Tuesday, March 20, 2007

How Sweet it is Without Sugar!

How Sweet it is!!!
 
 
First a Bit of History...
The first low-calorie sweetener ever made is Saccharin, and it was discovered in way back in the year 1878.
 
Artificial sweeteners are considered "free foods" for diabetics and they do not raise blood glucose levels.
 
Aspartame is 180 times sweeter than sugar
The more popular brand names for aspartame are Equal, Sweetmate, and Spoonfuls.
 
Aspartame when heated breaks down and loses its sweetness.
It can be added to already cooked foods and foods after they cool down.
 
The loose granulated form of aspartame sugar substitute measures just like sugar...spoonful to spoonful...It has the same sweetness as sugar but has only 1/8 the calories of sugar.
 
Did you know that most low-calorie sweeteners are not digested by the body.
Except for aspartame, which is metabolized naturally by our bodies.
 
Equal Recipes
 
Acesulfame Potassium (also known as acesulfame-K) is 200 times sweeter than sugar.
It is sold under the brand name Sweet One.
 
Saccharin is basically 300 times sweeter than sugar.
It is sold under the brand names Sweet 'N Low, Sucaryl, Sugar Twin, Sweet Magic and and Zero-Cal
 
Saccharin can be used to sweeten hot and cold foods.
Saccharin has a slightly bitter aftertaste. The flavor becomes stronger when heated.
 
Sweet N Low Recipes
 
Sucralose is 600 times sweeter than sugar.
It is sold under the brand name Splenda.
 
Splenda (Sucralose) can be used in recipes that require long heating periods without loosing any of it's sweetness.
 
 
Stevia is a member of the Chrysanthemum family...and has has no aftertaste.
It is available in health food stores.
It is heat stable for cooking and baking...
The concentrated white powder is 300 times sweeter than regular sugar.
The greenish-black concentrated liquid is 70 times sweeter than regular sugar. But the liquard form can discolor light colored foods.
They also have a crushed leaf form that is about 30 times sweeter than regular sugar.
It usually comes in small tea-bag like packets and is useful for sprinkling on top of  foods.
Please note that these leaf particles do not dissolve.
 
Stevia Recipes
 
Regular Sugar
Provides structure and volume in baked goods.
So please always check the labels on each sugar subsitute to see what is recommended when subsituting.
 
NOTE: Pregnant women are cautioned not to use Saccharin.
 
The glycemic index (GI)
is a dietary tool that is very useful for the control of diabetes and also weight loss. When you regularly eat low glycemic foods, it can help you control your blood sugar levels and also control your weight.


This Chart is from the Sweet N Low Website
 
Substitution Chart


Packets

Bulk

Liquid
1/4 cup granulated sugar 6 2 teaspoons 1 1/2 teaspoons
1/3 cup granulated sugar 8 2 1/2 teaspoons 2 teaspoons
1/2 cup granulated sugar 12 4 teaspoons 1 tablespoon
1 cup granulated sugar 24 8 teaspoons 2 tablespoons
 

 
Other Alternatives for Sugar and Sugar Subsitutes
 
For 1 cup of sugar in baked bread recipe
Use in place 1 cup of honey and a pinch of baking soda

For 1 cup of sugar in standard baking recipes
Use 7/8 cup of honey and a pinch of baking soda

For 1 cup of sugar in main meal dishes 
Use ¾ cup of honey
 
Or you can try....
 
Fruit Sweeteners...
Commercial fruit sweeteners can usually be found in health food stores,
gourmet food stores and supermarkets.
These fruit sweetners usually are a combination of unsweetened pineapple syrup and concentrated pear and peach juices, 
It is 1-1/2 to 2 times sweeter than regular sugar.
 

 
Diabetes Awareness
Control the ABC's of Diabetes
 
To make people with diabetes more aware of their higher risk for heart attack and stroke, the National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP) has launched a national campaign called "Be Smart for Your Heart: Control the ABC's of Diabetes". The campaign was designed to help people understand the basic keys to living with diabetes. "A" for hemoglobin A1c, "B" for blood pressure, and "C" for cholesterol - and learn the steps they can take to lower their risk of heart ailments. The NDEP's new brochure explains these points and includes a handy wallet card to help people keep track of the ABC's.
To obtain a copy of the brochure and wallet card, call 1-800-438-5383 or 1-800-DIABETES
Posted by Mickey at 11:16:48 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

Friday, March 16, 2007

Visit Diet Advice Website

Browse around this handy website..

