Date Sugar

Introduction *Date sugar is a natural sweetener produced by powdering or grinding the chopped and dried dates. It is not processed. *It is light brown in color, has a very sweet taste, and a grainy texture. *It does not melt and can clump, so cannot be used as a natural table sweetener, but can be used to sprinkle on toasts, doughnuts, etc. *Can also be used in baking where the recipe does not require melting of sugar. One cup of refined sugar can be replaced by about two-thirds of date sugar. Date sugar can be seen as tiny brown specks in the baked goods, but does not impart any peculiar taste. *Buying and storage: Buy pure, good quality date sugar and store in an airtight container or jar in a cool, dry, dark place in the cup board at room temperature before opening. It is stable, has a good shelf life and keeps well for up to a year at room temperature. Is it raw? Yes, date sugar is unrefined, unprocessed and raw. Make sure you read the label. Health Benefits 1. Date sugar has approximately 40% sucrose, 30% glucose and 30% fructose. 2. It may cause a sudden spike in blood sugar, so diabetics have to be cautious and use it in moderation. 3. Good source of minerals like calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, copper, manganese, and selenium, which are essential cofactors in many enzymatic reactions in the body and are essential to maintain proper metabolic processes of the body. 4. Good source of potassium; this along with low amounts of sodium helps to maintain blood pressure and reduces water retention. 5. Moderate source of B-group vitamins, which play a very important role in enhancing the production of energy from the foods we eat, cognitive functions, etc. 6. Good source of magnesium. It helps in relieving fatigue, relaxing the muscles, nerves and blood vessels, thus relieving the symptoms of asthma, migraine headaches, tension and soreness in muscles etc. 7. Moderate source of iron that in respiration at the cellular level by synthesizing hemoglobin that helps to carry oxygen to cells. 8. Good source of manganese, which is an essential cofactor in many enzymatic reactions in the body, especially in the production of energy and antioxidants defenses.

Nutritional Information per Serving:   Serving Size 100 g of Date sugar   % Daily Requirements   Total Calories 282 14% Calories from fat 270     Total fat 0.4 g 0% Trans fat 0 g   Cholesterol 0 g 0%   Total carbohydrate 75 g 25% Dietary fiber 8 g 32% Sugars 63.4 g   Sucrose 23840 mg   Glucose 19870 mg   Fructose 19560 mg   Maltose 120 mg     Protein 2.5 g 5%   Minerals   Calcium 39 mg 4% Iron 1 mg 6% Magnesium 43 mg 11% Phosphorus 62 mg 6% Potassium 656 mg 19% Sodium 2 mg 0% Zinc 0.3 mg 2% Copper 0.2 mg 10% Manganese 0.3 mg 13% Selenium 3 mcg 4%   Vitamins   Thiamine 0.1 mg 4% Riboflavin 0.1 mg 5% Niacin 1.3 mg 6% Vitamin B6 0.2 mg 8% Folic acid 19 mcg 5% Vitamin A 10 IU 0% Vitamin C 0.4 mg 1% Vitamin K 2.7 mcg 3%

Other Related Resources

Agave Syrup: *Agave syrup, also called Agave nectar, is a natural sweetener produced from several species of the genus Agave, native to South America and Mexico.

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.