Is there a natural sugar alternative,

**Rebookie** · 09-04-2009, 03:42 PM

that i can use when I make Sweet Tea? I was thinking honey, but would that homogenize like sugar?

**ri*smom** · 09-04-2009, 04:19 PM

We use stevia in our tea and coffee . . . you can get it in liquid form or powder. HTH.

http://www.sweetleaf.com/

**2ndGenGranola** · 09-04-2009, 04:23 PM

we use stevia also. I like stevia in cold tea and honey or stevia in hot tea.

**Grainlady** · 09-04-2009, 04:51 PM

Agave Nectar is an organic, honey-like, natural sweetener that is low-glycemic (doesn't raise blood sugar levels). Unlike stevia (an herb, which is highly-processed and often contains sweeteners - check the package for anything that ends in "ose") and chemical sweeteners (Nutrasweet, Splenda, etc.), agave nectar also acts like "sugar" in baked goods, by browning, and aids in fermentation in yeast breads.

Because agave nectar is sweeter than sugar, you use less. I just made a loaf of banana bread this morning using it, and only added 1/4-cup agave nectar to the recipe. I generally use 1/4-1/2-cup as a substitute for 1-cup of sugar.

Other "natural" choices:

-Evaporated whole cane juice "sugar" - i.e. sucanat, rapadura, turbinado
-brown rice syrup
-maple syrup/sugar/granules

**redmaples** · 09-04-2009, 04:55 PM

check out xylitol
it is s'posed to be good for your teeth too...it's used in some dental prodecuts, gums, stc
my father uses it
it's expensive

**Judi Dial** · 09-04-2009, 05:08 PM

Grainlady got me sold on agave. I don't use granulated sugar at all any more. I don't drink tea, but love the fact that I don't have to worry about grittiness or crystalization when I make lemon-limeade.

Judi

**Shelli_wnj** · 09-04-2009, 05:11 PM

Where do you get agave nectar and is it expensive?

**savvy_sniper** · 09-04-2009, 05:50 PM

It is either by the sugar or the honey. It is by the honey at my Kroger.

Originally Posted by Shelli_wnj

Where do you get agave nectar and is it expensive?

**frugalfranny** · 09-04-2009, 06:36 PM

Good info........think I will have to try the agave for some things.

I use splenda for a lot of things right now.

**Rebookie** · 09-04-2009, 07:28 PM

Can you also cook with Agave? Does it measure cup for cup equally?

**nuisance26** · 09-04-2009, 07:31 PM

Originally Posted by Rebookie

Can you also cook with Agave? Does it measure cup for cup equally?

~Grainlady answered those questions in post #4.

~

**Rebookie** · 09-04-2009, 07:45 PM

Thank you!! I have the attention span of a mosquito!

**Palooka** · 09-04-2009, 08:27 PM

I use agave and stevia too. I get them both at our local health store here.

**Judi Dial** · 09-04-2009, 11:23 PM

I got my first bottle of agave at the supermarket on their close out rack. Was ready to throw it out when Grainlady posted something about it and I tried it. Then our local "big lots" sort of store had it for $1.99 a bottle and I've still got 2 of those left. When I get down to 1, I'll order it through the co-op DH and I belong to. If I remember correctly, it's going to be around $3 a bottle? $4? Whatever.

My mother was an alcoholic, my father's father died of diabetes. So fermented sucrose or sucrose, genetically it's a problem for me. Something that can keep the adult-onset diabetes away for a bit is worth whatever I'll pay for it, as the diabetes is certainly going to be more expensive!

I use the syrup in my coffee and on hot cereal, the two places where I used to add a lot of sugar. I tried stevia before they got it all refined down to be like sugar and it was not real successful for me.

Judi

**Grainlady** · 09-05-2009, 07:55 AM

Originally Posted by Shelli_wnj

Where do you get agave nectar and is it expensive?

I generally find the best price for agave nectar is often from Amazon.com, oddly enough, although I've purchased it from all kinds of sources over the years, including places that sell brewery and wine-making ingredients. Agave nectar is used to make tequilla. I usually purchase a year's worth at a time and have at least 2-3-years in storage at any one time. It's been our primary sweetener for 10 years.