Avoid evaporated cane juice?

[zenmaria]

Everything seems to have some sweetner in it! Anyone know if evaporated can juice is acceptable? If not, what is? Thanks!

[serenity]

Evaporated cane juice is just sugar. Use it or avoid it just as you would any other sugar.

[minirunner]

Evaporated cane juice is sugar, but white sugar is not even comparable to evaporated cane juice, white sugar has no nutritional value whatsoever, evaporated cane juice is actually an excellent source of minerals so you can't compare the two.

If you are going to use sugar it is a much better alternative to white sugar. I contains a lot of minerals in it so it atleast has some nutritional benefits. Here is a nutritional profile of 1 oz evaporated cane juice:

insoluble Fiber: .71g
Protein: .2g
Vitamin B2: .17g
niacin: .20g
Vitamin B6: .09g
Calcium: 32mg
copper: .09mg
iron: .57mg
magnesium: 2.49mg
Manganese: .09mg
phosphorus: .01mg
potassium: 162mg

I have to say that white sugar can't touch the nutritional content of evaporated cane juice, it has a small amount of fiber and protein, and a lot of calcium, magnesium, potassium etc... it is NOT an empty calorie.

32 mg of calcium isn't too shabby for just 1 oz of evaporated cane juice.

White sugar and evaporated cane juice are not in the same ball park, white sugar has no nutritional value whatsoever. While I wouldn't recommend eating evaporated cane juice on a regular basis it is actually a pretty good option for sugar if you need a sweetener.

[serenity]

32 mg of calcium isn't too shabby for just 1 oz of evaporated cane juice.

It is true that evaporated cane juice has some small amounts of nutrients that regular table sugar does not. However, "just" 1 oz of sugar (or evaporated cane juice) is 16 teaspoons. That's a lot of sugar. And the calcium comes to just 2 mg per teaspoon. That seems like a negligible amount, not "a lot."

I think that the original post was asking Dr. McDougall's stance on evaporated cane juice. Zenmaria, I was not able to find that he specifically addresses it, but there is an article on sugar in his September 2006 newsletter, which should give you some guidance in making your decision.

http://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2006nl/sept/060900.htm

[zenmaria]

When I buy granola, it will have evaporated cane juice in it - I was curious if this was better than refined sugar or just another term?

On another note, I have replaced white sugar at home with Rapadura which is an unrefined & unbleached whole cane sugar.

Any thoughts cooking with Rapadura (like making cookies!)?

thanks

[minirunner]

Rapadura will give your cookies a molasses like flavor, evaporated cane juice will give a more neutral flavor like regular sugar.

When I mention sugar, evaporated cane juice has a lot of nutrients in relation to regular sugar, not in relation to other foods.

Dr. McDougall places all sugar from maple syrup to white sugar in the same category as far as I have read. But I tell you, I need those cookies every once in awhile and it's nice to know that there is an alternative to sugar that atleast has some nutritional value, while not a lot in relation to 'foods' I figure it's a lot for sugar anyhow.