Just desserts: can't resist your sugar craving? Indulge in holiday treats made with all-natural sweetners

Natural Health, Dec, 2007 by Suzann Pileggi

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IN A CHRISTMAS CAROL, Charles Dickens's 1843 holiday classic, Mrs. Cratchit's plum pudding is the epitome of a holiday dessert--a highly anticipated once-a-year treat prepared with love and attention by a doting parent. For centuries, sweet treats were reserved for only the most special of occasions because they relied on a rare and expensive ingredient: sugar. It wasn't until modern technology facilitated the production of refined sugars (pure sucrose extracted from sugar cane or sugar beets and most often taking the form of sugar crystals) and corn syrup (pure fructose and glucose extracted from corn) that desserts became the ubiquitous everyday treats they are today.

Our annual sugar consumption has ballooned from an average of lo pounds per person in the early 19th century to more than 70 belly-busting pounds today. Researchers suggest our bodies need only about a teaspoon of sugar daily for basic metabolic functions--and that teaspoon can be found easily in fruits and whole grains. In reality, most of us take in more than 20 teaspoons a day, in the form of snacks, soft drinks, and "hidden" sugars like corn syrup in breads and salad dressings. These empty calories-offering no nutrients other than carbohydrates--spike blood sugar, leech minerals from the body, and weaken the immune system. Research also suggests ingesting simple sugars such as sucrose, fructose, and glucose can decrease the body's sensitivity to insulin and boost the production of triglycerides and bad cholesterol, increasing the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and obesity.

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So how do you satisfy a holiday sweet tooth without sabotaging your health? Say hello to natural sweeteners: honey, maple syrup, molasses, and other potent ingredients derived from fruits, flowers, and vegetables. Experiment with these all-natural, unrefined alternatives--see "Naturally Sweet," page 74, for nine suggestions--and you'll be reconnected to a time when sweetness came from the field, not the factory. Many of these sweeteners, such as birch sugar and agave nectar, contain fewer calories per serving than refined white sugar and score much lower on the glycemic index, which ranks carbohydrates according to their effects on blood sugar and insulin. Others, like honey and date sugar, are complete foods that offer vitamins and minerals.

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These six holiday desserts, all made with natural sweeteners, are delicious ways to celebrate the season without going into sugar shock. Of course, while natural sweeteners are free of refined sugar and corn syrup, they are still forms of sugar, so moderation is key: Each dish is intended to serve about eight people, so if you find yourself grabbing more than your share, it might be time to move away from the dessert table.

NATURALLY SWEET

The best alternative sugars are satisfying and loaded with nutrients.

BARLEY MALT Made from fermented grains whose starches have turned to sugars, barley malt tastes slightly like malted milk balls.

RAW HONEY Loaded with natural enzymes, vitamins, and minerals, honey comes in a variety of colors, ranging from intensely flavorful dark brown to lighter (and milder) shades of gold. Always go organic, and because raw honey contains live spores, never use it to sweeten the food of an infant or toddler without consulting a doctor first.

BROWN RICE SYRUP The rich butterscotch taste of this syrup, derived from cooked brown rice, mixes well with oatmeal and other hot whole grain cereals.

STEVIA From a South American herb, Stevia rebaudiana, stevia is much sweeter than sugar and has a slightly bitter licorice taste. Available in powder and liquid forms, it's good for diabetics because of its mild effect on blood sugar levels.

MOLASSES A potent and highly nutritious sweetener, molasses contains all the beneficial stuff that's stripped out of sugar cane during the refining process, including iron, manganese, zinc, copper, and chromium.

DATE SUGAR This ancient sweetener made from finely ground dates offers all the fruit's vitamins and minerals, plus the calming amino acid tryptophan.

BIRCH SUGAR With 40 percent fewer calories than white sugar and a low score on the glycemic index (which ranks a carbohydrate's effect on blood sugar and insulin), this sweetener, also known as xylitol, occurs naturally in tree fiber, corn, and some fruits.

MAPLE SYRUP Look for organic, 100 percent pure maple syrup, which contains only the sap of maple trees--and no added corn syrup.

AGAVE NECTAR Sweeter than refined sugar and with a lower rating on the glycemic index, the juice of the agave cactus is a good choice for diabetics or anyone seeking to avoid a sugar rush.

LEARN MORE: For a sugar-free Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies recipe and tips on curbing sugar cravings, go to naturalhealthmag.com/holidaydesserts.