Question: For a diabetic, which is preferable as a sweetener — honey, which is minimally processed, or the far more processed table sugar? — K.R., West Palm Beach

Answer: Let us clear the air first, and I am speaking as a diabetic myself. Diabetics are now allowed sugar and other caloric sweeteners such as honey in reasonable amounts, unlike the old days when sugar was simply verboten. That is, if you keep a careful track of how much total carbohydrates you are taking in, depending on your condition.

Since honey is composed mainly of two monosaccharides, glucose and fructose, and fructose, also known as fruit sugar, is absorbed more slowly, it appears to have a slight edge over table sugar or sucrose, a disaccharide composed also of glucose and fructose, but linked together. However, diabetics, and even non-diabetics, can normally take such small amounts of either sweetener that the supposed advantage becomes academic.

The bottom line: The diabetic in your family can use a moderate amount of sugar or honey — which of course has some marginal nutritional benefits and is less processed — in consultation with a doctor or a nutritionist. Moderation is indeed the key word for all our actions, food included.

Q: If you don’t have fresh garlic, how much powdered garlic should you use to get the equivalent flavor of one bulb? — Frances G., Delray Beach

A: In most recipe contexts, fresh garlic is much more preferable than garlic powder or garlic salt, which we never use. To replace a whole head or bulb of garlic, which usually contains 10 cloves, I would use 1 rounded teaspoon of the powder. One caveat: Old garlic powder or an improperly stored container of it can develop an off flavor and some bitterness. It is better to store the jar in the refrigerator.

Feedback
I have several comments from readers this week on a couple of recent columns. Among them:

A reader who preferred to remain anonymous e-mailed: “In the Sept. 23 column, you mentioned a kitchen cleanup tip about using a newspaper to gather trimmings, and then disposing of them easily. May I suggest you advocate compost heaps? I have used one for probably 10 years, and although I don’t use the material in the yard as compost, it definitely reduces the material going into my disposal or to the landfill. I have noticed a hole coming from beneath the compost heap, showing me that some of the local critters have found it as a food source. I consider this to be part of the circle of life.”

Ann Gazourian e-mailed regarding the same column, which mainly dealt with making tea. “I am sending your elegant recipe for a ‘smooth, fragrant cup of tea’ to my niece with a teapot and strainer. We also recycle kitchen scraps, newspapers and brown grocery bags. The kitchen scraps (no meat, no fats or oil) go on our backyard compost heap. We put The Palm Beach Post in brown grocery bags for recycling every week in the yellow bin.”

Recycling and making the most of everything, which indeed includes composting, is an excellent idea. These hard times may have given the movement a big nudge.

Ann also asks about how to make fresh mozzarella cheese balls at home. It’s a fairly complicated recipe. Please go on the Internet and Google: “How to make mozzarella cheese.”

A. Stubbs of Juno Beach e-mailed: “With regard to your article, ‘Take care to avoid cross-contamination’ (Sept. 9), I am very careful not to wash any cutting boards, bowls, etc. that contained raw meat or eggs with the dishcloth or sponge I wash other dishes with. I either use a paper towel or disinfectant wipe to clean these items along with soap, hot water and sometimes bleach. Some of my friends and family think I go a little overboard with my cross-contamination concerns. Isn’t there a chance of cross-contamination by using the same dishcloth or sponge you’ve previously cleaned raw meat with?”

Indeed there is every chance of it happening. You cannot be too careful where food safety is concerned.