Simple Food Swaps: Smart Ways to Swap Out Sugar
By Tara Garfield, Rejuvenan Nutrition Team
Sweeteners come in many different forms and can be referred to on food labels in a variety of different ways, such as sucrose (table sugar), high fructose corn syrup, brown rice syrup, agave nectar, honey, molasses, and the list goes on. Sugars are commonly added during food production to increase both the shelf life and overall palatability of processed foods, which unfortunately also ends up increasing the amount of added sugars in the standard American diet.
Consuming too much added sugar has been associated with many health risks, such as an increased risk for weight gain, heart disease, and diabetes. According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, it is recommended that individuals limit consumption of added sugars to no more than 10% of total daily calories. This is equivalent to about 12 teaspoons of sugar per day, or the amount of sugar found in a 16 ounce bottle of Snapple Lemon Iced Tea.
Americans, on average, currently consume almost twice the recommended amount of sugar per day. While consuming small amounts of added sugar now and then is not a concern, it is important to be self-aware and try to limit consumption of added sugars as much as possible.
In this installment of our Simple Food Swaps Blog Series, we will be providing you with healthier alternatives to classic table sugar, as well as three healthy Rejuvenan recipes that we hope will help satisfy your sweet tooth in a way that also promotes your health.
1. Raw Dates or Date Paste
Dates are loaded with soluble fiber and nutrients, such as calcium, iron, and potassium. They also contain high amounts of polyphenols which are antioxidants that help to fight against free-radicals in our bodies. Due to their high fiber content, dates are broken down and digested more slowly than refined sugar, resulting in a more sustained release of energy without the dreaded sugar crashes that so typically follow intakes of refined sugars.
Dates make for a great snack on their own, but can also be transformed into a syrup or paste and used as a sweetener in recipes. To make your own date paste, simply add 2 cups of pitted dates, coarsely chopped, and ½ cup of hot water to a food processor or high-speed blender and blend until smooth. You can store date paste in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks and use it in your favorite recipes. Try substituting date paste in a 1:1 ratio with granulated sugar; however, keep in mind that when you use date paste as a substitute for sugar, the texture and sweetness will vary slightly from the original recipe.
If you’re new to cooking or baking with dates, Rejuvenan’s Caramel Fruit Dip recipe is a great place to start! This nutrient-rich fruit dip served with red apple slices is sweetened only with dates and takes just 5 minutes to make!
Caramel Fruit Dip
Prep time: 5 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups Medjool Dates, pitted
- 1 ½ cups water, slightly warm
- 2 tablespoons almond butter
- 1 tablespoon cashews, raw
- ½ tablespoon coconut oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
- Place all ingredients in a high powered blender and blend until smooth.
- Serve with sliced apples or your favorite sliced firm fruit.
- Yields 6 servings of ⅓ cup of dip per serving.
2. Use Fruit!
It is possible to continue to enjoy sweet treats by ditching the refined sugar and using fruits instead to lend a comparable sweetness to your favorite recipes. You can replace all or part of the sugar in many recipes by substituting it for fruits such as bananas, figs, apples, pumpkin, or blueberries, which provide a sweetness that is similar to that of sugar, but with substantially more health benefits. Fruit provides fiber, vitamins, and minerals, making it a more nutrient dense and nutritious option. Here are some suggestions for how to use fruit as a replacement for sugar:
Homemade Fruit Purees: Place bananas, figs, papaya or other fruits into a food processor and pulse until you have a somewhat smooth consistency. When baking, replace ⅓ to ½ of the amount of sugar in recipes with pureed fruit. If the recipe calls for a liquid, reduce its amount by ¼ if you use fresh fruit puree, as the fruit will add moisture to the recipe.
Use Overripe fresh fruit: As fruits ripen, their starch breaks down into sugar. So, if you’re adding fresh fruit to a recipe, the riper the fruit, the sweeter it will be. This process is particularly noticeable in bananas as they ripen.
