I've been interested in sugar substitutes for a while now. I really don't care to use chemical substitutes or other zero calorie substitutes, nor have I been very successful at satisfactorily baking with syrups like honey or agave. I've used fructose, but feel that's nearly as refined as sugar and the xyletol I've been using is made from corn (which I don't really feel like supporting the continued over growth of) and can't be used in home made candies, not that I do much of that anyways.

So, anyways, I usually read up on any new 'healthy' sugar (if there is such a thing) I come across. I recently came across a new one called sucanat. After some net reading, I learned that it is more or less the same thing as muscavo sugar, also called gur in India! Yeah, finally a sugar that is healthier and that I am already familiar with and can get easily.

So, how is gur actually healthier? Well, because it is unrefined and still contains minerals such as potassium, calcium and others. It's still sugar, don't get me wrong, but I also don't think it can be called empty calories either!

Here's a simple cookie recipe that I intend to try soon. If you try it before I do, please let me know how it turns out! I found it at: http://recipes.egullet.org/recipes/r2108.html

Labels: Food, recipes