, soy sauce, and sake.
• Aspartame- FDA calls aspartame (sold under trade names such as NutraSweet and Equal, Equal Measure, Spoonful, and Canderal E951) as one of the most thoroughly tested and studied food additives the agency has ever approved. The agency says the more than 100 toxicological and clinical studies it has reviewed confirm that aspartame is safe for the general population. Aspartame is a compound of two amino acids -- aspartic acid and phenylalanine. Because it is essentially half phenylalanine, people who have the genetic disease phenylketonuri (PKU) cannot metabolize phenylalanine normally need to avoid diet drinks and other products containing aspartame (trade name: NutraSweet). Aspartame (formula C₁₄H₁₈N₂O₅) is the name for an artificial, non-carbohydrate sweetener, aspartyl-phenylalanine-1-methyl ester; i.e., the methyl ester of the dipeptide of the amino acids aspartic acid and the essential amino acid phenylalanine. Under strongly acidic or alkaline conditions, aspartame first generates methanol by hydrolysis. Under more severe conditions, the peptide bonds are also hydrolyzed, resulting in the free amino acids. Aspartame ingestion results in the production of methanol, formaldehyde and formate--substances that could be considered toxic at high dosesm, but the levels formed are considered by the FDA to be modest and state that substances such as methanol are found in higher amounts in common food products such as citrus juices and tomatoes. Aspartame is considered by some scientists to be a neurotoxin, a substance that is detrimental to the nervous system. This allegation remains controversial. At elevated temperatures of about 90° Fahrenheit, a component of aspartame can convert to formaldehyde. High concentrations of formaldehyde can kill cells and tissues. Furthermore, formaldehyde can, in turn, be converted to formic acid, which can cause metabolic acidosis. Whether these changes are detrimental to the nervous system is not known. Currently, aspartame is consumed by over 200 million people around the world and is found in more than 6,000 products including carbonated soft drinks, powdered soft drinks, chewing gum, confections, gelatins, dessert mixes, puddings and fillings, frozen desserts, yogurt, tabletop sweeteners, and some pharmaceuticals such as vitamins and sugar-free cough drops. In the United States, all food ingredients, including aspartame, must be listed in the ingredient statement on the food label.
• Aspartame has been approved by the FDA for diet soft drinks but has not approved it for cooking. It loses sweetness undergoing a chemical change when heated to high temperatures for long periods of time.
• In 1965 - NutraSweet® brand sweetener was discovered by G.D. Searle and Company, and in 1985 - Monsanto acquired G.D. Searle and Company. The NutraSweet Company operated as part of the Monsanto Company Life Sciences Division. On May 25th, 2000 - J.W. Childs Equity Partners II L.P. purchased the NutraSweet Company from Monsanto, a wholly owned subsidiary of Pharmacia Corporation.
• Certain people with the genetic disease phenylketonuria (PKU), and pregnant women with hyperphenylalanine (high levels of phenylalanine in blood) have a problem with aspartame because they do not effectively metabolize the amino acid phenylalanine, one of aspartame's components. High levels of this amino acid in body fluids can cause brain damage. Therefore, FDA has ruled that all products containing aspartame must include a warning to phenylketonurics that the sweetener contains phenylalanine. Full story located at the FDA website - http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/dailys/03/Jan03/012203/02P-0317_emc-000202.txt
• Fructooligosaccharides aka Oligofructose or FOS - are sucrose molecules linked in sequence with fructose and a subgroup of inulin. Unlike most carbohydrates, it is not digested in the human small intestine and thus has a lower calorific value, whilst contributing to dietary fiber. Oligofructose is on the more soluble side, due to its lower chain length, than the general class of inulins and is therefore commonly used as an additive to yoghurt and other dairy products. They are found naturally in many vegetables, grains and fruits. FOS promote the growth of the beneficial gut bacteria (lactobacillus acidophilus and bifidus) and prevent fungal (candida) overgrowth. Sources of FOS include Jerusalem artichoke flour, asparagus, onion, leek, garlic, dahlia inulin, chicory and burdock. FOS has been documented to reduce bowel toxins and serum cholesterol; prevent diarrhea and constipation', protect liver function; and improve symptoms of chronic inflammatory bowel disease.
• Licorice root - can be used as a natural sweetener in small amounts without serious adverse reactions. As a sweetener, licorice root is safe for diabetics or hypoglycemics.
• Stevia - is a perennial shrub, the extracts of which have been used for centuries as safe and natural. Stevia is 200 to 300 times sweeter than sugar and has a licorice-like flavour. Virtually calorie-free, stevia prevents cavities and does not trigger a rise in blood sugar. It does not feed yeast, fungi or other micro-organisms in the gastrointestinal tract, but it does increase energy and improve digestion by stimulating the pancreas. In 1991, at the request of an anonymous complaint, the United States Food and Drug Administration labeled stevia as an "unsafe food additive" and restricted its import. The FDA's stated reason was "toxicological information on stevia is inadequate to demonstrate its safety." This ruling was controversial, as stevia proponents pointed out that this designation violates the FDA's own guidelines, under which any natural substance used prior to 1958 with no reported adverse effects should be generally recognized as safe (GRAS).
• Sucralose: Also known by its trade name, Splenda. After reviewing more than 110 animal and human safety studies conducted over 20 years, FDA approved it in 1998 as a tabletop sweetener and for use in products such as baked goods, nonalcoholic beverages, chewing gum, frozen dairy desserts, fruit juices, and gelatins. The FDA amended its regulation to allow sucralose as a general-purpose sweetener for all foods. It is 500–600 times as sweet as sucrose, making it roughly twice as sweet as saccharin and four times as sweet as aspartame. It is manufactured by the selective chlorination of sucrose, by which three of sucrose's hydroxyl groups are substituted with chlorine atoms to produce 1,6-dichloro-1,6-dideoxy-ß-D-fructo-furanosyl 4-chloro-4-deoxy-a-D-galactopyranoside or C₁₂H₁₉Cl₃O₈. This process produces 1,6-dichloro-1,6-dideoxy-beta-D-fructofuranosyl-4-chloro-4-deoxy-alpha-D-galactopyranoside (also known as trichlorogalactosucrose or sucralose), a new chemical substance that Tate & Lyle calls a 'water-soluble chlorocarbohydrate.' Chlorinated carbohydrates belong to a class of chemicals known as chlorocarbons. Unlike aspartame, it is stable under heat and over a broad range of pH conditions, and can be used in baking, or in products that require a longer shelf life. Because sucralose is so much sweeter than sugar, it is bulked up with maltodextrin, a starchy powder, so it will measure more like sugar.