Today I want to bake a few muffins for my kids' afternoon snack and I am out of sugar ! I run to the store and suddendly I stop in front of the SUGAR isle. Sooo many products to choose from....! White sugar, brown sugar, refined, un-refined, raw, agave, molasse, honey, dates sugar , pastry sugar, coconut sugar, organic sugar and so on. I grab the MOST raw organic natural un-refined sugar pack and I feel in heaven. I made a great healthy choice today! Or at least I think so......because in reality SUGAR is SUGAR regardless of the brand or the label .
Pic from cbsnews.com
According to The Raw Facts on Sugar By JOHN STOSSEL:
" Some people claim brown sugar is better for you than white sugar. It's more "natural," they say.
"Natural" is such a good selling point. So is "raw." One woman said, "When I see 'in the raw' [on a sugar package], I assume it's less processed than white sugar.
"People who are grabbing that brown sugar because they think it's healthier are basically deluding themselves," Nonas said.
Sugar begins as sap in sugarcane plants, which are crushed to release what is called sugar juice. The juice is heated, which creates a thick dark molasses containing sugar crystals. They spin that in a centrifuge to remove the molasses. What's left is white granulated sugar. Brown sugar is brown because it has some of the molasses added back to the white sugar.
It's true that molasses tastes a little sweeter and contains a little iron and calcium, but only a little.
To get as much iron as I'd get from one slice of whole-wheat bread, I'd have to eat nine teaspoons of brown sugar.
"Brown sugar is not any better than white sugar. People should still reduce their intake of all sugars because they're basically empty calories," Nonas said.
And "raw " sugar is no better, Nonas added. "People are very susceptible to marketing. And just because something is natural doesn't mean it's particularly healthy for you," she said.
Raw sugar isn't even really raw. It's just slightly less refined, so it retains some of the molasses. But there's no real health real benefit from it. "There's no more nutritional value in raw sugar than there is in white sugar or brown sugar," Nonas said. "
so if all the sugar is bad for you what can I use to bake?
The only way to 100% ensure that your sugar is indeed natural is to get it from an unprocessed source delivered directly from nature. ( Bananas, apples, dates, coconut, pineapple, carrots)
Graphic from http://www.sugarstacks.com/
Back to my Muffins.........
This is the recipe that I am trying today, no processed, refined, empy calories sugar...JUST FRUIT FROM the only true natural sugar source : NATURE.
Makes 12 large muffins or 1 loaf
Ingredients:
3 cups of whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large apple grated
2 brown bananas mashed
1/4 cup almonds
1/4 raisins
2 cups water
oven : 375F Baking time: 30-45 minutes or until golden brown on top
combine all the ingredients in a large bowl.
Pour into muffin tins.
My house now smell incredible with the warm scent of these hearty homemade muffins
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