Tips for Sugar-free Cooking and Eating

[Mr.X]

Tips for Sugar-free Cooking and Eating


Whatever your reasons to reduce sugar, it can be a real trial to lessen its impact in your meals and snacks. Just imagine if you had to empty your cupboards and never buy chocolates. Sounds impossible? Well, it is possible, especially for me - I never had that 'sweet tooth'. But even if you love sweets, there are ways to reduce your daily intake.

As you know, sugar and fat are against you when it comes to staying trim. Debate still rages over whether sugar causes behavioral changes in children. Generations have been warned that sugars in the mouth cause dental decay.

So how do you cut back on sugar intake without causing a full-blown rebellion? The trick is - It has to be done gradually.

Forget fizzy drinks like coke, sprite and lemonade. Mix half juice, half soda water for a substitute treat. Or use teeth-friendly Ribena (black currant concentrate).

Avoid bakery and store-bought cookies. Bake your own at home. Even using the full amount of sugar called for in the recipe, will still create a less sweet home backed cookie.

I've read that there are recipes using rice syrup, malt syrup or ripened mashed bananas to sweeten cakes but I haven't actually come across one. Perhaps I could do a bit of research and come up with some ideas...

You could also cut sweet cravings by offering sweet vegetables at meals. Slow cooking root vegetables (like carrots, parsnips, onions) results in a sweeter side dish. Add cream and favourite fresh herbs for a lively and satisfying appetizer.

Baked apples and pears with butter and cinnamon or nutmeg are wonderful winter desserts with a natural sweetness.

Of course, you can always shop for sugar-free products in the supermarket - there is so much choice in yoghurts and deserts with sweeteners. You won't notice any difference in taste.

Instead of displaying that cookie jar with sweet treats, put a nice basket on your dining table and fill it with fruit for easy snacking.

Who can resist peaches, plums, grapes, bananas, oranges and apples?