Alternatives to Sugar and High Fructose Corn Syrup

[Jo Pedranti]

Almost everything you buy in the store today has some kind of sweetener in it. It is almost impossible to purchase something that is not sweetened
with high fructose corn syrup. Trying to raise a healthy child can be
challenging when it is hard to find real food.

Even though the organic products are not using HFCS many are still full of sugar. When people start being interested in being more healthy
many try to replace the current products with organic instead. It is
often believed that just because it is organic it must be good for you.
Many of the organic food companies are now owned by the same giant food
corporations that makes all the junk food in the stores.

Organic means that the food is free of chemicals, not irradiated, and no genetically modified ingredients have been used. If you take a closer
look at what kind of organic food is sold in the regular store, you
will find that more and more main stream kind of food is labeled
organic. I find it harder and harder to find real organic food when I
go shopping. Nowadays it is duplications of oreo cookies, fig newtons,
chips, candy and so on that are sold in the natural aisle. Sure, it is
better than the regular versions, but the organic cookies are still
full of sugar, and the organic chips are still full of fat. Don't buy
into the organic hype, a lot of it is still processed and full of
sugar. If you want to give your child a special treat buy the organic
version, but don't let you be fooled that all organic food is healthy.
Put your money on organic fruit and vegetables instead.

I gave some tips on how to break the sugar habit and why sugar is bad for your child in my post about sugar.

Here are some some ideas on how you can replace sugar in your baking and cooking.

• Replace 1 cup sugar with:
  1 1/4 date sugar,
  1 1/2 ground up raisins, dates or other dried fruit.
  1 1/2 cups molasses.
  1 1/2 apple, black berry, or other fruit juice concentrate. (unsweetened of course)
  1 1/2 cups brown rice syrup.
  
  What I do:
  
• Pancakes/waffles: I mix a variety of berries with some water and let it simmer on the stove for a while. Add some pineapple chunks or little fruit juice if
  you need to sweeten it more. I store the left over in a glass bottle in
  the fridge. If you need to make it thicker you can mix some arrow root
  powder with a tiny bit water and add to the mixture at the end of the
  cooking time.
• Yogurt flavors: I puree a mixture of berries and some fruit and add it to natural unsweetened yogurt. If your child think it is too sour you can
  add some sweet fruits like banana or pineapple.
• I puree fruit, berries and sometimes coconut milk and put in popsicle molds. Leftover smoothies or protein shakes can be used the same way.
• Hot cereal: I add frozen berries and let it cook with the cereal. This eliminates the need for any sweetener, often cinnamon is used as a topping when the
  cereal is done.
• Dried fruit home made jam: First of all, rehydrate dried apples, pears, peaches or other combinations, with enough water to cover the fruit. Simmer until
  soft or soak overnight. Put in the blender and mix until it is smooth.
  It will keep about a week in the fridge. Add dried date granules if you
  want it sweeter.
• Jam recipes:
  Dilute peanut butter with water and add crushed pineapple.
  Soak 1 cup dried apples and 1/2 dates in 3 cups water and then blend.
  Blend dried figs with desired amount of fresh orange juice.
  2 cups pitted prunes, 1 cup cashew nuts. Add water and blend.
  Blend almond and dates with equal amount of water.
  1 1/4 cup pitted dried prunes or 1 cup of pitted dates, 1 cup of dried
  apricots and 1/2 crushed unsweetened pineapple. Simmer prunes and
  apricots in enough water to cover fruit, or soak over night. Blend with
  pineapple in blender until smooth.
  
  Sometimes when I bake I use Rapunzel's unrefined raw sugar. It is so
  far the best sugar I have found in health food stores or grocery
  stores. Baked goods are a special treat in our house. I also like to
  use crushed pineapple or dates when I make a special treat. I also like
  to have raw honey and maple syrup at home, I do realize it affects the
  blood sugar so it is used wisely. I
  prefer to use more berries than fruit since many berries have a low
  glycemic index and they are truly superfoods with all the nutrients.
  
  It may take a while to get your child used to the idea of eating less
  sweet food, don't be afraid to add a little extra rapunzel raw sugar (
  it truly taste and smell yummy) until their taste buds are re-trained.
  It is still less sugar than store bought things. My children prefer
  that I add banana or pineappe to make it sweet, and it is enough to
  make it sweet for them.