[dropcap]S[/dropcap]ugar has been known to have a bad rap in nutrition. Table sugar, which is more officially known as sucrose, has a moderately high Glycemic Index (GI) and is low in nutritional value. Excess sugar can contribute to also weight gain. Chelsea now sell a brand of sugar which low GI. This has been created by spraying molasses extract onto raw sugar. Molasses takes longer to digest therefore increasing the time the Low GI sugar takes to digest meaning blood sugar levels increase slowly. Chelsea LoGiCane has a Glycemic Index of 50.
Choosing low GI carbs – the ones that produce only small fluctuations in our blood glucose and insulin levels, is an important step in helping reduce risk of diabetes and heart disease and assisting with weight loss. This could lead us to the logic of thinking that low gi sugar must then be a healthy food?
While low GI sugar does provide us another option for sweetening our foods, it still doesn’t make sugar a regular healthy food option. Sugar is still sugar and is something we need to use sparingly. Using less sugar helps reduce cravings for sweet foods, so whatever the sweetener, they should be used in small amounts, occasionally.
For more read more about Low GI sugar, find out more on Chelsea’s website here
Jane Filmer
Is there any advantage to swapping Low GI sugar for honey on my porridge?
Nicola
They are both a form of sweetener, honey is a medium GI. If you just use a little, I’d just use what you prefer.