sweetdreamer96

I don't like artificial sweeteners and am looking for a natural more healthy sweetener than regular sugar. I have a few recipes that call for date sugar, but in my area it is very hard to find and very expensive. Does anyone know if anything else is similar nutritionally? Like granulated fructose fruit sugar? Or granulated organic sugar (certified organic evaporated cane sugar)? Or turbinado sugar? Or Sucanat (unrefined natural sugar)? Has anyone used any of these products? Can I use one of these as a substitution for date sugar?

I am also having the same problem with brown rice syrup? Does anyone know if anything else is similar nutritionally? Like real maple syrup (not imitation)? Or molasses? Or honey? Has anyone used any of these products as a substitution for brown rice syrup in baking?

And one last question...I am looking for unprocessed bran....most packages don't say if it is or not. Is organic bran (not chemically processed) the same thing?

TIA
Jenny