Rice syrup and corn syrup are extensively used in candy making, beverages, health drinks, and other recipes. These syrups are similar to each other as they give similar sweetness, consistency, and thickness to food. Sometimes the syrups are interchanged in recipes as they have a similar effect on food. Rice syrup is common in the beverages and confectionary industry.
But what is the difference between these two syrups? Why should we choose them as an alternative and on what basis? These are the questions you might encounter while preferring one option over the other. So, we will compare both syrups to make it easy for you to understand which syrup is better to use.
Rice Syrup vs Corn Syrup
What is Rice Syrup?
It is a plant-based syrup, that gives a sweet taste to food. Rice syrup is an important ingredient in cooking and baking. This syrup has fewer calories as compared to corn syrup. Natural and organic rice produces good quality rice syrup. It has a very low level of glucose and does not have any gluten or fructose components. Rice syrup is manufactured by cooking brown rice. Then, natural enzymes convert rice starches into sugar. The liquid produced is then heated further to reduce it down into a syrup.
Brown rice syrup has a moderate sweet taste that is much less in comparison to sugar, honey, or agave nectar. It has a sweet flavor, and the taste is somewhat like butterscotch. The use of rice syrup is beneficial for individuals who want to maintain their diet as it is gluten-free. You can use it in the making of health drinks, baked foods, Granola bars.
Rice syrups carry nutrients like zinc, magnesium, and manganese. The glycemic index of this syrup is high; therefore, it is better to consume it in moderation. The great thing about rice syrup is that it has fewer calories. An important nutritional benefit of rice syrup is that it is best for people who are lactose intolerant.
What is Corn Syrup?
This syrup utilizes the starch of corn in its making. Corn syrup improves the food flavor and taste. It adds volume and helps to give a soft food texture. Furthermore, corn syrup alters the taste of savory dishes to sweet. It gives a nutty flavor to recipes that is the main feature that distinguishes it from rice syrup.
Major nutrients in corn syrup are carbohydrates, vitamin B, Sodium, zinc, selenium, and calcium. The number of calories present in 1 tablespoon is 62 kcal.
Corn syrup is useful in baked foods for browning and moisture-retaining purposes. The excessive consumption of corn syrup can result in various health issues such as Diabetes (type 2), heart problems, dementia, etc. Hence, you should be careful in using it.
Comparison of Rice Syrup and Corn syrup
The main difference between the two syrups is that rice syrup will not give a nutty flavor to recipes. The nutty flavor is the distinct characteristic of corn syrup. An important difference among these syrups is that the amounts of calories differ in both. Calories in rice syrups are less than corn syrup. Therefore, the use of rice syrup as a corn syrup substitute makes it a healthier alternative.
Rice syrup is an ingredient of choice while making desserts such as rice cakes. You can also add it to drinks such as tea or coffee. Furthermore, you can drizzle it on top of pancakes or waffles. You can use light corn syrup in jams, baked goods, jellies, etc. Corn syrup enhances the flavor profile of dairy products, beverages, and bakery fillings. You can also add it to salads, pieces of bread, soups, or ice creams.
Conclusion
Rice syrup is a low-calorie sugar substitute. Its use is good in those recipes where you want to control the sweetness of a dish. This is due to the reason that rice syrup comes in varying levels of sweetness. Corn syrup has its distinctive, unique nutty flavor that enhances the taste of dishes. The choice of syrup you want to use will depend on the calories and type of recipe you are following. Usually, both syrup can be replaced in recipes and it won’t affect the taste much.