Good brown sugar substitute

[bludvamp]

I am looking for a good brown sugar substitute for baking (specifically for muffins). Brown rice syrup is an excellent white sugar sub, but I'm looking for something that provides that molasses-like flavor as well.

Any suggestions???

[Bruce Paine]

Try rapudura.

( http://www.rapunzel.com/products/rap..._rapadura.html ).

This is the most complete sugar product that you can get besides that you might get from chewing a sugar cane stalk.

You can read Rebecca Wood's description of Rapudura in her "THE NEW WHOLE FOODS ENCYCLOPEDIA: A Comprehensive Resource for Healthy Eating"
( http://www.rwood.com/books.htm ) or a lighter blurb in her question and answers section:
( http://www.rwood.com/Questions/q_may_01_2001.htm ).

Just remember that when one eats refined and fast metabolizing sugars like white sugar and honey, that a number of things happen in one's body including a very increased blood sugar spike followed by a decreased blood sugar level inducing a craving for more sweets, and in the case of refined sugar, the body searches for it's own stored minerals to replace the ones that it's giving up to properly metabolize the mineral deficient white sugar.

I hope this helps.

Thank you, very much.

Bruce Paine

[Johnnyzen]

I think maple syrup is good in cooking, and especially good is rice syrup. Rice syrup is recommend by most macrobiotic people.

[Bruce Paine]

Johnnyzen,

Rapadura (organic unrefined cane sugar) is fine to use for baking, as long as it is treated with care like maple syrup which appears to be more yin than brown rice syrup.

Rapadura ( http://www.rapunzel.com/products/rap..._rapadura.html ) is not the same as brown sugar ( http://www.sugar.org/facts/types.html ) which is refined cane sugar colored with molasses, or turbinado sugar which is partially refined cane sugar.

Likewise, Sucanat ( http://www.wholesomesweeteners.com/manufact/sucanat.htm ) and Sugar In The Raw ( http://www.sugarintheraw.com/ ) are both big jokes, bicause they too are forms of colored, refined cane sugar.

Do you know why eating refined foods like refined cane sugar, can contribute to poor health?

Is Johnnyzen your birth name or Cybermacro alias?

Thank you, very much.

Bruce Paine

I think maple syrup is good in cooking, and especially good is rice syrup. Rice syrup is recommend by most macrobiotic people.