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    healthier alternative for refined white sugar

    Posts: 6
    edited February 23 in Recipes
    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.

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    Replies

    • Posts: 1,238 Member
      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.
    • Posts: 1,509 Member
      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
    • Posts: 632 Member
      Date paste. I think it would have a nice flavor in banana bread too.
    • Posts: 178 Member
      Stevia :-)
    • Posts: 235 Member
      Following
    • Posts: 19 Member
      I'm interested about this too, I don't know much about the alternatives...
    • Posts: 14 Member
      I use xylitol
    • Posts: 729 Member
      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.
    • Posts: 6
      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.
    • Posts: 2,033 Member
      Splenda
    • Posts: 2 Member
      palm sugar or date syrup
    • Posts: 213 Member
      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
    • Posts: 735 Member
      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.
    • Posts: 4,440 Member
      Define "healthier."

      A lot of zero-calorie sweeteners don't work well with baking.
    • Posts: 1,146 Member
      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.

      Domino-Demerara-Washed-Raw-Cane-Sugar-24oz-Pouch.jpg
    • Posts: 1,373 Member
      Healthier?

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

      Am I gonna die? :frown:
    • Posts: 1,197 Member
      Organic white sugar.
    • Posts: 341 Member
      Go on Pinterest they have GREAT recipes for backing with less sugar
    • Posts: 6
      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.
    • Posts: 461 Member
      Cauliflower?
    • Posts: 244 Member
      Cauliflower?

      :laugh:
    This discussion has been closed.

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