Diet Advice

http://www.geocities.com/DietAdvice/

Posted by Mickey at 20:55:20 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

Making Changes in your Cooking and Eating Style

Tips for Substitutions
 
Substitute non-fat or low-fat yogurt, blender-whipped non-fat or low fat cottage cheese,
or buttermilk, for sour cream or mayonnaise.
 
1 cup sour cream = 1 cup plain yogurt
 
1 cup sugar (in baking) = 7/8 cup honey plus a pinch of baking soda
 
1 cup sugar (in baking bread) = 1 cup honey plus a pinch of baking soda
 
1 cup sugar (in main dishes) = 3/4 cup honey
 

 
Making Changes in your Cooking and Eating Style
By Healthy-Diet-Newsletter
 
Changing your eating lifestyle....
It starts with re-learning how to cook, what to buy and what to avoid...
Careful planning is a must....
 
Here is something you can do....
Go through your recipe box.....
Throw out all those high fat, high sugar...junk recipes...
OR...
Rewrite them...Substituting healthier alternatives...
 
What can you substitute??
 
Look for white flour....
Change White flour to Whole Wheat flour or Soy Flour...
 
Look for Pastas....
Substitute White Flour Pastas with Whole Wheat Pastas or
Spinach Pastas...
 
Look for Oils....
Substitute Lard and Bad Oils with Good Oils....
Or Cooking Sprays...
For Better healthier Oils...I recommend Olive Oil or Canola Oil.
Have Both...Sprays and Good Oils in your pantry.
 
Look for Sugar...
Substitute with Sugar alternatives...
Be careful for equivalent measurements...
 
Look for High Fat ingredients....
Substitute Low Fat Versions of the same.
I recommend some fat...as it is important to our health.
Examples...
Sour Creams, yogurts, cheeses, ricotta, milk, cream cheese, etc.
Change to Low fat versions in your recipes...
 
Here is something else to do, after you throw out and
change your old recipes....
(see changed recipe below)
Go online to healthy cooking/recipes sites...
Collect new healthy recipes and print them out...
Try them and add them to your recipe box...
 
Buy new recipe books...
 
 

 
Let us see how we can change this recipe...
 
Pork Chops O`Brien
Ingredients:

1 Tbs. oil  
(Use Olive or Canola Oil)

6 Pork Chops 
(look for leaner cuts and trim all fat)

1( 10 3/4 oz) can cream of anything soup
(get a reduced fat cream soup)

2/3 cup milk 
(sub soy milk or lowfat milk)

2/3 cup water

16 oz. shredded hash brown potatoes
(sub brown rice)

6 slices cheese or shredded (6-8 oz)
(use lowfat cheese)

1 2.8 oz can fried onion rings

salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Heat oil in in skillet: brown chops on both sides. Drain and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine soup, milk, water, salt and pepper: mix well.
Stir in potatoes, 1/2 cheese, and 1/2 of the onions. Spoon into greased (use cooking spray)
13x9 dish.
 
Arrange chops on top.

3. Cover with foil. Bake for 1 hour. Remove cover: Sprinkle with remaining cheese and onions.

Bake uncovered 5 to 10 min.
Makes 6 servings.

 
Artifical Sweeteners-Sugar Equivalents
 
EQUIVALENTS
Sprinkle Sweet and Sugar Twin - 1 tsp for 1 tsp sugar.
 
Sweet n'low - 1/3 tsp for 1 tablespoon sugar.
 
Liquid Sucaryl - 1 tablespoon for 1/2 cup sugar.
 
Adolph's Sugar Subsitute - 1/4 tsp for 1 tablespoon of sugar.
 
Liquid Sweet 10 - 1 tablespoon for 3/4 cup sugar, 4 tsp for 1 cup sugar.
 
Weight Watchers - 1/8 tsp for 1 tsp sugar, 1 tablspoon for 1/2 cup sugar.
 
Sweet 10 tablets and Equal tablets - 1 tablet for 1 tsp sugar.
 
Equal, granulated - 1 packet for 2 tsp sugar.
 
From the New Diabetic Cookbook
From Prodigy's Food and Wine Bulletin Board
Posted by Mickey at 20:28:07 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |