I love a good something sweet (yes, true confession) and would prefer it to be a healthy version of sweet (l enjoy a sweet apple in place of a candy bar). And while I do use splenda I also am very aware of the fact that it’s not healthy. And so I use stevia (a natural sweetener) in my coffee and tea but I also use honey and maple syrup (it’s a great vegan option!).
So, when I recently made banana muffins for my daughter (the recipe is on my website ) I was told not to use honey when baking. So, before you follow my recipe, read what I just learned.
Honey is a healthy alternative to sugar and artificial sweeteners. Honey has been used by humans since ancient times and contains vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and enzymes. Local honey (which I love!) can reduce seasonal allergies by exposing you to small amounts of flower pollens that grow in your area. Most supermarket honey is pasteurized or heated at a high temperature, thus killing off many of the raw enzymes that make it so healthy in the first place (this is why raw honey is the one to buy). When you heat the honey further (like I did in my recipe) by baking it at high temperatures for a substantial amount of time, some minerals will remain, but the living enzymes available in raw honey are all destroyed by heat.
So, what should you use when you bake? I like maple syrup for most baking, since I have learned that it can withstand heat and it retains some of it's beneficial minerals in the process. You can also use mashed banana or dates as a sweetener, and these will be more wholesome than a granulated sugar.
Whatever you choose for your sweet (whether raw honey, maple syrup or stevia) sweets can still be a part of a clean diet, as long as they are eaten in moderation and that you use good quality ingredients.