Dani Spies

Agave Nectar
A 100% natural sweetener that is derived from the Agave plant; it is not refined and therefore is not considered a simple sugar.  One of Agave’s big perks is that it has minimal effects on blood sugar levels and comes in several different flavors.  Great to use anywhere you would use honey and can be used in baking as well.
1 cup of white sugar  = ¾ cup Agave; be sure to reduce overall liquid in your recipe by 1/3 and lower the oven temperature by 25 degrees.

Barley Malt Syrup
A thick, dark-colored sweetener made from sprouted barley that is dried, mixed with water and cooked until thick syrup forms.  Works well in baking, muffins, fruit breads, baked beans, jerk marinades and dressings.
1 cup of white sugar = 1 cup of barley malt; reduce the liquid in your recipe by ¼ cup for every cup of barley malt used.

Brown Rice Syrup
A mild, minimally refined sweetener that works well when making hard or crunchy baked goods.
1 cup of white sugar  = 1 cup of brown rice syrup; be sure to reduce total amount of liquid in the recipe by ¼ cup for every cup of brown rice syrup used.

Date Sugar
An intensely sweet powder produced by drying and grinding dates that of course, offers all the nutrients of dates.  Tends to burn easily, so experiment at your own risk.
1 cup of white sugar = 2/3 cup of date sugar; you must dissolve date sugar in hot water before using and adjust all other liquids accordingly.

Honey
One of the least refined sweeteners, honey ranges in flavor and color depending on the plant that it was extracted from.  Honey does however raise blood sugar levels quickly, so it is best used in moderation.
1 cup of white sugar = 1/3 cup of honey; can be substituted for up to half the white sugar in a recipe but be sure to lower oven temperatures by 25 degrees to avoid burning.

Maple Sugar Flakes
100%% pure maple syrup, dehydrated into flakes, maple sugar flakes have half the calories of refined sugar.  For a finer texture, try giving them a whirl in your food processor.
1 cup of white sugar = 1 cup of maple flakes

Stevia
A natural alternative to sugar free sweeteners, Stevia has zero calories.  It is super sweet, but does not do so well in baking.  I think stevia is best for thing like sweetening your coffee and tea.
1 cup of white sugar = ½ tsp of stevia

Sucanat
Minimally refined evaporated organic sugar cane juice. It has a pleasant, granulated texture and tends to lend a distinctive molasses-like taste to whatever it sweetens.  So it works well in thing like cookies and brownies but you may not want to use it if you are making an angel food cake.
1 cup of white sugar = 1 cup of sucanat

Technically speaking, our bodies have no need for white sugar.  If we never ate it again, our bodies would not be missing a thing.  Although these natural alternatives have more nutrients than white refined sugars, many experts would argue that the benefits are so minimal that ultimately the benefits could be considered void.

Dani's Bottom Line on Sweetners: Try to work with, real, whole, unprocessed foods, most of the time.  Choose ingredients that work with your body rather than against it.  Enjoy sweets in moderation and be sure that you laugh and find something to be grateful for everyday!! 

Here’s to Christmas cookies (in moderation of course!).