Five Natural Sweeteners That Can Help You Beat A Sugar Addiction
Sugar has been making a lot of headlines recently, and the news is not so sweet. Studies have linked excess sugar consumption to an increased risk for obesity, hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, and even cancer. But while cutting back on sugar is definitely a good idea, going cold turkey on sweets isn’t much fun. Luckily, there are plenty of natural sweeteners you can turn to.
Sun Basket’s Director of Nutrition, Lindsey Kane offers some sweet talk on the natural alternatives to refined sugar.
Coconut Sugar
The sweetener of choice among paleo followers, coconut sugar is touted for its low glycemic index and low fructose to sucrose ratio and for delivering trace amounts of minerals, such as potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, zinc, and iron. It also boosts inflammation-fighting antioxidants and inulin, a special type of fiber that promotes gut health.
Fruit
When it comes to natural sweeteners, fruit reigns supreme. Fruit’s sweetness comes with a good dose of health-promoting nutrients, such as antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, and is delivered in a fiber-rich package, which helps slow the digestion and absorption of sugar. Fresh, dried, frozen, and puréed fruits are all good choices, and even 100 percent fruit jam and fruit juice can be healthy sweeteners, as long as you select those with no added sugar.
Honey
Hailed as an immunity booster, both for its antimicrobial, antifungal, and antiviral properties, and its ability to help minimize allergy-related symptoms, honey also contains trace amounts of vitamin C, magnesium, and antioxidants.
Maple Syrup
In addition to delivering a sweet, earthy, slightly smoky flavor, maple syrup is also a source of zinc, magnesium, calcium, riboflavin, and potassium.
Molasses
A by-product of the sugar refining, molasses has a robust flavor and a heightened concentration of nutrients. One tablespoon contains 20 percent of the daily value for vitamin B6, magnesium, iron, and manganese.
*Remember, natural sweeteners are still sweeteners no matter the health halo they wear or what trace amounts of nutrients they may contain. When it comes to optimizing health, the answer will never be to consume natural sweeteners. Instead, simply follow these common-sense rules to healthy eating. Include an abundance of whole foods, particularly vegetables, in your diet, and keep sweeteners, refined and natural, to a minimum.
Artwork by ekströmdesign
Chai This at Home
When Sun Basket Executive R&D Chef Alan Li was a student at the California Culinary Academy, he learned how to make this classic Indian spiced tea recipe from the instructor of his International Cuisines class. She began every morning by brewing a pot of chai, filling the hallways with its fragrance, and drawing students to the room to share a cup before beginning their day. While this recipe calls for regular whole milk, it’s also delicious made with almond milk.
Chai Masala Recipe
Serves 2
Shopping List
Chai Masala Spice Blend
Makes about ½ cup, enough for about 96 cups chai tea
3 tablespoons plus 1½ teaspoons ground ginger
1 tablespoon plus 1½ teaspoons ground black pepper
1 tablespoon plus 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon plus 1½ teaspoons ground cardamom
1 teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Tools
Small airtight jar or container with a lid
Make the chai masala spice blend
In a small airtight jar or container, combine the ground ginger, black pepper, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and nutmeg. Stir or cover and shake well to combine. Store, covered, in a cool, dry place for up to 1 year.
Shopping List
Chai Masala Tea
Serves 2
½ teaspoon chai masala spice blend
1½ cup water
½ cup whole milk
2 teaspoons loose black tea or 2 tea bags
2 teaspoons maple syrup (or other sweetener to taste, such as brown sugar, coconut sugar, or honey)
Tools
Fine-mesh strainer, medium bowl or pitcher, medium sauce pot
1 Steep the chai
- Measure ½ teaspoon chai masala spice blend (see recipe above).
In a medium sauce pot, combine the water, milk, loose black tea or tea bags, and chai masala spice blend. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly, then hold at a simmer for about 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and let steep for 2 to 3 minutes, depending on desired strength.
2 Serve
Strain the chai masala tea into 2 mugs. Add the maple syrup to taste, stir to combine, and serve.
