Sweet and Natural

Sweetener: Date sugar

What it is: Dehydrated and ground dates. Grainy texture; deep, earthy color and sweetness.

Health impact: Minimally refined and processed; rich in minerals, plus 1 gram fiber per tablespoon. Relatively few calories (12 per teaspoon).

Best in: Baked goods such as crusts, spice cookies, nut breads, or anything with a dark color and dense texture. In light-colored cakes, cookies, or puddings, will appear as brown flecks. Doesn’t dissolve in liquid, so not ideal for beverages, puddings, or pies.

How to use: Substitute 2/3 cup date sugar for 1 cup white sugar. Browns quickly and burns easily, so shorten recipe cooking time by several minutes. Don’t use in recipes where sugar needs to melt.