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Carbohydrates / All About Sugars
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Sugars are classified as either simple or complex carbohydrates. Refined sugars such as white, brown, and turbinado sugars, and the unrefined simple sugars, such as fruit sweeteners and concentrated fruit juices, are all simple carbohydrates. The grain syrups: barley malt and brown rice syrup, contain complex carbohydrates besides some simple sugars.
Complex carbohydrates are a string of simple sugars (glucose) strung together that must be broken back down into simple sugars before they can be absorbed into the bloodstream; whereas simple sugars can go directly into the bloodstream.
An influx of sugar into the blood stream upsets the body's blood sugar balance, triggering the release of insulin, which the body uses to keep blood sugar at a safe and constant level. Insulin also promotes the storage of fat, so when you eat sweets high in sugar and fat, you're making way for rapid weight gain and elevated triglyceride levels, both of which have been linked to cardiovascular disease. Complex carbohydrates tend to be absorbed more slowly, lessening the impact on blood sugar levels.
Refined sugars have been stripped of the vitamins, minerals, and fiber that were originally present before processing. White sugar is 99.9 percent sucrose, and brown and turbinado are 96 percent sucrose. Brown sugar is white sugar with molasses and/or caramel coloring added. Turbinado sugar, also called raw sugar, is slightly less refined and contains a trace amount of a few minerals.
Consequently, consuming large amounts of refined sugars places an extra burden on the body to supply the nutrients, specifically the B vitamins, chromium, magnesium, and zinc, needed to convert glucose (blood sugar) into energy. According to USDA biochemist Richard Anderson, refined sugar may also impair the absorption of trace minerals like copper and chromium present in some of the other foods we have eaten.
Refined simple sugars also have an impact on brain chemistry. They raise serotonin levels, which can leave you feeling drowsy. However, the unrefined simple fruit sweeteners have less impact on brain chemistry because they are high in the sugar fructose, which does not affect serotonin levels.
Choosing natural sweeteners rich in complex carbohydrates and reading labels before buying a product will help you reduce your consumption of refined sugar. Natural sweeteners retain most of their vitamins and minerals, and many contain complex carbohydrates. Below is a list and brief description of some of the natural sweeteners available.
Brown Rice Syrup (Rice malt)
- is made from (yeast culture) fermented brown rice and sprouted whole barley. Like barley malt, it is ground and heated to make a thick syrup. Because of its mild taste, it can be used as a substitute for white or brown sugar.
- OK for sick people but not too much !
- It is one of the best of all concentrated sweeteners !
- Avoid it if you have Candida Albicans (yeast) problem !
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40% complex
carbohydrates (starch) |
57% maltose |
Barley Malt Syrup
- is made from (yeast culture) fermented whole barley which is sprouted to break down some of the carbohydrate into the simple sugar maltose. It is then ground and heated to make a thick syrup. Barley malt is a good substitute for brown and white sugar. It is delicious in hot breakfast cereals, cookies, breads, muffins, and recipes using carob.
- OK for sick people but not too much !
- It is one of the best of all concentrated sweeteners !
- Avoid it if you have Candida Albicans (yeast) problem !
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33% complex carbohydrates (starch) |
66% maltose |
Granulated Brown Rice Sweeteners
- are made from dried brown rice syrup or a combination of dried brown rice syrup and powdered grape juice concentrate. Brown rice sweeteners have a very mild flavor and can be used to replace white or brown sugar in baked goods.
- OK for sick people but not too much !
- It is good concentrated sweeteners !
- Avoid it if you have Candida Albicans (yeast) problem !
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33% or more complex carbohydrates |
66% maltose, fructose, glucose, and sucrose |
Fruit Concentrate/Sweetener
- includes frozen juice concentrates such as grape or apple juice and refrigerated jars of fruit concentrates which are typically blends of juices such as peach, pear, and pineapple juice. Fruit concentrates are thicker than fruit juice concentrates and are made by cooking whole fruits at very low temperatures until they have been reduced to a thick syrup. Fruit sweeteners work well in most baked goods.
