Wholesome Sweeteners. ...yes, they exist.

Sugar is a huge part of American culture these days... and it's in EVERYTHING.  We all know white sugar is not that great for you, and have heard a million times to cut back.  So, let's get to the good stuff--what are wholesome sweeteners, and am I going to like them?

Alright, so some of these you may have heard of--raw honey, maple syrup, etc.  But those have a very distinct taste that are only good for some things.  What about a white sugar replacement that doesn't have such a specific taste?

Lately I've been doing a lot of research about two types of sugar:  Rapadura and Sucanat.  Though very similar, they each have their group of followers saying that "their" sugar is the best.  Let's discuss and find out for ourselves.

What is rapadura?
     Rapadura is made from pressed sugar cane juice that is then evaporated over low heat and sieve ground.  It contains the mollasses (where all the nutrients are) that is separated from white sugar when processed.  It is also not processed with high heat and centrifuged as white sugar is.  Because it is less refined, it contains more nutrients and breaks down slower than white sugar.  It is said to have a wonderful, caramel-like taste, and can replace white sugar in equal amounts when baking.

I will be buying some rapadura sugar soon, and will test it out.  Of course, if you have tried it yourself, please let me know what you think of it!


What is sucanat?
     Actually the brand name of the first whole sugar product introduced in the US, sucanat (SUgar CAne NATural) used to always be the exact same thing as rapadura.  However, some companies have changed the way it is processed by separating the mollasses and sugar, and adding back only part of the mollasses at the end.  You would have to find a manufacturer that processes it without taking away some of the mollasses to get the most health benefit.  Therefore, you'd be best buying rapadura to be sure it is a wholesome sweetener.

I am in the process of finding online suppliers (or national grocery chains) that sell a whole sucanat.  Of course, if you can't find rapadura (it tends to be more expensive than the more refined sucanat, it is still a better option than white sugar).

I will give you an update on my findings!

Happy Eating,

KS