by Susan Williams |
People have often never considered honey as a natural substitute for sugar. The search for a better sweetener has been going on for years. The local café tables often display sweetener such as equall, nutrasweet, and splenda, and although they may be a low-calorie alternative, they are chemically formulated and are not natural to the body. When sugar is processed the organic acids, proteins, nitrogen elements, enzymes, and vitamins in the sugar cane are destroyed. Honey that is subjected to minimal heating is a natural sweetener with beneficial antioxidant and antimicrobial properties that are not present in table sugar.
Here are a few nutritional facts about honey and sugar. One tablespoon of table sugar contains 46 calories. One tablespoon of honey has 64 calories. Though honey may have more calories, one actually needs to use less honey than sugar, since honey is much sweeter as a result, less honey is consumed.
Table sugar is sucrose, which is made up of two molecules bonded together. When table sugar is eaten, the stomach uses stomach enzymes to separate the molecules apart before the sugar is turned into energy. Honey is different; bees add an enzyme to the nectar that divides the sucrose into glucose and fructose, two simple sugars that the body absorbs directly.
The Glycemic Index (GI) measures the negative impact of food on blood-glucose level. The lower the GI rating the slower the absorption and infusion of sugars into the bloodstream. Compared to sugar, honey has a healthier GI rating for a more gradual digestion process maintaining a constant energy level.
Besides the differences in nutrition sugar has a difficult time competing with honey in taste. Both are sweet, however honey has a range of floral varieties that experience the uniqueness of each variety and explore every possibility, to complement different types of foods.
References:
- www.benefits -of-honey.com
- www.google.co/honey-vs-sugar
For more info, contact Susan Williams at (775) 358-5083.