Nutrition per serving: Calories: 60, Protein: 2g (4% DV), Fiber: 0g (0% DV), Total Fat: 2g (3% DV), Monounsaturated Fat: 0g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0g, Saturated Fat: 1g (5% DV), Cholesterol: 5mg (2% DV), Sodium: 35mg (1% DV) (does not include pantry salt; for reference, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt added to the recipe averages 240mg per serving, or 10% DV), Carbohydrates: 8g (3% DV), Total Sugars: 7g, Added Sugars (Maple syrup): 4g (8% DV). Not a significant source of trans fat.
Bonus recipe—ingredients not included in box.
The Flu-Fighter’s Pantry
It’s the heart of flu season, which means we’re drinking lots of water, staying home to rest at the first sign we might be getting ill, and turning to the kitchen pantry for immunity-boosting foods. We’re giving you our favorite tips to make symptoms less severe and shorten sick days.
Bring on the beans
Instead of reaching for a zinc tablet next time you feel the flu coming on, cook up a batch of beans. They’re a good natural source of this important mineral that strengthens your immune system, reduces the severity of your symptoms, and helps you heal more quickly.
Chase a chill with chiles
Any sort of hot pepper, from cayenne to jalapeño to pepper flakes, can get your blood flowing, which helps flush out toxins. Anyone who’s experienced a runny nose after eating a particularly hot salsa knows how chiles can break down mucus and reduce congestion. There’s also evidence that capsaicin can help relieve headaches and body aches.
Comfort your cold with citrus
It’s a happy coincidence that flu season aligns with the time of year when citrus is at its peak. Give your immune system a boost with vitamin C—packed oranges, grapefruits, lemons, and limes.
Grab the ginger
Mighty ginger is a veritable pharmacy of flu-fighting goodness. It has antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties and can help relieve pain and nausea and clear a congested head.
Heal with honey
For sweet relief from many flu symptoms, honey is the golden ticket. It may have antiviral properties and has been found to be an effective cough suppressant and sleep aid. Honey can also soothe a dry, scratchy throat.
Mend with mint
Hot tea made with fresh mint can soothe a cough and relieve a stuffy nose. The herb has antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antiviral properties and can help settle an upset stomach.
Treat your aches with turmeric
Curcumin, the same compound that gives turmeric its brilliant gold color, has been compared to ibuprofen in its ability to relieve some of the aches and pains associated with the flu. It also has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that may help speed your recovery.
January Market Watch: When Flavors Need a Boost, Drop Acid
At Sun Basket, our commitment to seasonal cooking requires us to adapt to the unpredictability of the marketplace. That means that sometimes you’ll find fresh produce in your box that’s different than what’s shown in the photograph of the recipe. On this page, we’ll be exploring those potential substitutions and sharing some information about the seasonal vegetables and fruits in your box each week.
If you ask Chef Justine what ingredient she relies on most often to sharpen the flavors in our recipes she’ll tell you that, hands-down, it’s citrus. According to Justine, “the sweet-tart juice and oil-rich zest offer a terrific alternative to salt and fat when I want to bring a dish into focus.” This time of year, she’s got plenty of varieties to choose from because winter is peak season for citrus fruits.
Citrus blossoms bloom during the spring and by the time December rolls around, trees are filled with fruits. As the season, which typically runs through to March, continues, colder nights spark the fruit’s natural color production leading to richer hues in all types of citrus from limes to blood oranges. Healthy trees can withstand frost and temperatures up to three degrees below freezing. Despite their ubiquity during colder months, sourcing large quantities of organic citrus can be difficult, so we often send different varieties depending on what’s available.
Hailed for their impressive amount of immunity-boosting vitamin C, citrus is also great for skin health because vitamin C supports collagen production which helps maintain skin’s elasticity. Additionally, these sweet and tart fruits may help prevent a range of ailments from cardiovascular disease to cancer because they’re loaded with antioxidants.
Pro tip: Chef Justine recommends adding a squeeze of lemon juice as a way to save a dish you may have accidentally over-salted.
