Rice malt syrup is very in vogue, thanks to it being fructose free. Of all the sugars, fructose – which you get in large amounts in sweeteners like honey and agave syrup -is the one that can cause the most damage, behaving differently to other sugars; Rather than being used up as energy, fructose goes straight to the liver where it’s converted to, and stored as fat. A high fructose intake may lead to a range of health issues down the track, such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
What’s more, fructose can light up the brain’s reward centre. This means that once you start eating a fructose-loaded food, you’ll want to keep eating more and more of it, without registering that you’ve had enough.
So if you want to switch to a healthier sweetener, rice malt syrup is the way to go. I also like it because it’s neutral in flavour, so won’t overpower the flavour of your dish like honey tends to.
To get you started, here are five simple meal ideas and recipes that work well with rice malt syrup.
Day 1) My Go-To Peanut Sauce
A healthier alternative to the sugar-laden peanut sauce from your local Thai restaurant, this recipe is subtly sweet, with a touch of rice malt.
For 1-2 servings, combine 2 TBS 100% crunchy peanut butter (or almond butter), 1 tsp rice malt syrup, 1-2 tsp tamari or soy sauce and a generous pinch ground ginger; Thin with boiling water until you reach desired consistency. Pour onto an Asian-style slaw or stir-fry…This sauce really adds some oomph to even the most simple of dishes.
Day 2) Hot Chocolate-Chai
Add a heaped tsp of cacao, a pinch of cinnamon and 1 tsp rice malt syrup to your favourite mug; Fill it ¾ to the top with boiling water, stir and top with milk of choice. Try it with coconut milk and topped with extra cinnamon…Comfort in a cup.
Day 3) Raspberry-Chia Jam (Courtesy of the team at The Sugar Breakup HQ)
Combine 2 C frozen raspberries (or any berries you like), ¼ C The Sugar Breakup’s Organic Golden Rice Malt Syrup, 1 shot of The Chia Co’s Chia seeds and the juice of ½ a lemon in a small-medium saucepan. Boil over a medium heat for around 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until jam starts to thicken. Pour the jam into a clean jar; Allow to cool, pop the lid on and store in the fridge.
This should keep for about a week…I love this jam stirred into Greek yoghurt or on wholegrain or gluten free toast with almond butter for breakfast.
Day 4) Spicy Coconut Chips (Another one from The Sugar Breakup team)
Enjoy as a crunchy salad topper or sandwich filling, sprinkled on an omelette or stuffed in a fresh date for a sweet and salty snack…There’s so much you can do with these!
You will need:
- 2 C coconut chips
- 1 TBS The Sugar Breakup’s Organic Golden Rice Malt Syrup
- 1 TBS water
- 1.5 tsp smoky paprika
- 1.5 TBS tamari (wheat-free soy sauce)
- 1 tsp Tabasco Sauce
- Sprinkle sea salt
- Coconut oil for greasing
Putting it together:
- Preheat oven to 115C (110C fan forced). Line a baking tray with baking paper, lightly greased with coconut oil.
- Put the coconut flakes into a mixing bowl. In another bowl, mix paprika, tamari, golden rice malt syrup, water and Tabasco. Pour the mixture onto the coconut flakes, gently mixing until all flakes are covered.
- Spread the mixture gently onto the baking tray and place in oven 15-20 mins; Check it every five minutes, tossing it slightly so the flakes cook evenly. In the last five mins, check it more often as it can burn easily.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool. The chips will continue to crisp.
- Sprinkle with sea salt.
Day 5) Halva-style toast
Top toasted rye, sourdough or gluten free bread with pure tahini and a drizzle of rice malt syrup. Creamy, nutty and slightly sweet, this combo really hits the spot. To make this a bit more fancy, add sliced strawberries or banana and a sprinkle of cinnamon…Tastes like dessert for breakfast.
The Sugar Breakup Organic Golden Rice Malt Syrup is:
- Fructose Free
- Certified Organic
- Gluten Free
- Made from 100% organic brown rice
- A natural sweetener free of artificial colours, flavours and preservatives
The perfect direct replacement for honey, maple syrup, agave, coconut nectar and golden syrup