Why do people use sweeteners in paleo recipes? page

[Whatyoudoing]

I think it's kinda stupid to use maple syrup or something instead of sugar in a recipe. It doesn't make it healthier

[EvansMom]

Agreed. BUT maple sugar tastes better with some things like pumpkin or squash if you are making it for a sweet treat.

On the fence about the palm/coconut sugar. Is it healthier or not? Has more minerals, has less sugar spike effects....

[carlh]

Things like maple syrup may be "less bad" than other sugar options. You're right, everyone SHOULD keep their "sugar and sugar alternatives" to a minimum. But people like sweet.

I just ignore when people post desserts that are "primal" but still use piles of honey, stevia, and maple syrup.

[cookie]

cant u just skip that ingredient and not complain about what other people do?

[Saoirse]

not everyone cooks only for themselves. i make a batch of sweet treats for my son every week because he goes to school and all of his friends get SEVERAL treats at mealtime. he gets one homemade gluten free cookie. i'm not going to NOT put sugar in that, because what would the point be? ya know? recently i made a chocolate mousse pie for an Easter potluck. I put in maybe 2 T of sugar (in addition to the sugar which was already in the 60% cocoa solids chocolate chips). sure that pie was less healthy than steak and swiss chard, but significantly better than an angel food cake or something. *shrug*

[IcarianVX]

cant u just skip that ingredient and not complain about what other people do?

Apparently not.

[LexxyV86]

ABOUT AGAVE NECTAR:

All About Agave - Agave Nectar vs. Granular Sugars

lower glycemic- instead of the constant "spikes" people get while eating sugar like white sugar, brown sugar, etc and you don't need a lot to sweeten things at all love it



Why do I use it??? hmmm above info pretty much covers it and it is NATURAL.. not trying to be all biatch on you but seriously? You need to see me when I am having mad PMS and need a sweet fix ( which I might add is often a banana with cinnamon with a small drizzle of agave) I think there is nothing wrong with having something sweet here and there- it's not the end of a paleo diet- I also don't mind a every other weekend splurge of coconut flour pancakes with REAL maple syrup- processed sugar or REAL maple syrup- hmm you choose? Isn't the whole reason why we all choose to eat primal/ paleo to have real foods I am not saying we need to be gluttonous and drink bottles of the maple syrup(gag!)but every once awhile something sweet is quite nice.... my two cents

[peril]

ABOUT AGAVE NECTAR:

All About Agave - Agave Nectar vs. Granular Sugars

lower glycemic- instead of the constant "spikes" people get while eating sugar like white sugar, brown sugar, etc and you don't need a lot to sweeten things at all love it



Why do I use it??? hmmm above info pretty much covers it and it is NATURAL.. not trying to be all biatch on you but seriously? You need to see me when I am having mad PMS and need a sweet fix ( which I might add is often a banana with cinnamon with a small drizzle of agave) I think there is nothing wrong with having something sweet here and there- it's not the end of a paleo diet- I also don't mind a every other weekend splurge of coconut flour pancakes with REAL maple syrup- processed sugar or REAL maple syrup- hmm you choose? Isn't the whole reason why we all choose to eat primal/ paleo to have real foods I am not saying we need to be gluttonous and drink bottles of the maple syrup(gag!)but every once awhile something sweet is quite nice.... my two cents

Agave nectar has more fructose than HFCS

I see no need for sweeteners, natural or artificial. Wasn't always so. It's amazing how you begin to taste the little sweetness in many foods when you stop poisoning your palate

[ASmallOne]

I find artificial sweeteners and sweet tastes in general to be addicting and escalating. A little bit of stevia, justified, turns into a daily habit faster than I can stop it. As for using maple syrups etc. I can't do this because of my diabetes. But I think that if one craves sweets and finds them addicting as I do, it might be easier to allow oneself a large treat on something really desireable rather than daily inclusion of semi-tasty treats. For example, if I weren't diabetic, I might say that I'll get a monthly Starbucks flavored drink with all the goodies-- whip,etc.-- rather than daily having a black coffee and an almost untasteable amount of alternative sweetener in it.
IMO, sweets are "treats"-- to let them become habits is part of why we deal with stuff like food addiction...

[jsa23]

To each his or her own, I guess. Some people just prefer it that way. It may or may not add nutritional value, but it might affect the taste of the dish(es).

Agree with this - there's nothing wrong with sweet treats - so long as people are mindful of the fact that a paleo brownie is still a brownie with nut flour and honey/maple syrup instead of wheat flour and white sugar. It's not "healthy", nor a weight-loss food nor a food to enjoy every day - it's a treat, just like the equivalent non-paleo version for someone that doesn't eat paleo.