From lemons to limes and grapefruits to tangerines, citrus are a welcome addition to dishes from around the world. This week try a squeeze of lime on our Shrimp Tacos Diablo with Pickled Cabbage and Lime or Burmese Chickpea-Tomato Soup with Lemongrass. Balance the flavors of our Moroccan Lamb Merguez Patties with Warm Carrot Salad with preserved lemon and brighten up your plate with sliced orange and lime zest in our Baja Sole in Parchment with Avocado-Citrus Salsa.
Illustration by @boccaccinimeadows
Sun Basket’s Slam Dunk Line-Up of Good-For-You Dips, Chilis, and Wings
Most parties are heavy on the junk food with spreads of nothing but cheese-covered gut bombs. If you’d like to enjoy the game without slipping into a food coma and sabotaging your healthy diet, we’ve got some ideas. These nine recipes for some of our favorite dips, chilis, drinks, and wings will leave you feeling like a winner no matter which team wins.
Wings
Go classic with our ode to the American bar staple and try Buffalo Chicken Wings with Crunchy Vegetables and Ranch Dressing, or spice things up with our Shanghai Chicken Wings with Ginger-Lime Dipping Sauce.
Chili
Cooking for a whole team? Make a crowd-pleasing pot of Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chili with Gluten-Free Cornbread, or kick up the heat and try our Chipotle Turkey Chili with Cucumber-Sumac Salad.
Snacks
Swap out regular old salsa and make the best of in-season citrus by serving Grapefruit-Orange Pico de Gallo alongside some homemade tortilla chips. Up your hummus game with our amped-up Pickle-Brine Hummus, or go nuts with a bowl of Five-Spice Mixed Nuts.
Drinks
Cheers to your favorite team with a refreshing Michelada or make our healthier version of non-alcoholic North Carolina Cherry Soda.
Chef’s Tip: If you’re serving a crowd you’ll want to scale up these chili and wing recipes that were originally developed to serve two.
- Don’t assume that the cooking times will change as the amount of ingredients increase. Check for doneness after the original time and then again every five minutes.
- You’ll need bigger pans to cook these larger quantities. Be careful not to crowd the pots or baking sheets.
- Add salt as you cook, tasting as you go to make sure it’s well seasoned.
Pickle-Brine Hummus
A shot of pickle brine gives our hummus an amped-up kick that you won’t find in ordinary versions. Sun Basket Test Kitchen Chef Paul Conte likes pickled carrots for their color, but you can use whatever pickle you have on hand. The hummus itself is a terrific source of long-lasting energy. It’s packed with plant protein and quality carbohydrates, and comes in a fiber-rich package to slow digestion, keeping blood-sugar levels steady and even. Serve it with pita (breads or chips) or raw vegetables such as carrots, celery, radishes, or endive.
Pickle-Brine Hummus
Makes 2 cups
Serves 8
Shopping list
1½ cups cooked chickpeas
1 jar pickled vegetables (such as cucumbers, carrots, beets, jalapeños, or a combination) and their brine
2 or 3 cloves peeled fresh garlic
⅓ cup tahini
⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (divided)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh herbs (such as chervil, dill, cilantro, or parsley)
1 teaspoon sumac
From your pantry
Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper
Tools
Colander, food processor
1 Make the hummus
- Rinse the chickpeas.
- Drain the pickled vegetables and set aside ⅓ cup brine.
- Finely chop enough pickled vegetables to measure ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon; set aside 1 tablespoon for garnish.
In a food processor, combine the chickpeas, pickle brine, garlic, tahini, ½ cup pickled vegetables, and ⅓ cup olive oil. Process until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
2 Serve
Scrape the hummus into a serving bowl, drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, and garnish with the herbs and 1 tablespoon chopped pickles. Sprinkle with the sumac and serve with our gluten-free seed crackers, pita, and/or sliced raw vegetables of your choice.
Nutrition per serving: Calories: 200, Protein: 5g (10% DV), Fiber: 2g (8% DV), Total Fat: 15g (23% DV), Monounsaturated Fat: 9g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3.5g, Saturated Fat: 2g (10% DV), Cholesterol: 0mg (0% DV), Sodium: 35mg (1% DV), Carbohydrates: 13g (4% DV), Total Sugars: 2g, Added Sugars: 0g (0% DV). Not a significant source of trans fat.