Add Fruit Pulp or Zest: Adding pulp or zest to baked goods will enhance the flavor of your recipe without requiring any baking or liquid modifications.
Dried fruit: Incorporating dried fruits into recipes can be a good way to add sweetness and nutrients; however, it is important to watch portion sizes. When fruit is dried, it shrinks considerably, which is why a typical serving of dried fruit is only ¼ cup in comparison to 1 cup of fresh fruit. The drying process generally preserves nutrients making dried fruit a good source of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Just be sure to read the ingredient list before you buy, to ensure your dried fruit does not contain any added sugars.
Fruit juice: You can press your own juice at home or purchase 100% fruit juice from the grocery store to add to your recipes in place of sugar. Try substituting ¾ cup of juice for every 1 cup of sugar.
This Antioxidant Rich Breakfast Bar recipe from Rejuvenan uses a combination of healthy techniques to make a bar that is naturally sweetened with fresh fruits, dried fruits, and fruit juice. This recipe also incorporates sources of protein and fat from nuts and seeds to balance out the sugar and slow digestion in the body.
Antioxidant Rich Breakfast Bars
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients:
- 1 medium ripe banana
- 1 cup old fashioned oats
- 1 cup frozen blueberries, thawed
- ¼ cup raisins
- ⅛ cup pomegranate juice
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped dates
- 1 tablespoon chopped walnuts
- 1 tablespoon Goji berries or other unsulfured dried fruit (dried blueberries/cherries)
- 1 tablespoon raw sunflower seeds
- 2 tablespoons ground flaxseeds
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Mash banana in a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly.
- Lightly wipe an eight inch square baking pan with a small amount of olive oil. Spread mixture into pan. Bake for 25 minutes. Cool on a wire rack and cut into bars.
3. Spices and Herbs
Sweet spices add distinct flavors and can reduce the need for added sugar in recipes. Incorporating cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, cloves, and vanilla into recipes not only adds sweetness and flavor, but also offers many health benefits as well.
Cinnamon: From sweet dishes to stews and curries, you may find that a small amount of cinnamon goes a long way. Cinnamon has both anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties and may help reduce sugar cravings by helping to control blood glucose levels, although research findings vary.
Cardamom: Cardamom has a strong, sweet flavor and aroma, with hints of lemon and mint. It is a spice used in both sweet and savory dishes and may help to alleviate digestive problems like nausea and vomiting.
Vanilla: Vanilla extract is often added to foods in order to reduce the amount of sugar needed for sweetening. The active compound in vanilla, vanillin, is an antioxidant that helps to protect cells from free-radicals and it may also aid in reducing inflammation in the body.
This tasty Chia Seed Pudding recipe from Rejuvenan is sweetened with only fruit and uses ground cardamom and vanilla extract for flavor. Chia seeds are also a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, fiber and protein making this a super nutrient-dense sweet treat!
Chia Seed Pudding
Active Prep: 5 minutes
Total Prep: 20 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
- 1 cup unsweetened plant based milk
- ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1 cup water
- 4 Medjool dates, pitted
- ½ teaspoon alcohol-free vanilla extract
- ½-¾ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ½ cup chia seeds, divided
Directions:
- Blend milk, coconut, water, dates, vanilla, cardamom and 1/4 cup of the chia seeds in a high-powered blender.
- Add additional milk if needed to adjust consistency. Stir in remaining 1/4 cup chia seeds.
- Refrigerate for 15 minutes and stir again to distribute seeds evenly.
- If desired, top with fresh berries and/or toasted unsweetened coconut. For a chocolate chia pudding, blend in 2 tablespoons natural cocoa powder.
Overall, by focusing on eating whole, unprocessed foods, you will automatically be able to reduce the amount of added sugar in your diet. Additionally, as you continue to reduce your consumption of added sugars and incorporate these three alternatives into your lifestyle, your taste buds will adapt to enjoy foods that are less sweet, making it even easier to cut back on sugar. For 24/7 access to physicians and wellness guidance at your fingertips, download the Rejuvenan app and subscribe for membership today!
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