- They are not much better then white or brown sugar !!!
- If you are sick, avoid it !!!
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1% complex carbohydrates |
90 - 96% simple sugars, fructose, glucose, and sucrose |
Maple Syrup
- is made from the sap of sugar maple trees. Thirtyfive to 50 gallons of sap are boiled to produce one gallon of maple syrup. Grade A maple syrup has a lighter color and flavor than Grade B, which is darker with a stronger flavor.
- It is not much better then white or brown sugar!!!
- I do not recommend it !!!
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1% complex carbohydrates |
96% sucrose |
Honey
- is a mixture of acid secretions from the glands of honeybees and nectar from flowers. Although honey is a natural sweetener, it is considered a refined sugar because 96% of dry matter are simple sugars: fructose, glucose and sucrose.
- It is sweeter and higher in calories than refined white sugar. Honey does contain some B vitamins, minerals, and enzymes. However, the enzymes are generally destroyed by high heat causing the honey to lose nutritional properties when used in baking. God to use in special cures, but not as a every day food !
- It is not much better then white or brown sugar!!!
- I do not recommend it !!!
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0% complex carbohydrates |
96% simple sugars, fructose, glucose, and sucrose |
Granulated Cane Juice
- is made from organically grown sugar cane juice that has been filtered and dehydrated. Its a simple sugar that tastes much like brown or turbinado sugar; however, its less refined and contains more vitamins and minerals. Granulated cane juice can be used as a substitute for both white and brown sugar, but it is still rich in sucrose.
- It is not much better then white or brown sugar!!!
- I do not recommend it !!!
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0% complex carbohydrates |
96% sucrose |
Molasses
- is a byproduct of the refined white, brown, and turbinado sugars. Sweet molasses or light molasses is the liquid left after the first extraction of sugar crystals. Blackstrap molasses is the liquid left after the last extraction of sugar crystals, and has a stronger, bittersweet flavor and is richer in potassium, calcium, iron, and Bvitamins than sweet molasses. Though molasses is better than white sugar, it still contain a lot of it, so I can not recommend eating molasses.
- It is not much better then white or brown sugar!!!
- I do not recommend it !!!
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0% complex carbohydrates |
96% sucrose |
The granulated brown rice and cane juice sweeteners are roughly equal in sweetness to refined white, brown, or turbinado sugar and can be substituted on a cup for cup basis without changing anything else in the recipe.
When you substitute a liquid sweetener for a dry one or vice versa, you will have to adjust the recipe to end up with the right batter consistency. The chart (below) will help you modify your recipes when using natural sweeteners.
| To replace 1 cup dry sweetener with 1 cup liquid sweetener: |
reduce another liquid by 1/3 cup or add 4-5 tablespoons flour. |
| To replace 1 cup dry sweetener with 3/4 cup honey: |
reduce another liquid by 1/4 cup or add 1/3 cup flour. |
| To replace 1 cup liquid sweetener with 1 cup dry sweetener: |
add 1/3 cup water. |
| To replace 1 cup liquid sweetener with 3/4 cup honey: |
add 1/4 cup water. |
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Note: When using thick liquid sweeteners, heat the jar in hot water for five minutes to make pouring easier and spray measuring cups with vegetable spray to prevent sticking.
Facts about white sugar consumption:
- Adults purchase over 50% of all chocolate sold in USA.
- The average American consumes an astounding two pounds of sugar each week, which is not surprising considering that highly refined sugars in the forms of sucrose (table sugar), dextrose (corn sugar), and high-fructose corn syrup are being processed into so many foods such as bread, breakfast cereal, ketchup, mayonnaise, peanut butter, spaghetti sauce, and a plethora of microwave meals.
- An average American consume 147 pounds of sweeteners each year.
- Monoglycerides used in some ice creams are a possible cancer causing agent in test animals.
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