Bonus recipe—ingredients not included in box.
For a Long Life and Better Health, Nothing Beats the Mediterranean Diet
Fresh, in-season produce, the best-quality seafood and meat, and, above all, plenty of olive oil (and other good-for-you unsaturated fats)—these are the foundations of the Mediterranean Diet. If you’re a regular Sun Basket customer, you’re already following the Mediterranean Diet in part. Our recipes lean heavily on this healthy and delicious way of eating. And Sun Basket’s team of dietitians are fans.
Because it’s one of the most inclusive dietary regimens, the Mediterranean Diet has broad appeal and is easy to follow. “It’s the best of both worlds,” Lindsey Kane, director of nutrition says. “The flavors are amazing, and the health benefits are measurable. It’s one of the best examples of how nutritious food can also be delicious.”
Five Things the Mediterranean Diet Can Do
1. Helps Maintain a Healthy Weight. It’s a common misconception that high-fat diets lead to weight gain. Results from one major study showed that those following a Mediterranean diet, high in good fats like olive oil, nuts, and fatty fish, lost significantly more weight than those who ate a low-fat diet.
2. Improves Memory. Australian researchers recently found that the Mediterranean diet is associated with lower rates of cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease. The diet even improves ordinary cognitive functioning: those on the diet showed better memory and executive functioning, such as reasoning and planning.
3. Prevents Breast Cancer. In one of the largest studies of high-risk women, scientists analyzed the eating patterns of more than 4,200 women in Spain and found that those consuming a Mediterranean diet were 62 percent less likely to get breast cancer than those following a standard low-fat diet.
4. Reduces the Risk of Heart Disease. One European study followed more than 2,500 Greek adults for over a decade, tracking their medical records, lifestyle habits, and eating patterns. Those who most closely followed the Mediterranean diet were a whopping 47 percent less likely to get heart disease, regardless of their smoking habits, age, family history, or other lifestyle factors.
5. Slows the Negative Effects of Aging. A landmark study of US female nurses found that those on the Mediterranean diet in middle age were about 40 percent more likely to live past 70 years old free of any of 11 chronic diseases, including type-2 diabetes, Parkinson’s Disease, and various common cancers.
How to Personalize Your Wellness Routines
Do You
Success depends on how well you can identify strategies that align with what makes you you. It’s much easier to adjust your plan than it is to try and wedge yourself into a framework that competes with your basic nature. Reflect first on circumstances that have led you to achieve a goal, and then on those that distracted you from following through. Consider taking a personality test to help you get to know yourself better. (Try habit and happiness expert Gretchen Rubin’s Four Tendencies Quiz). Here are a few questions to get you started:- Do you need accountability or do you rebel against obligations?
- Do you prefer solitude or social settings?
- Do you prefer familiarity or variability?
- Are you a planner or are you spontaneous?
- Do you prefer to take big steps or baby steps?
Hack Your Habits
Once you’ve identified actions that support your plans, the next step is to turn those actions into habits.- Downsize. Focus on one habit at a time and break it down to the smallest, easiest action imaginable. This helps frame the habit into a task so simple it would be ridiculous not to follow through. For example, if your goal is to drink 10 glasses of water each day, rephrase the habit: drink one glass of water per hour.
- Look for cues. Piggyback on routines that are already part of your daily life, such as taking a shower, brushing your teeth, and eating. Use these recurring actions as a cue to trigger your new behavior. For example, when you make coffee, drink a glass of water while it brews.
- Make a schedule. When a task is scheduled, suddenly it becomes a priority, encouraging us to manage our time around it. Try putting your weekly workouts on your calendar.
- Make your environment work for you. Don’t be sabotaged by your surroundings. Make the healthy choice the most convenient one. For example, give your pantry a makeover: put healthier choices at eye level and store junk food out of arm’s reach.
