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Decadent moist chocolate cakes, sinful gooey brownies, chewy choc chip cookies, soft Gulab jamun drenched in sugary syrup or a can of diet coke, the list is never-ending.
With each passing day, a new exotic sweet dish is created by the magical hands of great chefs. Whether its birthday or a wedding or a sad demise of a loved one, we never miss consuming this white demon (refined sugar) in the form of sweets, cakes, ice creams, chocolates, etc. So, let us know more about refined sugar.
White sugar also called table sugar or granulated sugar is most commonly used in every kitchen right from morning tea till a delightful dessert served after dinner in almost every household.
It is made up of sugarcane juice which has undergone a refining process. It’s very tragic to know that these white crystals don’t have any nutritional value but still we love it so much. One teaspoon of sugar gives you sixteen calories. The glycaemic index of granulated sugar is 65, making it a high glycaemic food.
Consumption of sugar should be very minimal. An excess of it has been linked to a wide variety of adverse health effects including obesity, type-2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, poor oral health, etc.
But, then how to satisfy one’s intense craving for sweets?
So, let us ponder over some different sugar substitutes which are healthier with respect to their nutritional value and calorie count.
First on my list is “Mishri” or rock sugar.
“Mishri” is unrefined form of sugar made from sugarcane syrup. It is widely used in Ayurveda because of its health benefits. It helps to boost haemoglobin. It relieves cough and sore throat. It is good for digestion. It has a cooling effect on the body. It is also rich in calcium, magnesium, dietary fibre and anti-oxidants.
“Mishri” comes in larger sugar crystals. It can be grinded in a mixer and could be used as a sweetener for tea, coffee, juices, sweets etc.
Its glycaemic index is almost same as the refined sugar hence, should be consumed in moderation.
Second, on my list is Honey.
The chemical composition of honey is very similar to human blood. Therefore, our body can easily assimilate 100% nutrients from it. It has an anti-bacterial property. Also, it is rich in anti-oxidants. It is good for the heart and is a great brain tonic. It aids weight loss.
I personally have not experimented on substituting honey with sugar. Thus, I won’t comment on how it can be replaced by sugar in different recipes. I would love to hear from my readers if anyone has any suggestion for the same in the comment section.
The topmost ingredient which can be used to switch the sugar from your recipes is “Jaggery” and “Jaggery powder”.
Believe me, jaggery is such a versatile ingredient which can blend in almost all the sweet recipes, without giving you those unhealthy calories and baggage of disease.
In Indian traditional culinary heritage the use of jaggery has been a quintessential part in most of the sweet dishes.
Jaggery being much healthier than refined sugar, not only adds nutritional value but also gives a rich and blissful taste plus texture to all the preparations.
Jaggery helps us in weight loss. The potassium present in jaggery helps in balancing electrolytes, boost metabolism as well as in building muscles. Also, potassium helps to reduce water retention, thus leading to weight loss.
The presence of potassium and sodium in jaggery helps to maintain acid levels of the body. This in turn maintains normal blood pressure.
Jaggery is a rich source of iron and folate which helps in preventing anaemia.
Jaggery helps to detoxify the liver. It also prevents constipation. It also offers anti-oxidants, minerals like selenium and zinc. This helps our body to build resistance against various infections.
The list of health benefits of jaggery are very long. Moreover, substituting it with refined sugar in our daily cooking also doesn’t alter the taste. So, why not switch to it!!
I have tried and successfully used jaggery powder and mishri powder in many baking recipes. Let it be fudgy brownie or mug cake or it is a cupcake or daily beverage.
Also, how healthy the sugar substitute be; moderation of its intake is the key factor.
Lastly, I conclude by making people aware of the fact, that so-called sugar-free biscuits, cookies, drinks, etc have aspartame and acesulfame potassium used as sweeteners in them. Both of these two ingredients can lead to serious health illnesses if consumed for a longer duration.
You can visit my Instagram page @Dr Munira Moayyadi where I post these recipes.
Written by Dr. Munira Moayyadi
Consultant Homeopath