Sucanat?

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BrandNewLaura
BrandNewLaura Posts: 1,650 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I have a recipe for healthier oatmeal raisin cookies that calls for sucanat...any idea what this is, where I can find it, or what I could substitute for it? I looked all over the baking aisle of my local grocery store and have no idea where else to look...

I looked it up online and it says sucanat is a good substitute for brown sugar, but in the recipe it says to mix the sucanat with the oil, so I was under the impression that sucanat was a wet ingredient?

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  • BrandNewLaura
    BrandNewLaura Posts: 1,650 Member
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    I have a recipe for healthier oatmeal raisin cookies that calls for sucanat...any idea what this is, where I can find it, or what I could substitute for it? I looked all over the baking aisle of my local grocery store and have no idea where else to look...

    I looked it up online and it says sucanat is a good substitute for brown sugar, but in the recipe it says to mix the sucanat with the oil, so I was under the impression that sucanat was a wet ingredient?
  • Healthier_Me
    Healthier_Me Posts: 5,600 Member
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    Sucanat (a contraction of "Sugar Cane Natural") is non-refined cane sugar.[1] Unlike refined and processed white sugar, Sucanat retains its molasses content; it is essentially pure dried sugar cane juice. The juice is extracted by mechanical processes, heated and cooled at which point the small brown grainy crystals are formed.

    Sucanat is generally accepted as a substitute for brown sugar.[2] Unlike regular brown sugar, sucanat is grainy instead of crystalline. Of all major sugars derived from sugar cane, Sucanat (not a "processed" sugar[3]) ranks the highest in nutritional value, containing a smaller proportion of sucrose than white cane sugar.[4] However, Sucanat (in common with all sugars) is not a significant source of any nutrient apart from carbohydrate.

    Sucanat may be confused with Turbinado sugar, however; the two are fundamentally different. Turbinado sugar 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. Sucanat, on the other hand, retains its full molasses content and flavor, thus making it, as stated above, pure dried cane juice. Its grainy form also contrasts with the clear, crystalline form of Turbinado.
  • PedalHound
    PedalHound Posts: 1,625 Member
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    Health food stores should have either actual named 'sucanat' or other cane sugars / evaporated cane juice crystals. As long as it's just dried cane juice you're getting the unrefined element that makes it much more favourable. We use sucanat as well as other sweeteners like stevia in baking. You can also use agave nectar as a replacement even for dry sugar.

    Let us know how it turns out!!

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