The Problem With Sugar
It has been proven that excess consumption of sugar can lead to obesity. Although sugar can make any food taste significantly better, the long-term consequences are not worth it. Consumption of a lot of sugar can also lead to an increased risk of diabetes over time.
Sugar alternatives commonly found in soft drinks and other sweet goods are high fructose corn syrup. High fructose corn syrup has gained widespread popularity throughout the years due to its cost to acquire and its sweet taste. That combination makes it an attractive ingredient for companies to use in their products. High fructose corn syrup is considered “empty calories” as it has no nutritional aspects. When you consume products including high fructose corn syrup your body will convert the fructose into glucose to be stored in fat cells before being used for energy, but if you don’t utilize it then it will be stored as fat.
There are ways that you’re able to sweeten your foods with products that aren’t as detrimental to your health like sugar and high fructose corn syrup. Luckily there are healthy sugar alternatives that are more nutrient-dense, healthy, and affordable. Here are some healthy sugar alternatives you can use to replace artificial sweeteners.
I would like to note that this article contains affiliate links to products. If you purchase something using the links below I’ll get a small bump, and it helps support the website.
HONEY
One of the best sugar alternatives & natural sweeteners out there that I love is Honey. Honey has been used since ancient times as a natural sweetener. I add this to my tea to give it a natural kick of sweetness, and I know some people who use this in their coffee as an alternative to coffee creamer. Additionally, adding honey to tea can help with soothing a sore throat. The sweetness of the honey comes from the monosaccharides, which are fructose and glucose that contribute to the nutritional and physical aspects of honey.
Honey also has some amazing health benefits as well like antioxidants. A fun fact that I learned while researching honey is that you can tell from the brightness of the honey how many antioxidants it has. The darker the honey the more antioxidants there are present.
Honey also contains anti-inflammatory benefits as well. A research studyanalyzing the inflammatory response in animals showed that when animals were given honey it reduced inflammation. This was a result due to the phenolic content in honey. Phenolic and flavonoids cause the suppression of the pro-inflammatory process.
When it comes to the mineral and vitamins aspect of honey there is a low level of vitamins but a high amount of essential amino acids. Vitamin C is the most prevalent vitamin in honey and contains all 9 essential amino acids and all nonessential amino acids. Of the 9 amino acids, proline is the most present. When I’m at Whole Foods or Costco I try to look for Honey that is raw and unfiltered. These types of Honey haven’t been processed. Check out this one on Amazon.
STEVIA
Of the most common natural sweeteners on the market Stevia has to be the most widely known. Primarily grown in Brazil, Paraguay, Japan, and China this plant leaf has been touted as the best natural sweetener you can get for anything. If you have a Stevia plant at home you can make your stevia sweetener by picking the leaves off, setting them out in the sun for 12 hours to dry, then grinding them using a food processor or coffee grinder. Since Stevia is so common as a sugar alternative you can find them mostly anywhere. You can get them in single packets or as a bulk bag or tub.
What makes Stevia so attractive is its taste and low caloric value per serving. Stevia is 150-200 times sweeter than sugar alone and has zero to little caloric value in each serving. With it being significantly sweeter than sugar you can consume less of this sweetener for practically no calories. What makes Stevia essentially zero calories you may be wondering. Well, the sweetness from Stevia comes from Steviol. Steviol passes through the body completely and comes out of your body via urination.
COCONUT SUGAR
This sweetener has been very popular with people, but I’ve never tried this. These are the findings that I’ve found about Coconut Sugar. Coconut sugar is derived from the coconut palm tree and can be referred to as coconut palm sugar. This sugar comes from the coconut palm sap and like Stevia it comes from dehydrating the sap until it gets to the grainy sugar texture.
Coconut sugar is also high in calories like its counterpart, but what differentiates this from regular sugar is that it regains some nutrients from the coconut palm but in minimal amounts. Some of the minerals found in coconut sugar include Zinc, Calcium, and Potassium. Despite its high caloric count the minerals and nutrients of this sugar make it worth nothing. If you’re interested in purchasing Coconut Sugar check out TerraSoul Superfoods, I’ve had their Caoco powder and it’s delicious and affordable!.
MONK SWEETENER
This last natural sweetener was referred to me by a friend. Monk sweetener is similar in a way to its counterpart Stevia. This sweetener is 100-150 times sweeter than regular sugar and has zero to little calories. Monk fruit was used in traditional Chinese medicine and derived from the Monk Fruit often referred to as the “Buddha Fruit”. Monk sweetener is created by removing the seed and skin of the fruit crushing it to collect the juice and then dehydrating it until it becomes powder.
There’s not much research done on the health benefits of monk fruit, but there are antioxidants present in it. The Monk Sweetener gets its sweetness from the mogrosides aka the antioxidants. All in all Monk sweetener is a better alternative to sugar due to its lower calorie count, but if there was an option between Monk sweetener and Stevia I would personally go with Stevia. If you’re interested in trying Monk sweetener yourself check it out here on Amazon.