By Idolina Maldonado
Humans have been using natural sweeteners, such as sugar and honey, for thousands of years. India has manufactured cane sugar granules for over two thousand years and Southeast Asia has used sugar cane juice long before that. In the 15th century, the use of sugar cane juice spread to the West Indies and Americas.
Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics depict the use of honey and the ancient Greeks used honey in foods as well as healing techniques. One important aspect of natural sweeteners is their glycemic index (GI). Glycemic Index is defined as a number representing the ability of a food to increase the level of glucose in the blood.
The Livestrong Foundation states that the lower the GI, the slower the body uses the carbohydrates as energy. The GI of honey varies depending on the type. Floral honeys have the lowest glycemic index ranging 32-44. Commercial blend honeys release energy faster and have a GI of 69. Pure raw honey, which is unpasteurized, unheated, and unprocessed, has a GI of 58. Although the nutrients in honey and sugar are similar, using lower GI honey would be more beneficial because it would require less to sweeten a food than sugar.
How to Substitute with Honey
Honey is also a great substitute for sugar in many recipes, including in baking. The Livestrong Foundation recommends these tips when substituting honey for sugar:
- Use a darker honey for a sweeter and powerful flavor, and lighter honey for a subtle flavor.
- Lubricate the utensil or measuring device with oil or egg whites to prevent the honey from sticking.
- If the recipe calls for 1 cup or less of sugar, you can use equal measurements of honey. For more than 1 cup of sugar, use two-thirds or three-quarters honey.
- When using honey as the substitute to sugar, you must also reduce other liquids called for by one-quarter cup for every cup of honey used after the first cup.
- Be sure to use ¼ tsp. of baking soda for every cup of honey if baking soda is not already called for.
- Most recipes will also need to be baked at 25 degrees lower to prevent overbrowning or over baking.
The Livestrong Foundation also recommends replacing every cup of sugar with ¾ cup of honey and states that every 12 oz. jar of honey is equivalent to 8 oz. cup of liquid.
What recipes do you incorporate honey into? Please feel free to share your recipes with us!
2 Comments
I have been using honey in lieu of sugar in drinks for many years. Aside from the flavor, what I like most is that it dissolves in warm beverages much faster than sugars.
However, I did not know about the things to do, such as add baking soda, when using honey as a substitute in baking. This is great information! Thank you.
Thanks for the amazing honey ideas! We love people just like you BEE-cause you understand the significant role honeybees play in our ecosystem. We appreciate your kind and thoughtful comments! Tell your friends about our site and share any recipe ideas that you have with us! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter, too!
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