The Trim Healthy Mama plan divide the food into different categories based off the effect that each type of food have upon the metabolism of the individuals. The Trim Healthy Mama plan utilizes S meals, E meals, FP meals, and XO meals to help control the metabolism of the individual’s body in regard to both fat and carbohydrate consumption. S meals is meals that contain high amount of fat and low amounts of carbohydrates.
E meals contain carbohydrates and fat in moderate amount. FP meals contain low amount of fat and carbohydrates. Finally, XO meals are meals that contain a balance of fat and carbohydrate content.
How to Use Sweeteners on the Trim Healthy Mama Plan
Each of these category will utilize specific type of sweeteners to help the body extract the energy from the food while minimizing the impact upon the body. Extract sweeteners, such as stevia and monk fruit, are suitable for all meal types because both of these sweeteners contains zero calories and do not impact the blood sugar of the individual that consume the food containing these sweeteners. Additionally, sugar alcohols, like erythritol, can be beneficial in the baking world because erythritol allows the baked goods to contain the same bulk as the sugar based products.
Xylitol is another type of sugar alcohol but has a higher glycemic index then erythritol. As a result, the plan only uses xylitol in S meals. Finally, natural sweeteners, like raw honey or pure maple syrup, do contain carbohydrates.
As a result, these sweeteners is only to be used in E meals. A blend of sweeteners are utilized because no sweetener can perform all tasks. For example, pure stevia is extremely strong such that a small amount of stevia provide the same amount of sweetness as a larger amount of sugar.
However, sweeteners like pure stevia do not provide volume to the foods that contain the sweetener. As a result, the cook can blend sweeteners like erythritol with pure stevia to provide volume to baked goods while still providing the same amount of sweetness as the sugar based products. Additionally, many sweeteners contain an aftertaste that is different than sugar but you can mask it by use a blend of sweeteners.
The interaction of sweeteners with heat is different than the interaction of sugar with heat. For instance, erythritol caramelize when used in baked goods allowing for the creation of golden edges on baked cookies. However, erythritol browns more quick than sugar which can lead to a decrease in the needed baking temperature of the products by twenty-five degree.
Allulose is a sweetener that is often used in frozen treats because allulose stay soft when placed in the freezer. Many other sweeteners can lead to hard treats when frozen but allulose allow treats to remain scoopable. Based upon the type of food to be prepared, different sweeteners can be used.
For instance, cakes benefit from the use of a blend of erythritol and stevia which allows the cake to remain fluffy. Additionally, the use of erythritol in cookies allows the cookies to contain a crunchy texture. Finally, jams contain allulose because allulose perform in the same manner as sugar performs in jams to allow the jam to set proper.
A sweetener chart exists to determine the proper amount of sweetener to use in these recipes. For instance, a sweetener chart can lead to the knowledge that two-third of a cup of a specific blend of sweeteners can replace one full cup of sugar. It is necessary to read the labels of the products that contain sweeteners.
For example, many packets of stevia also contain maltodextrin which is a carbohydrate. Additionally, both refined sugar and corn syrup are products that should not be used in the diets because they can lead to increased blood sugar and fat storage in the bodies of individuals who consume these products excessive. Finally, agave nectar may seem healthy because it has a low glycemic index but contains high amount of fructose which can impact the body’s function of the liver.
Each sweetener should be stored in a certain manner to preserve the product. For instance, crystal sweeteners should be stored in airtight jar to prevent the crystals from becoming clumped. Powder sweeteners can last for many years if stored in a cool and dry location.
Finally, liquid sweeteners are beneficial to transport but can be used in drinks. For instance, liquid stevia can be used in hot drinks but a pre-dissolved sweetener blend should be used in iced drinks to ensure the sweetener does not settle at the bottom of the iced drink.