Gimme Some Natural Sugar

We have been hard wired to crave sweets since our Neanderthal days. Yet all that processed sugar, whether in drinks or treats can be damaging. What to do? Go natural. There are plenty of all natural sweeteners that you can use.

It is hard to give up sugar, especially when you have to.Luckily there are many choices to help you go through the withdrawal process. (Keep in mind that refined white sugar is just as addictive as cocaine).Many right now are using stevia as their go to sweetener. Some are even attempting to grow the plant in their backyards which you can if you live in warm conditions where it thrives. Stevia is 200 times sweeter than refined sugar and can help in reducing weight and cavities. There are some great products out there made with it. One, Zevia Soda is a must buy if you want to wean yourself off regular sodas. It's made with 100 per cent stevia and comes in a wide range of flavors. I've tried both their black cherry and cola flavors and really enjoyed them. They also have ginger ale and their take on Dr. Pepper., Dr. Zevia. Can you bake with it? Yes! It just takes eighteen to twenty-four packets to create one cup. There's even stevia confectioner's sugar that you can buy on Amazon. Use this when you want to create fluffy buttercream icing.

Another must have is maple syrup. It has a lovely buttery sweet taste that can work in anything. One of my new favorites is a homemade maple "ice cream."It's taking plain , unflavored yogurt, and mixing it with a tablespoon of maple syrup in one of those Slushie cups.It  turns into a creamy kind of frozen yogurt. You can also bake with it. Just use 3/4 cup  for every one cup of sugar. Keep in mind that it can also be used for marinades for all sorts of meats.Try it blended with rosemary for a different glaze for chicken or salmon. Honey is the original sweetener, going back thousands of years  in first sweetening oat cakes. I like it in sweetening  up tomato sauce  with dark California wildflower honey instead of sugar because it doesn't leave that sweet candy taste. It gives the blend an earthy flavor that melds with the tomatoes and various spices. It's the same reason I use a teaspoon or two of it in my Mom's chili recipe too.Baking with honey is another good idea. It adds a much more mellower flavor than refined white sugar. Keep in mind that honey is a liquid and that's going to throw off any baked good's texture. You'll have to reduce the liquids amounts by two tablespoons to get the right batter and dough consistency.

You can get off sugar. Use natural sweeteners and you'll be surprised at how good they taste and how versatile they are. Try them and seen.