Marshmallows are really cool — not just do they taste good, but by lighting them you can make an incredible source of light in a dark campsite!
Technically, marshmallows are a candy – a confection. They have been around in the form we are familiar with since the middle 1800s.
About Marshmallows
Marshmallow is a longtime family favorite. Many times considered a staple for a camping trip, desserts, Thanksgiving classics, and hot cocoa, these sugary treats are not doing you any favors. Although marshmallows are fat-free cookies, they are fully packed with sugar.
A regular marshmallow contains around 4 grams of added sugar. However, as many of us know, rarely do we eat one, single marshmallow. For example, a cup of mini marshmallows to top hot chocolate or for a dessert recipe contains a massive 29 grams of sugar. This converts to more than 400 empty calories and surpasses the recommended daily amounts by approximately 10 grams.
Sugar consumption in excess upsurges our overall calorie content and could easily lead to weight gain. Besides, food high in sugar, like marshmallow, is usually very low in nutrition as well. Moreover, the greater part of your diet that is filled with a large amount of sugary food, the less room in your regimen there is for whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.
Sugar is also directly associated with long-term health issues. Actually, consuming too much sugar has been associated with the following:
- Teeth problems, such as cavities;
- Heart disease;
- Food addictions;
- Insulin resistance and diabetes;
- Inflated cholesterol levels, and
- Several cancers, as pancreatic cancer.
Healthy Marshmallow Recipe
These fluffy homemade marshmallows will provide all the flavor and even better – none of the unhealthy sugar. And more, you can make them in a chocolate or coconut version based on the preferences. Following, we offer you a simple healthy marshmallow recipe:
You will need:
- 1/2 cup cold water
- 1 1/2 tbsp. gelatin
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/8 tsp. salt
Instructions
- Grease a loaf pan. Next, cover with baking paper (enough to hang over the sides of the load pan one way), and grease the baking paper.
- Pour ¼ cup of water in a bowl and add the gelatin in the water. Set aside to soften.
- In a little pot, put the salt, honey, and the rest of the water. Then, turn the heat to Bring the mixture to 240 degrees by using a candy thermometer. (Because this is a very small amount of fluid, I had a pretty hard time getting an exact temperature. Remove from the heat as soon as it is at the accurate temperature.
- Using a hand mixer, carefully mix in the warm syrup into the gelatin mixture by putting the warm syrup in a drizzle down the side of your bowl. When it’s all mixed together, put the vanilla. Then, increase speed to high and beat for about 12 to 15 minutes, or till the mixture is fluffy and thick (just like a marshmallow fluff). Next, scrap in the prepared pan and let it sit, uncovered, for about 4 to 12 hours so it can dry completely. In the end, cut into squares and serve as is. Enjoy!
Cocoa Version: Just cut marshmallows in some cocoa powder and roll finished.
Coconut Version: All you need is ½ cup of unsweetened coconut flakes. Simply sprinkle a half of them on the bottom of the pan, then scrape into the mixture, and place the rest of the flakes.
Conclusion:
According to a research from the US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health, eating marshmallows can lead to a small but significant reduction in ileostomy output. Marshmallow is the modern version of a medical confection made from the marshmallow plant (Althaea Officinalis).
References: Thenourishinggourmet.com Healthy-holistic-living.com Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov