Work with your chef to incorporate natural sweeteners into F&B menus.
Natural sweeteners are a simple replacement for refined white sugar that can be used in recipes and sweets, if you work with the chef ahead of time to do so. In her book Feel Good, Look Good for Life, Angela Gaffney, who just spoke at Prevue’s Meet Well Summit, outlines the 5 most common ones:
Agave Nectar
This is a natural liquid sweetener made from the juice of the agave cactus. It is 1.4 times sweeter than refined sugar but has been found to have a lower GI (glucose index), which means less disruption to the body’s blood sugar levels.
Honey
Raw honey has small amounts of enzymes, minerals and vitamins and has anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties.
Maple syrup
Be sure you are getting 100 percent maple syrup and not a maple-flavored corn syrup.
Stevia
South Americans have used this leafy herb for centuries. It is 100 to 300 times sweeter than refined sugar and a favorite in baking.
Coconut Palm Sugar
This type of sugar is lower on the glycemic index and higher in nutrients than table sugar, tastes great and is popular for baking.
