Saturday, May 15, 2010

Honey Vs. Sugar

















WHY HONEY?

Most health-conscious individuals are making the switch from sugar as a sweetener to honey...why? There are a few very good reasons for this switch. First of all, honey has vitamins and minerals, and granulated sugar, which is overly processed and refined has none. Honey is sweeter than sugar, so, although it has more calories, you tend to eat less. Honey has a lower Glycemic Index which means that it has a slower absorption rate into the bloodstream.

FYI...it is widely believed by many experts and scientists that the antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties of honey can actually aid in the treatment of minor burns when applied topically...pretty cool, huh!!!

If I have a recipe where honey can be substituted, without negatively affecting my baking, I use the honey. My cookbook will use LOTS of honey (especially in yeast breads).

WHAT IF I DON'T HAVE HONEY???

Here is a conversion for substituting sugar for honey, if you either don't have it, or can't afford it. Because honey is liquid, this conversion can be a little tricky, but try it out and play with it until you get it right.

Use 1 1/4 C of sugar for every 1 C of honey and add 1/4 C of liquid (could be oil, water, milk). I don't use honey in my cookies, but many people do. If you have a recipe that calls for honey and you only have sugar, use the above conversion, and get rid of the baking soda. Good luck!!!

Remember...NEVER give honey to a small baby!!!

1 comment:

  1. I am glad you taught about this. It is good to use when you are running low on honey. Although honey is better, for practicality it is good to know you can interchange them.

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