healthier alternative for refined white sugar

bellyxray

Anyone have thoughts? I've been wanting to make some banana bread, but balk at the thought of a cup of white sugar!!!!

Coconut sugar? Is that any better in terms of calories? I know it's healthier.

Erythritol? Has anyone used this? To me this seems the best, but it's expensive.

thepetiterunner

Coconut sugar has the same amount of calories (15 per tsp), but it's lower on the glycemic index, so it's not supposed to spike your blood sugar as much. It has a lovely caramel flavor as well. I really enjoy it.

Mangopickle

http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/coconut-sugar-a-healthy-and-sustainable-sweetener/

Here is a good article that unifies most of what I have heard from my own research. I mix mine half and half with cane sugar to good effect in my dishes

Sunbrooke

Date paste. I think it would have a nice flavor in banana bread too.

Mini_horse_lover

Stevia :-)

PinkCupcakes84

Following

Sagitta13

I'm interested about this too, I don't know much about the alternatives...

sarahford09

I use xylitol

Swiftlet66

What are you planning to use the sugar for? I use dried fruits in my baking and mainly coconut sugar for the lower GI in my cooking, however, I go easy on the coconut sugar too. I get most of my "sugars" from fresh fruits.

bellyxray

As stated in OP, Banana Bread, so already putting in mashed banana.

I also put in greek yogurt in place of sour cream

I may try coconut sugar this time because that is what I have on hand.

Derpes

Splenda

txmorris3

palm sugar or date syrup

amez1974

http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/05/02/recipe-whole-wheat-banana-bread/

This is what we make now and it is delicious-doesn't even taste like it's "less sugar" uses just 1/4 cup of honey

MamaFunky

We made some banana muffins the other day and I just left the sugar out all together. We didn't miss it at all. The recipe was sweetened up enough from the bananas and vanilla greek yogurt. I also put a tablespoon of dark chocolate chips in there to help as well.

Sometimes the recipe will require just good ole white sugar, but depending on the recipe you may not need it at all....or at maybe cut the about in half or even fourths.

ETA: I have also used honey to sweeten up recipes that call for sugar.

Holly_Roman_Empire

Define "healthier."

A lot of zero-calorie sweeteners don't work well with baking.

So_Much_Fab

I use this 99% of the time. I like it because it's not refined and it has a bit of a molasses flavor to it.

silver_arrow3

Healthier?

I JUST had banana bread for breakfast that I made with sugar...

Am I gonna die? :frown:

DeltaZero

Organic white sugar.

bevmcarthur

Go on Pinterest they have GREAT recipes for backing with less sugar

bellyxray

healthier....as in....not so many calories as the white sugar is going to have. That's why I said, I know coconut sugar has just as many calories. So was looking for also something else.

I don't like the aftertastes that Splenda and sugar substitutes like that leave, so I'm not using those. I don't even like Stevia.

I could just go with no sugar, and vanilla greek yogurt, see how that goes.

Flab2Fab27

Cauliflower?

KameHameHaaa

Cauliflower?

:laugh: