| Brown Rice Syrup |
Brown rice syrup is a wonderful substitute for plain old refined sugar. Brown rice syrup, like its name implies, is made from brown rice; therefore, it is considered a complex carbohydrate and generally accepted as a better form of sugar than refined sugar which is a simple sugar. It also has a lower glycemic index than refined sugar, making it ideal for diabetics or anyone looking for a healthier alternative to refined sugar. Brown rice syrup is similar in appearance, texture, and flavor to honey. It even smells a little like honey. Some say brown rice syrup has a buttery, caramel-like flavor, but don't think you're going to be eating anything that tastes like caramel candies! Even though it has a similar flavor to honey, I found that it did not alter the taste of the recipe. So feel free to use brown rice syrup in your recipes wherever you would use refined sugar. Substituting brown rice syrup for refined sugar can be a challenge since one is granulated and the other is a liquid, and brown rice syrup is only half as sweet as refined sugar, but it can be done successfully. Just remember a few important tips when using brown rice syrup in place of refined sugar: - Brown rice syrup is not as sweet as refined sugar, so you will need to use approximately 1 and 1/3 Cup of brown rice syrup to 1 Cup of sugar. - Brown rice syrup is a liquid, so you will need to reduce the other liquids in your recipe. Reduce other liquids by about 1/4 Cup for every 1Cup of brown rice syrup. - For reasons beyond my scientific knowledge, it's a good idea to include 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda per 1 Cup of brown rice syrup. I made a chocolate mousse using brown rice syrup, and the texture was heavenly. I believe refined sugar would have made the mousse gritty, but the brown rice syrup gave the mousse a smooth, rich texture. Refined sugar is terrible for your body, so why don't you try brown rice syrup. |