Taking Guilt Out Of Dessert

Just a spoonful of alternative sugar IS the medicine!

Today is Halloween. Years ago, my children absolutely adored dressing up, gathering with the neighborhood kids, and going to neighbors' homes for candy. However, as I became more aware of the unhealthy additives and processed sugar involved, this holiday season became a challenging time for me as I tried to limit the potential impact on their bodies from these toxins.

Creating festive holiday meals required extra time and effort as I searched for recipes to replicate our cherished traditional favorites. Fortunately, many of my friends and family understand my need for alternative sweeteners, allowing me to bring a dessert to share when I visit their homes. Yet, transitioning to healthier eating habits is a complex endeavor.

I grew up with a rich tradition of homemade cakes, cookies, sweet rolls, pies, pudding, and more. These treats were an integral part of nurturing and being nurtured, and I believe it's important not to overlook that aspect. It has been a gradual process for me to find suitable substitutions, and it's a unique journey for each individual.

Initially, I started using stevia instead of sugar, which can be extremely bitter if used in the same, 1:1, ratio (it's up to 400 times the sweetness of table sugar). The white stevia found in stores can differ significantly from the organic stevia green leaf powder I now use, both in taste and potential additives with side effects. Stevia is a plant that can be easily grown at home and turned into a calorie-free and carbohydrate-free powder. A little goes a long way in beverages, plain yogurt, smoothies, etc. However, it doesn't work as well in baking, so I use the recommended ratio of one teaspoon of stevia instead of a cup of processed sugar in recipes, sometimes combining it with another alternative sweetener.

Pure monk fruit powder is another fantastic sugar-alternative sweetener. Most store-bought monk fruit sweeteners contain additives with potential side effects, so I prefer to order mine online. This sweetener works well in baking, but it's much sweeter than sugar without the added calories or carbohydrates. For baking, I recommend using less than the recommended 1/2 cup of monk fruit to 1 cup of sugar, as it can be overpoweringly sweet, although delicious.

Additional healthier sweeteners I explore include dates, honey, maple syrup, coconut sugar, molasses, coconut nectar, and brown rice syrup. These options are lower on the glycemic index and contain more nutrients than table sugar. In my daily sweet fixes, I typically stick to monk fruit and organic green leaf stevia powder as sweeteners, with a moderate intake of fruit.

Remember, transitioning to healthier alternatives is a learning process that requires forethought and preparation. When changing your eating habits, it's important to take it one step at a time so that it becomes a lifestyle rather than a mere diet.

Pure alternative sweeteners are not only packed with nutrients and antioxidants but also offer delicious flavors. It's a matter of adjusting your palate, and once you get used to it, choosing healthier snacks becomes second nature. Many blessings on your journey towards a healthier lifestyle.

Dr. Jane Fresne, DN