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Sucanat Vs. Turbinado Sugars

Admin — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 07:52:02 +0000

If you’re like me, you never really new the difference between Sucanat and Turbinado sugar. Well the purpose of this post is to clear things up for you a bit. Sucanat is a contraction of “Sugar Cane Natural.” It is non-refined cane sugar which, unlike refined and processed white sugar, retains its molasses content when it is dried–it is basically pure dried sugar cane juice. Here’s how they do it: the juice is extracted by mechanical processes, heated and cooled at which point the small brown grainy crystals are formed. Unlike regular brown sugar, sucanat is grainy instead of crystalline and of all major sugars derived from sugar cane, Sucanat (not a “processed” sugar) ranks the highest in nutritional value, containing a smaller proportion of sucrose than white cane sugar. It is a source of iron, calcium, potassium, B vitamins and chromium. Chromium in particular is key in helping blood sugar balance which may ultimately helping in weight loss and losing weight.

Turbinado sugar, on the other hand, contains only a trace amount of its original molasses content, making it similar to refined sugar except with a golden color and a hint of molasses flavor. Turbinado sugar is a delicious alternative to table sugar and it is similarly crystalline (though its sugar crystals are much larger, and are made at an earlier period in the sugar cane processing method). It retains some of the flavor of molasses, a natural byproduct of the sugar process, which makes it a desirable addition to tea or coffee. Basically, the first pressing of the sugar cane yields Turbinado, which also is considered by some to be better for your health since it receives less processing than does white sugar. Some manufacturers refer to Turbinado sugar as raw sugar and it is packaged and sold under numerous names, but one of the most popular of these is “Sugar in the Raw.” In many baked goods like cookies or muffins, Turbinado sugar can actually benefit the end result because it has additional moisture.

Honey is Good for You, Sugar!

Admin — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 07:49:56 +0000

Honey is one of the best health foods out here in terms of the benefits it can offer, but this of course, like with all foods, depends on the quality of the honey you buy. No I’m not talking about the honey at most people’s homes which is often half corn syrup and tastes like sugar. I’m talking about the real deal. You see, the processing of honey often removes many of the phytonutrients found in raw honey as it exists in the hive. Raw honey on the other hand, contains small amounts of the same resins found in propolis, a complex mixture of resins and other substances that honeybees use to seal the hive and make it safe from bacteria and other micro-organisms.

Honeybee propolis atually contains anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties. Other phytonutrients found both in honey and propolis have been shown to posssess cancer-preventing and anti-tumor properties. These include caffeic acid methyl caffeate, phenylethyl caffeate, and phenylethyl dimethylcaffeate. Researchers have discovered that these substances prevent colon cancer in animals by shutting down activity of two key enzymes. But remember, when raw honey is extensively processed and heated, the benefits of these phytonutrients are largely eliminated.

And do remember honey this winter when upper respiratory infections keep your child awake coughing at night. In a study involving 105 children aged 2-18 years with upper respiratory tract infections of 7 days or less and night-time coughing, a single night-time dose of buckwheat honey was an effective alternative treatment for symptomatic relief of nocturnal cough and sleep difficulty, compared to a single dose of dextromethorphan (DM). Significant symptom improvements were seen in the honey-supplemented children, compared with the no treatment group and DM-treated group, with honey consistently scoring the best and no-treatment scoring the worst. Pick up your honey from an organic market you trust to be sure you’re getting top quality.

Note: If you are thinking of honey as a sugar substitute in terms of weight loss, its not lower in calories but may provide more in the way of flavor satisfaction, which means less honey used and less calories in!

Benefits of and Baking With Fructose

Admin — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 07:47:41 +0000

Before you look for an easy solution and start popping Phentermine, it’s important to take a good look at your diet, and see what kind of adjustments you can be making.

I’d like to start with analyzing your daily sugar intake.

We already know the role that sugar plays in impeding weight loss and helping you to drop weight, but there’s a whole other story in baking. Sugar provides moisture and tenderness, liquefies when it bakes, increases the shelf-life of finished products, caramelizes at high temperatures, and of course, adds sweetness. Refined sugar, whether from sugar beets or sugar cane, helps cookies spread during baking, allowing their crisp texture, too, and therefore, bakers can’t simply replace sugar with a different sweetener. Though in many recipes, you can decrease the amount of sugar by up to one third without affecting the quality of the product.

Fructose, aka fruit sugar, tastes and looks like cane sugar, and is about one and a third times as sweet as cane sugar. Fructose is also a refined product and, as such, it should be used with wisdom, but what is great about fructose is that it is metabolized somewhat differently to refined cane sugar. You see, unlike cane sugar, fructose does not cross over directly from the intestines into the blood stream. It is released slowly into the blood via the liver so it does not cause wild surges in the blood sugar levels, along with the drastic secretions of insulin and adrenalin that the body triggers in order to deal with those wild surges. So fructose is kinder to the pancreas and to the adrenal glands and, under normal circumstances, will not cause the same problems as refined sugar causes. Provided it is not used in excess, fructose is ideal for sweetening drinks, for sprinkling over fruit salads, and for baking. While fructose is more expensive than refined sugar, those who value their health have come to realize that fructose is a far better alternative – one that could prove to be far cheaper in the long run. If you want to bake with fructose, use 2/3 cup for every cup of sugar in your recipe and you’ll soon see the results in helping you lose weight but still enjoy treats.

Glenny’s Yummy Low-cal Soy Crisps

Admin — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 15:26:49 +0000

Soy. Just the name seems to turn off so many people, making folks think of flavorless tofu or crunchy hippies and their often tasteless meals (no offense to you crunchies out there!). I was one once of those. But I changed.

My Glenny Soy Crisp story began when I came upon these in a neighborhood store, and decided to try them, not paying any attention to the ingredients or the nutrition info. I popped one in my mouth and was literally floored: they were amazingly yummy. So much, that I ate the whole 3 oz. bag. But here’s the thing: you don’t need to feel guilty and this is why: the whole bag contains 3 grams of fat and 170 cal. So, I have purchased bag after bag since and the barbecue flavor easily surpasses in flavor my favorite BBQ potato chips and of course, I don’t have to hit the gym for hours to burn it off. These chips help curb my snack attack because they are loaded with protein and little to no fat.

What’s more, eating a few small healthy snacks between meals helps with weight loss by keeping cravings down plus if your meals are not perfectly balanced, snacks can help you meet healthful guidelines for calcium and protein intake. Studies have even shown that eating several small meals a day instead of three large ones is better for your health and helps your weight loss by keeping your metabolism revved up. You know you can’t beat that. Plus now the FDA recommends 25 grams of soy protein a day may reduce the risk of heart disease. Increasing the amount of soy in your diet is easy to achieve with Glenny’s snacks. One serving contains 9g Pure Non-GMO Soy Protein, which is more soy protein than tofu or soy milk. Finally, 100 Calorie Glenny’s snacks let you control your portion sizes and properly count your calories so you can stay fit and slim.