Tip of the Day
Sugar Savers
Besides its obvious sweet taste, sugar plays a role in cooking techniques like baking and canning. For example, sugar works with yeast to help make bread rise, contributes to the color and textures in baked foods, and helps deter the growth of molds and yeasts when canning.
Before you attempt to decrease or remove the amount of sugar in food you're preparing, think about its function and whether reducing or eliminating sugar will give the result you want. There is good news, though. It is possible to find ways to cut sugar in baking:
- Experiment! Try to reduce sugar by a fourth to a third in cakes, cookies, breads and other baked goods.
- Skip frosting and top a cake with pureed fruit, fruit slices or a dusting of powdered sugar.
- Enhance the sweetness of food with extracts like vanilla or peppermint, or spices like cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg or cardamom.
For healthy recipe ideas, consult a registered dietitian in your area and visit our Eat Right Nutrition Tips section.
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