diabetic

[Guest guest]

My hubby is diabetic and is also allergic to pretty much all sugar alcohols

(really unfortunate intestinal issues). I have a cook book called Sweet &

Natural Baking (by Mani Niall) where all of the recipe's are sweetened with

natural sweeters based on fruit juice or maple syrup. One such sweetener is

commercially produced and is called Fruit Sweet and can be purchased online or

in some health food stores. Just Google (or whatever your preferred search

engine is) it.

 

He also recommends maple sugar to refined sugars or even brown sugar since brown

sugar is not unprocessed sugar. This is also used in several of his recipes. I

believe it also has a lower glycemic impact that other sugars or even honey (but

am not 100% positive on that information).

 

Here is his recipe for making your own fruit juice concentrate:

 

" These can be boiled down to make liquid fruit concentrate from scratch. It

takes about 20 minutes to reduce one qrt of juice to one cup and should have a

syrupy consistancy. Be sure to buy UNSWEETENED organic fruit juices- pear, peach

and apple are good juices. You can also use freshly squeeze juice but I do not

guarantee total success... use non-reactive metal pans.

 

On the stove:

Place unthawed juice concentrate in a wide medium heavy-bottomed suace pan and

bring to full boil over high heat. Boil rapidly until the liquid is reduced to 1

cup, about 10 minutes. Pout the liquid into a glass measuring cup to measure

accurately.

 

Microwave:

Place unthawed juice concentrate in a 1 quart microwave-safe container. A 1

quart glass measuring cup works best, as you can use the increments on the side

of the cup to check how much the has reduced. Microwave on High (100%) until the

liquid has reduced to 1 cup (about 12 minutes).

This recipe was tested in a 700 watt oven; if yours has a lower wattage, it will

take longer.

 

Cool completely before using. To speed cooling, pour the reduction into a medium

bowl placed in a large bowl filled with ice water. Stir often until cooled and

slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. The fruit juice reduction will keep,

covered and refrigerated, for up to 1 week. Bring fruit juice reduction to room

temperature before using. "

 

This cook book also recommends using malt-sweetened semisweet chocolate chips.

These are made without refined sugars or dairy products and are naturally sweet.

 

I hope this information comes in useful for those of us who prefer not to use

artificial or processed sweeteners. I haven't made anything out of this cookbook

yet but my diabetic DH has marked several things he wants to try.

 

I'll let you know how it works.

 

April

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Hi April,

 

Once you've used some of these recipes and your husband has tested their

effects on his glucose levels, please post a followup. Fruit sugars can

raise glucose just as much as processed sugar, so I am curious. Agave,

for example, has less impact on glucose, as does Stevia. When I do use

sweetener, those are what I use.

 

Thanks,

 

Sharon

 

April AM wrote:

> My hubby is diabetic and is also allergic to pretty much all sugar alcohols

(really unfortunate intestinal issues). I have a cook book called Sweet &

Natural Baking (by Mani Niall) where all of the recipe's are sweetened with

natural sweeters based on fruit juice or maple syrup. One such sweetener is

commercially produced and is called Fruit Sweet and can be purchased online or

in some health food stores. Just Google (or whatever your preferred search

engine is) it.

>