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Human beings are hard-wired to crave sweet foods. This was essential for our survival when we had to hunt and gather our food on the plains. Unfortunately, now that we are able to buy far more food than we need from the supermarket with little expenditure of calories, this trait is not so useful.
The sweet taste of fruit is accompanied by powerful antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and fibre. This gives us energy and beneficial nutrients.
Refined white table sugar on the other hand provides us with a quick energy hit and no valuable nutrients. The vitamins and minerals have been stripped from the sugar cane during the refining process. The result is a sweet, simple sugar called sucrose which provides sweetness but nutritionally does nothing for us. Clever humans, to create such a good tasting thing with plenty of calories and no goodness!
Are other sweeteners any better?
Let’s consider honey, which is made by bees from the nectar of flowers. Honey contains more calories than table sugar but is much sweeter so we can use less of it. Honey contains glucose and fructose. Our body still perceives honey to be a simple sugar, so moderation as always is key. Honey does, however, contain traces of protein, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
Because it has a lower glycemic index, honey may keep us feeling fuller for longer than table sugar. Some honeys also contain probiotics that help to produce good flora in the gut. New Zealanders consume an average of just under 2kg of honey per head per year (twice as much as Australians and four times as much as Americans).
This may be because our honey is so good! All honey contains hydrogen peroxide, which means that it has an antibacterial effect, but manuka honey, made from tea tree flowers, has been found to be even more effective than other varieties.
Another option is maple syrup, which comes from the sap of maple trees – not to be confused with maple-flavoured syrup.
Maple syrup is low GI and has fewer calories than honey; it also contains more minerals, but the sap converts to fructose. Too much fructose in this concentrated form goes straight to the liver where it is converted into triglycerides – fats that circulate in the blood and are a risk factor for heart disease and diabetes.Fructose is also readily stored as fat.
Agave nectar is in vogue at the moment. Agave nectar comes from the agave plant. Found in Mexico, the leaves were originally boiled for use as a sweetener. Commercially, the nectar or syrup comes from the pina or root bulb of the plant. The starch of the pina is similar to corn or rice.
This nectar is heated so that the carbohydrates break down into sugar. Agave syrup is also high in fructose, in fact even higher than corn syrup.
My call is to use honey and sugar sparingly, and try to curb your sweet tooth. Keep treats as treats!
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