Cakes, cookies and bakes are always a stable favorite to satisfy a demanding sweet tooth. Who could say no to a cookie dunked in milk, or a slice of sponge with a cup of tea? With the Great British Bake Off airing it’s latest series, a Mary Berry inpsired baking madness has emerged. It’s fabulous that everyone is enjoying the excitement of baking. However, whilst home made bakes are much more wholesome than shop bought treats, it’s important to bear in mind how much sugar we use to make them.
Sugar can be found in all kinds of unexpected places: white bread, pasta sauces and canned soups. All of which have high amounts of sugar in them. Along with all the sweet treats invading our cupboards, it’s no wonder obesity and diabetes rates are rising. So, it is important to find alternative means to using sugar in our food. Jamie Oliver is fronting the case with his ‘sugar rush’ campaign that aims to introduce a tax on sugary drinks in the UK in order to help improve children’s health. Whilst we are a tad older, it’s still an important message to consider.
There are so many great alternatives that work well in all kinds of baking, and whilst some may be a bit pricier, they won’t harm your body and you can feel happier in the knowledge that your cheeky after lecture brownie isn’t really that bad for you!
1. Dates. Not the romantic kind, more the sticky, juicy and caramel like fruits that possess a naturally very sweet taste. There are so many varieties but the best, and most versatile for baking, has to be medjool dates. Energy balls, made famous by the Deliciously Ella blog, are a way to incorporate these dried delicacies with lots of protein from nuts, seeds and coconut flakes.
2. Honey is another natural alternative to sugar. It’s been used for centuries to sweeten food and drink, and even has medicinal properties. When buying honey, try and buy as local as possible. Often shop bought honey is still packed with sugar and other nasty stuff. Most recently, a granola craze has started, and honey is perfect for combining the oats, dried fruit, coconut and other goodness before popping it into the oven.
3. Maple Syrup is a fabulously natural sweetener on the list. Most of you seasoned bakers out there will know of syrup’s use in flapjack making and in some cake bakes. However, it’s a perfect substitute for eggs and sugar in many cookie recipes. Often producing a lovely gooey texture.
4. Sweet Potatoes. Now I know this sounds a bit crazy, but sweet potatoes make a brilliant brownie. Obviously they are a much healthier option and they also hold many anti- inflammatory properties too. They are cheap to buy and there are so many sweet potato brownie recipes out there that you’ll be spoilt for choice!
5. Agave Nectar was a popular option on the Bake Off’s sugar free challenge recently and it’s easy to see why. It is much sweeter than normal table sugar and so you can use much less of it in baking. It has a similar texture to honey and so, like all the liquid forms on the list, you’ll need to lower the amounts of eggs used to accommodate agave. Try making it super healthy with yummy banana bread like this one below!