Honey is considered a common ingredient in many dishes. It is included not only in desserts or drinks, but also in main dishes. At the same time, many people are interested in whether it is possible to somehow replace sugar with honey in baking. This alternative is quite acceptable. However, it is important to use the substance correctly and make adjustments to the proportions. The baking mode will also differ.
How much honey is equivalent to a spoonful of sugar?
Honey is a very valuable food product that contains many vitamins and microelements. They bring great benefits to the body.In addition, the product has excellent taste. It helps strengthen the immune system, increase endurance and performance.
The beekeeping product can indeed be used in various dishes. It is often included in baked goods and desserts. If you plan to replace sugar with a substance, you need to make adjustments to the proportions. So, instead of 1 spoon of sugar, it is recommended to take 1/2 or 2/3 spoon of honey. The specific amount depends on what beekeeping product is planned to be used. The sweetness of honey varies depending on the variety.
Advantages and disadvantages of honey vs sugar
There are many benefits to using bee nectar as an alternative to sugar in baking:
- baked goods retain their freshness for a long time;
- the composition is in perfect harmony with spices;
- the dough acquires an attractive shade and pronounced aroma;
- Bee nectar contains a lot of fructose, which is much healthier than glucose, which is part of sugar.
At the same time, the substance also has some disadvantages. First of all, it contains a lot of calories. 1 small spoon of beekeeping product contains 22 kilocalories. In addition, the substance can provoke allergic reactions. Another disadvantage is the sticky texture, which can cause certain difficulties in work.
Using Honey Instead of Sugar in Baking
If you simply replace sugar with honey and do not adjust the proportions, the baked goods will turn out too heavy, sticky and moist. In addition, it will be significantly sweeter than the original.
To prepare sweet pies or cookies, you should take half or 2/3 cup of bee nectar instead of a glass of sugar.Accordingly, other proportions of the recipe need to be changed. To get a good result, it is important to follow these recommendations:
- Reduce the volume of liquids used. This should be done by about a quarter. The fact is that the honey mass itself is considered a liquid product. 20% of the composition is water. This is why it is so important to reduce the total amount of liquid that is planned to be used in the recipe.
- Add baking soda. It is recommended to use a quarter of a small spoon of soda for each serving of honey. Since honey is naturally acidic, you will need baking soda. It will help balance the acidity and give baked goods porosity and fluffiness.
- Reduce oven temperature. It should not exceed 180 degrees. Bee nectar contains significantly more sugars. Therefore, the product caramelizes much faster than regular sugar. To prevent the baked goods from burning, it is recommended to reduce the heat and monitor it closely.
Can diabetics have honey?
With this diagnosis, the fructose content in food and its glycemic index are of particular importance. If glucose dominates in the composition, bee nectar will quickly become sugary. This product should not be consumed. High glucose content is observed in southern varieties.
The product, which was obtained in the north, has a liquid texture and crystallizes slowly. It contains more fructose. Therefore, the product is acceptable to eat if you have diabetes.
When consuming honey for diabetes, it is recommended to follow these rules:
- do not abuse this product - the daily norm is 1 small spoon;
- do not eat the substance on an empty stomach;
- consume the product in the first half of the day;
- control the body's reactions.
Honey can be used for preparing various types of baked goods and can be used as a substitute for sugar. At the same time, it is important to make the correct adjustments to the proportions, reducing the amount of sweet product. In addition, such dishes require adding soda and lowering the baking temperature.
