Wellness Tip: Sweet Superfoods

As the winter holiday season approaches and we all recover from our Halloween-induced sugar highs, try integrating some more nutritious forms of sweetness into your treats. It is well-documented that the two most common forms of sweetness in our diets - white sugar and high fructose corn syrup – actually deplete our systems of nutrients, wreck havoc on blood sugar levels, and are highly addictive. But that doesn’t mean we need to cut out all the sweets from our diets! The good news is that there are several sources of sweetness that can be substituted in recipes for goodies like cookies, hot cocoa, and even oatmeal. Check them out:

- Stevia: Available in either liquid or powder form, this zero-calorie sweetener is made from a herb that grows in the Amazon Rainforest.
- Agave nectar: From the agave cactus, this syrup-like sweetener has a lower glycemic index (GI) than most sweeteners, meaning it releases the sugars into the blood stream slower than the other options here (with the exception of stevia)…which means it doesn’t cause the intense sugar crash some of us experience from other sweeteners.
- Maple syrup: Full of B vitamins and minerals, real maple syrup isn’t only for pancakes! Try substituting it for other sugars in any recipe or even tea. A little goes a long way.
- Raw honey: For folks who suffer from allergies, there is evidence than regular consumption of locally-produced honey may help immunize against some allergens. Raw – a.k.a. unpasteurized – honey retains the many vitamins and minerals that are cooked away during the heating process, making it more nutritious than pasteurized honey.

All four of these “superfood” sweeteners can be purchased at area health food stores such as Richard’s, The Granary, Whole Foods Market, and Good Earth as well as at some regular supermarkets such as Publix and Sweetbay. The downtown Sarasota Farmer’s Market is an excellent source of local Florida raw honey.

Questions? Comments? Ideas for future tips? Hungry for more healthy living tips? Please feel free to contact Julia Onnie-Hay, Program Specialist for the Uniquely ME! Healthy Girls Initiative at (941) 921-5358 ex. 319 or juliao@gsgcf.org.