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View Full Version : Alternatives to Demerara Sugar


Maxton
Feb 29, 2008, 05:30 PM
Are there any?

N0help4u
Feb 29, 2008, 07:38 PM
These are the only ones I know

Stevia is extracted from a South American herb that is 100 to 400 times sweeter than conventional white sugar. It's available in powders and liquid extracts in the supplement section of most natural product stores. One teaspoon of stevia is equal to about one cup of sugar. Use it carefully--too much yields a bitter aftertaste. Why it's better: Stevia is calorie-free, doesn't upset blood sugar and can actually assist in regulating blood-sugar levels.

Agave nectar is a natural juice extracted from agave, the same plant that's processed into tequila. Agave nectar is 42 percent sweeter than white sugar but has the same caloric value and a low glycemic index (11), a measurement of the relative ability of a carbohydrate to raise blood glucose levels. It can be substituted in equal parts for honey in most recipes. As a substitute for sugar, use 3/4 cup agave nectar for 1 cup of sugar, and reduce the liquid content by 1/4 cup. Why it's better: Agave nectar is metabolized more slowly and is less likely to cause dramatic fluctuations in blood sugar.

I think you could use most any fruit nectar depending on the flavor you want to give your food.

Molasses: Unsulphured molasses is made from the juice of sun-ripened cane; sulfured molasses is a byproduct of refined sugar; blackstrap molasses is the residue of the cane syrup after the sugar crystals have been separated. It is very nutritious, with high levels of calcium, iron, and potassium.

I also have heard of an asian sweetener that I never can seem to catch the name of.

also with alternative sweetener some can be sweeter and some less sweet so you need to find the conversion
For example: 1 c sugar =1/3 c molasses.