Barley Malt Syrup

Introduction *Barley malt syrup is a natural sweetener produced from the sprouted barley. *It is dark brown in color, and thick and sticky in consistency. *It has a rich malty flavor with half as sweet as white sugar, and looks very similar to molasses. *Available in syrup and powder forms. *Barley grains are allowed to sprout, and then the sprouted barley are dried quickly. These dried sprouted barley are then cooked slowly until they form a sweet, dark syrupy liquid. This is then filtered to remove impurities and bottled or dried and made into powder. *This whole malting process results in the grains producing maltose, a disaccharide sugar, from complex carbohydrates, which gives it its malty taste. *The main sugars in barley malt syrup are 42% maltose and 40% complex carbohydrates. *It can be used as a table sweetener and also in baking to make cakes, muffins, breads, etc. *It is always best used in combination with other natural sweeteners and also can be used to substitute molasses. *Buying and storage: Buy pure, good quality, barley malt syrup and store in an airtight container or jar in a cool, dry, dark place in the cup board at room temperature before opening. Once opened, refrigerate it in an airtight container and use it quickly. It is stable, has a good shelf life and keeps well for up to a year at room temperature. Is it raw? Yes and No. *Yes, pure barley malt syrup is raw and expensive, as its own enzymes from sprouting are used to break down complex carbohydrates to maltose during malting process. *No, because sometimes commercial barley malt syrup is contaminated with corn syrup. Make sure you read the label. Health Benefits 1. Barley malt syrup has a low glycemic value, which means it does not cause a sugar rush or a sudden spike in blood sugar after consuming it. This is because the main sugars present in it are maltose (42%) and complex carbohydrates (40%), which are metabolized slowly in the body. 2. As it is less sweeter than refined sugar, it also prevents decay of teeth, sudden spike in blood sugars, resulting hypoglycemia, irritability and craving for more sweets. 3. Good source of minerals like calcium, potassium, magnesium and phosphorus and moderate source of other trace minerals, which are essential for maintaining the metabolic processes. 4. As maltose eventually breaks down to glucose in the body, barley malt syrup should be used in moderation by non diabetics and with caution by diabetics.

Nutritional Information per Serving:   Serving Size 100 g of Barley malt syrup   % Daily Requirements   Total Calories 318 16% Calories from carbohydrates 294     Total fat 0 g 0% Trans fat 0 g 0% Cholesterol 0 g 0%   Total carbohydrate 71.3 g 24% Dietary fiber 0 g 0% Sugars 71.3 g   Sucrose Glucose 4000 mg   Fructose 500 mg   Maltose 30000 mg     Protein 6.2 g 12%   Minerals   Calcium 61 mg 6% Iron 1 mg 5% Magnesium 72 mg 18% Phosphorus 236 mg 24% Potassium 320 mg 9% Sodium 35 mg 1% Zinc 0.1 mg 1% Copper 0.2 mg 10% Manganese 0.1 mg 5% Selenium 12.3 mcg 18%   Vitamins   Riboflavin 0.4 mg 23% Niacin 8.1 mg 41% Vitamin B6 0.5 mg 25% Folic acid 12 mcg 3%

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Barley Malt Syrup: *Barley malt syrup is a natural sweetener produced from the sprouted barley.

Brown Rice Syrup: *Brown rice syrup is a natural sweetener produced from fermented cooked rice by treating it naturally with enzymes from sprouted barley.

High Fructose Corn Syrup: *Corn syrup is a syrupy sweetener made using cornstarch as a feedstock.

Light Corn Syrup: *Corn syrup is a syrupy sweetener made using cornstarch as a feedstock.

Date Sugar: *Date sugar is a natural sweetener produced by powdering or grinding the chopped and dried dates. It is not processed.

Dried Cane Juice: *Dried cane juice is a natural sweetener produced by sugar cane juice. It is unprocessed or very minimally processed.

Grenadine Syrup: *Grenadine syrup is a strong red syrup traditionally prepared from pomegranate seeds and honey (or sugar). The word ‘Grenadine' is derived from the French word ‘grenade' meaning pomegranate.

Honey: *Honey is a sweet, viscous, amber colored, natural liquid sweetener produced by the honey bees from the nectar of the flowers.

Jaggery: *Jaggery is a wholesome natural sweetener produced from the sugarcanes, most common in Southeast Asia.

Maple Sugar: *Maple sugar is a natural sweetener made from the sap of maple trees, mainly Acer saccharum (sugar maple) and Acer nigrum (black maple), mostly produced in northeastern North America and Canada.

Maple Syrup: *Maple syrup is amber colored, and is available in different grades – Extra light (AA), Light (A), Medium (B), Amber (C), and Dark (D).

Molasses: *There are three grades of molasses –

(1) Mild – Also called first molasses. It is light amber colored, very sweet, as not much sugar is removed.

(2) Dark – Also called second molasses. It is dark amber colored, sweet with a slightly bitter streak to it.

(3) Black strap – This is the left over liquid after most of the sugar has been extracted. It is dark colored, has a bittersweet taste, and a good amount minerals in it.