Sweeteners

In the last couple of weeks I have been experimenting with different types of sweeteners for my teas, and I thought I would share some of my discoveries on my blog.

The first I would like to talk about is blue agave syrup. I tried this a few months ago at Téh Bar, which is what I recommend doing if you would like to try also since the product is not so easy to find and comes in a huge quantity. An interesting fact about the agave is that it is the same plant that gives us tequila, but the syrup comes from the aloe like leaves, whereas the tequila comes from the roots which is fertilized by warms.

My first observation about blue agave syrup is that it doesn't have the same taste effect as white sugar or cane sugar crystals, which have a sweet aftertaste. The agave syrup has a slightly malty aftertaste. For my own taste, I'm not sure if I liked it or not. Perhaps I needed a little more syrup.

Following the syrup trend, the next product I tried in my English Breakfast is the divine maple syrup, which researchers are now saying is an excellent antioxidant and may potentially have anti-cancer properties.

Again, the maple syrup has more of a malty aftertaste, but this one a little more woodsy, hence maplely, than the agave. I ended up putting a small teaspoon of sugar in my tea to give me the sweetness I desired/craved.

The other night, I followed some friends for dinner at this wonderful little vegetarian restaurant called Fuchsia on Duluth. First, I want to mention their wonderful rose and cinnamon tea, which required no additional sweetener at all. If in that area of town, do check it out; they have shelves full of spice rubs and fragranced cane sugars and teas that are quite delightful. The food is also amazing, but I believe you need to make a reservation to eat there as space is limited.

At Fuchsia I purchased a small bag of lavender cane sugar. I tried it first in a cup of Twinning White Tea, and it added the right flowery taste to this somewhat bitter tea (less bitter than straight green tea). I then tried it in my English Breakfast, but it didn't please me. I do highly recommend that you try this type of fragranced cane sugar in white or green teas, but not in black teas. Perhaps rose tea or cinnamon would be an interesting option to try next.

My favourite sweetener of all time is pure cane sugar, preferably small crystals like the Organic brand they sell at Loblaws. It provides the ideal sweet and malty aftertaste that goes well with black teas, and I much prefer it over white sugar. Lately we have been out of cane sugar and I haven't had a chance to buy any cane sugar, so I've had to make due with the white processed stuff, and I can tell you that is has very much affected my energy levels.

To sum up, my recommended sweetener is cane sugar. And for your own health, please avoid the highly processed and chemical aspartame; it is thought to be a factor in auto-immune diseases and many other illnesses.