Are honey and maple syrup healthy alternatives to regualr granulated sugar and what is agave nectar?

I want to cut out all white granulated sugar from my diet but I do love sweets and pastries so I'm looking for some healthy sweeteners to be able to add to my baking recipes instead of sugar.

Are honey and maple syrup healthy alternatives to regualr granulated sugar and what is agave nectar?
Maple syrup may vary somewhat in complexity, but more or less comprises sugar-water. Worse yet, some syrups contain additives like caramel coloring.





Honey, consisting of a mix of fructose and glucose, is more or less a form of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). Also, some honies contain residual acaricides.





Yet honey, perhaps a lesser evil, does have advantages over sugar, maple syrup and HFCS. Honey's antimicrobial properties may fight against cavities. Also, eating honey from a local bee farm may alleviate allergy symptoms.





Beware also of many artificial sweeteners.
Reply:Honey is...maple syrup...it would depend if it were real or just corn syrup with maple flavoring. read your labels. Corn syrup is just as bad as processed white sugar.





www.honey.com will have some info on how to substitute honey for sugar in recipes.





You can also buy granulated raw sugar (not to be confused with brown sugar...although it is indeed brown, lol.). It still has the molasses in it. It will change the flavor of your baked goods a little bit, but I rather enjoy the taste. Not recommended for pure chocolate stuff though...its a little funky.





here is the brand I use and find at my grocery store:


http://www.sugarintheraw.com/





Also molasses, but it will give the food a different flavor.





Most organic foods use unprocessed sugar.





Be careful. There is processed sugar and corn syrup in places you wouldn't think about. Spaghetti sauce, peanut butter, etc.