When Sugar is Forbidden!

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22961, 12 February 1938, Page 7 (Supplement)

When Sugar is Forbidden!

Jams and Preserves For Diabetics I")ISCOVKRY of a remarkable starchfreo and sugar-free Hour, obtained as the result of years of determined research and experiment on the part of a group of Hungarian scientists, and now on the market in New Zealand as abroad for ordinary cooking purposes, is likely to mako a complete transformation in*the lives of sufferers from diabetes. Yet there still remains to be solved the problem of making jams and preserves suitable for those to whom sugar and I starch are anathema. Hero are some recipes specially designed to cope with the situation, and using saccharin instead of the forbidden sugar. Saccharin is Harmless Saccharin is a coal tar product with no food value. It has an intensely sweet taste, being, when chemically pure, about 500 times as sweet as cane sugar. It must bo used with restraint, as excess is very unpleasant. Cooking, too, is inclined to develop a bitter taste. For this reason, saccharin should be added to jam, and stewed fruit after cooking. Marmalade Minus Sugar The breakfast marmalade is often greatly missed by those to whom it is forbidden. The following substitute is recommended by the diabetes specialist, Dr. Lawrence, and served to his patients at King's College Hospital in London. One and a-half lemons, peel of 1 large orange, 5 saccharin tablets, or saccharin syrup to taste, \oz. of gelatine, 702;. water. : Peel the fruit very thinly and cut into fine shreds. Put the skins, juice and water on in a saucepan. Simmer for two hours. Some of the liquid will have boiled away. Make this up to 7oz. Cut the gelatine into fine strips. Add to the mixture and boil for 10 minutes. Remove from'fire and add saccharin. Bottle and cover. The jam will not last long, so is . best made in small quantities. Another Sugarless Marmalade Attending'the diabetes clinic at. a Melbourne hospital is a group of women who, during their visits, have become firm friends. One of these makes every year a pot of sugarless marmalade for each of her comrades in misfortune. This is the recipe she uses: —Take 2 large oranges. Peel the rind as thinly as possible and shred very finely. Remove the white pith and discard. Cut the rest of the orange into Bmall pieces, removing the seeds. Put into a basin and cover with cold water. Add the seeds and shredded rind tied in a muslin bag. Soak overnight. Next day, boil all together for hours. Remove the bag containing seeds and shreds. Rub the pulp through a fine sieve. Measure the quantity and allow Joz. of gelatine to every pint. Add shreds of orange rind, and gelatine which has been soaked in cold water. Remove from fire and add saccharin to taste. Berry Jam + " ' Put- the .terries In ij)an witkjurt,. enough; w;atsr to prevent burning. 'Crookfor 15 to, 20 minutes. • ' f Measure the fruit and liquid, and allow £o2i. of gelatine to every pint. Shred gelatine finely. Add, 'and cook until dissolved.. Remove from fire and add saccharin to taste. Bottle and cover. Any berries may be usisd. Quince Marmalade Wipe quinces. Remove stem and blossom ends. Quarter and put in pan. Add water nearly to cover. Cook until tender. Rub through fine sieve. Boil 40 to 50 minutes. Measure, and for every cup add quarter-cup of peel of oranges which has also been cooked and mashed through a sieve.

Bring to boiling point. Add saccharin to taste. Bottle in sterile jars and cover. • Quince Honey Peel and grate 6 quinces. Add 1J cups of water. Cook 40 to 50 minutes. Measure and add quarter as much cooked and sieved orange peel. Remove from fire and add saccharin to taste, This should be about the consistency of honey. Bottle and cover. Bottled Fruit

Fruit such as plums, blackberries, raspberries, cherries and so on, can well be bottled without sugar. Procure some glass jars with airtight lids. Heat them. Prepare the fruit and pack tightly into jars. Place on a dish in a moderately hot oven or stand in boiling water. Fill with boiling water. When cooked, taking care not to over-cook, fill to the top with boiling water and screw down tightly. Before using, saccharin may be added. This fruit may be used instead of an equal amount of fruit allowed on the diet.

Taken in small amounts, jams sweetened with saccharin may usually be regarded as having no significant food

value. If taken in larger amounts they should be substituted for an equal amount of fruit allowed on the diet. Other iteniH which may be regarded as having no food value are the flavouring essences (lemon, vanilla, almond, etc.) j meat and yeast extracts which may be used for colouring soups and stews; lemon juice and slices of lemon for garnishing; parsley, cress, radish, roses, celery curls and similar garnishes. Beet Relish

One cup cooked beetroot, 2 tablespoons vinegar, 2 tablespoons horseradish, salt and pepper. Dice the beetroot. Mix the other ingredients in lightly. Serve with cold meat. Negligible food value in small serving. If larger amount is desired, substitute for equal amount of vegetable allowed on diet.

Mint Sauce Ono tablespoon vinegar, few drops of saccharin syrup, 2 teaspoons finely chopped mint leaves. Mix ingredients. Add hot or cold water, and serve with hot or cold lamb. Negligible food value. Horseradish Sauce

One dessertspoon grated horseradish, 1 teaspoon vinegar, pepper, salt and saccharin to taste, 1 teaspoon whipped cream. Serve with Hot or cold roast beef. Negligible food value. Cucumber Sauce

Grate cucumber. Add salt, pepper and vinegar or lemon juice. Serve with fish or cold meat. Negligible food value.