Collect Your Data
The final step to cultivating a personalized healthy lifestyle is to know yourself. Use an app or keep a journal to track your habits and how they impact your mood, energy level, hunger, performance, and weight. This will serve as a source of accountability and also provide data that will reveal patterns. For example, one person may thrive on seven hours of sleep, while others require nine. Similarly, two people served the same exact meal may experience drastic differences in blood sugar, energy, and weight. Keeping track of this information will help you understand how to manipulate variables in a way that works for your goals, such as setting an earlier bedtime or eating small meals more often. Treat these changes as experiments and enjoy the process of discovering what works for you. Artwork by ekströmdesignHow We’re Staying Hydrated This Year
When you read about the benefits of water (Detoxifier! Digestive Aid! Moisturizer!), you start to understand the importance of staying hydrated. Every organ in the body needs water in order to function, but studies show that over half of Americans suffer from chronic dehydration. And plenty of us here at Sun Basket are no exception to that statistic. When we started an office health challenge in December, many of our staff committed to increasing their water consumption.
It’s been nearly two months since we consulted our H2O calculator and pledged to drink more water. Here, our thirsty health challengers share the details of their hydration journeys.
“I set out to see if I could drink a baseline of 110 ounces per day (I’m tall, so I have to drink more than most). What works for me is keeping a 32-ounce cup with a straw at my desk, I drink three of those per day and some more water at home to reach my goal. I haven’t noticed any significant results from drinking more water, but according to my FitBit, my quality of sleep has been better.” —George Nachtrieb, Cofounder, and Director of Content
“It’s been easy to drink more water at work, as Test Kitchen Chef Paul Conte makes a pitcher of spa water daily. He adds slices of lemon, lime, orange, cucumber, or mint to the water and leaves it out to encourage us to drink more water. It works.” —Lisa Awrey, Test Kitchen Coordinator
“I made a rule that I could only have my morning coffee if I drank a glass of water first. Setting up a cue and giving myself a reward, really helps. I find that drinking more water means I have more energy, I sleep better, and my skin is clear and healthy. I notice a huge difference in my skin when I’m hydrated.“—Lindsey Kane, Registered Dietitian
“I worked in restaurants, where it’s customary to stay hydrated by drinking from quart-sized plastic containers (no glass in the kitchen!). It’s a habit that I’ve held on to. Maintaining this habit from my restaurant days keeps me super hydrated and less tempted to snack. I think choosing the right vessel can really help. Drinking three large cups of water seems less daunting that drinking eight smaller glasses each day.”—Teresa Karolewicz, Deputy Recipe Editor
“My favorite technique for staying hydrated: every morning I fill quart jars with water and use those to fill my drinking glass throughout the day. I also use an app called “Water Minder” that reminds me to drink up. At first, I felt like I had to go to the bathroom constantly, but my body has acclimated and I don’t get up every five seconds anymore. Although I also have a “Stand Up And Move” goal, so having to go isn’t a bad thing.”—Christina Stork, Content Project Manager
Artwork by ekströmdesign
Spring Market Watch: Radishes & Sprouts
At Sun Basket, our commitment to seasonal cooking requires us to adapt to the unpredictability of the marketplace. That means that sometimes you’ll find fresh produce in your box that’s different than what’s shown in the photograph of the recipe. On this page, we’ll be exploring those potential substitutions and sharing some more information about the seasonal vegetables in your box each week.
Colorful, crunchy radishes and sweet, earthy sprouts are two of our favorite ways to add texture and flavor to tacos, salads, and stir-fries. Most commercial sprouts are grown in temperature-controlled hothouses where they are blissfully immune from fluctuations in the weather, which is one reason we turn to them often in early spring. Still, finding sources of large quantities of a single variety of organic sprouts can be challenging, so we often send different types depending on the market. To our tastes, they’re all delicious.
Radishes, another winter favorite, grow sweeter and more juicy in the cooler months. As temperatures rise, their flavor becomes spicier and the texture pithy and dry. Organic radishes can be difficult to procure in large amounts any time of year, which is why you might find red, breakfast, or easter egg radishes in your box.
Both sprouts and radishes are good sources of fiber and vitamin C. They also contain folate—good for vision—and thanks to their vitamin C and iron content, support a healthy immune system. Get into the habit of using these nutrient-rich ingredients as a condiment for your favorite dishes. They will add a satisfying crunch and nutritional punch that over time will yield huge nutritional wins.
Illustration by @boccaccinimeadows
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