October 16, 2020

8 natural alternatives to sugar

Added sugar is probably by far the worst ingredient in the modern diet. It has been linked to many serious diseases including obesity, heart disease, diabetes and cancer. In addition, most people consume far too much sugar without realizing it.

Fortunately, there are many ways to sweeten foods without sugar. This article explores 8 healthy alternatives you can use instead.

Why sugar is bad for you

It should be mentioned at the outset that there is nothing good about sugar. It contains no protein, no essential fats, no vitamins and no minerals. There is absolutely no need for sugar in the diet.

In fact, there is a long list of reasons to avoid sugar.

Sugar negatively affects the hormones in your body that regulate hunger and satiety (1, 2). This can lead to increased calorie intake and weight gain.

It also damages your metabolism, which can lead to an increase in insulin levels and increased fat storage. In fact, many studies have found a strong link between sugar and obesity (3).Simply put, people who consume the most sugar are at a much higher risk of becoming overweight or obese compared to people who consume the least sugar.

High sugar consumption has also been linked to some of the world's deadliest diseases including heart disease, diabetes and cancer (4, 5, 6).

Sugar is also addictive. It causes a release of dopamine in the brain's reward center, which is the same response caused by addictive drugs. This leads to cravings and can stimulate overeating (7).

In short, sugar is damn unhealthy and should be avoided at all costs. Instead, consider using the following 8 alternatives.

1. stevia

Stevia is a natural sweetener derived from the leaves of a South American shrub that goes by the scientific name Stevia rebaudiana.

Human studies have indeed concluded that stevia is not associated with any adverse side effects (8, 9). However, stevia is not only considered safe and harmless, but is also associated with several health benefits.

Several studies have shown that stevioside, which is one of the sweet-tasting compounds in stevia, can reduce high blood pressure by 6 to 14% (11, 12). Stevia has also been shown to lower blood sugar and insulin levels, which could help fight diabetes (12).

It's worth noting that the two different sweet compounds extracted from the stevia plant - stevioside and rebaudioside A - have slightly different flavors.

Typically available in powder or liquid form, products labeled as stevia may contain either one or both of these compounds in varying amounts. This is the reason why some variants taste better than others, which means that some experimentation may be necessary to find the right variant for you.

All in all, stevia is probably the healthiest choice if you want to sweeten something. Summary: Stevia is 100% natural, contains no calories and has no known negative health effects. Stevia has been shown to lower blood sugar levels and blood pressure.

2. xylitol

Xylitol is a sugar alcohol with a sweetness similar to sugar. It is extracted from corn or birch wood and is found in many types of fruit and vegetables.

Xylitol contains 2.4 kcal per gram, which is 40% less than sugar. In addition, it does not increase blood sugar or insulin levels (13).

Most of the harmful effects associated with regular sugar are related to the high fructose content of sugar. Xylitol, however, contains no fructose and has none of the negative effects associated with sugar.

On the contrary, xylitol is actually associated with multiple health benefits. Several studies show that xylitol can improve dental health by reducing tooth decay (14, 15). In addition, xylitol increases the absorption of calcium in the body. This is not only good for your teeth, but also for your bone density, which can help protect against tooth decay (16, 17).

Xylitol is generally well tolerated, but consuming too much can cause digestive discomfort such as bloating and diarrhea.

It is important to note that xylitol is very toxic to dogs. Dog owners should keep xylitol out of their dog's reach or not have xylitol in the house at all.

Summary: Xylitol is a sugar alcohol that contains 40% fewer calories than sugar. Consuming xylitol can potentially promote dental health and protect against osteoporosis.

3. erythritol

Erythritol is also a sugar alcohol, but it contains fewer calories than xylitol. At just 0.24 kcal per gram, erythritol contains only 6% of the calories of regular sugar. The fact that erythritol tastes almost exactly like sugar makes the changeover quite easy.

Your body doesn't have the enzymes needed to break down erythritol, so most of it is absorbed directly into the bloodstream and excreted unchanged in the urine (18).

At regular doses, erythritol does not appear to have any dangerous side effects. In addition, it does not increase blood sugar, insulin, triglyceride or cholesterol levels (19). It is considered safe for human consumption and is well tolerated.

Human studies show no side effects when erythritol is consumed at doses of 2.2 grams per kilogram of body weight per day. However, higher doses may cause mild digestive problems in some people.

Summary: Erythritol is a sugar alcohol that tastes almost exactly like sugar but contains only 0.6 kcal. It is an excellent sugar alternative for people who are overweight or suffer from diabetes.

4. yacon syrup

Yacon syrup is extracted from the yacon plant, which is native to South America and is known by the scientific name Smallanthus sonchifolius.

Yacon syrup is dark in color and has a thick consistency reminiscent of molasses. In America, yacon syrup has become popular as a weight loss supplement after it was featured on a television program hosted by a famous American doctor.

Since there is only one small study showing that yacon syrup causes significant weight loss (20), more research is needed to confirm this claim.

Yacon syrup contains 40 to 50% fructooligosaccharides - a special type of sugar molecule that the human body cannot digest. As these sugar molecules are not digested, yacon syrup contains only 1.3 kcal per gram, which is about a third of the calories of regular sugar.

In addition, studies show that fructooligosaccharides can lower levels of the hunger hormone ghrelin, which can reduce appetite and food intake (21).

Fructooligosaccharides also serve as food for the "friendly" intestinal bacteria, which are very important for general health. Healthy gut flora is associated with a reduced risk of diabetes and obesity, increased immune function and better brain function.

Yacon syrup is generally considered safe, but excessive consumption can lead to bloating, diarrhea and general digestive discomfort.

Another disadvantage of yacon syrup is that it is not suitable for baking, as high temperatures break down the structure of fructooligosaccharides (22).

However, yacon syrup is good for sweetening coffee, tea, muesli and oatmeal.

Summary: Yacon syrup contains only a third of the calories of regular sugar. It is also very rich in fructooligosaccharides, which feed healthy gut bacteria and may support weight loss.

5-8 Less bad sugar options

There are a number of natural sweeteners that health-conscious people use instead of sugar. These include coconut sugar, honey, maple syrup and molasses.

However, even though these natural sweeteners may contain more nutrients than sugar, your body metabolizes them in the same way as regular sugar.

So the following sweeteners are only slightly less bad than regular sugar. However, they are still forms of sugar.

5. coconut sugar

Coconut sugar is made from the sap of the coconut palm. It contains a few nutrients including iron, zinc, calcium and potassium, as well as some antioxidants.

Coconut sugar has a lower glycemic index than sugar, which appears to be partly due to its inulin content. Inulin is a type of dietary fiber that has been shown to inhibit glucose absorption (23).

Despite this, coconut sugar is still very high in calories and contains the same amount of calories per serving as regular sugar. It is also very high in fructose, which is the main reason why sugar is so unhealthy.

At the end of the day, coconut sugar is very similar to regular table sugar and should therefore be used sparingly.

Summary: Coconut sugar contains low amounts of fiber and nutrients, making it slightly less bad than regular sugar. However, it is high in fructose and should therefore be used sparingly.

6. honey

Honey is a viscous golden liquid produced by bees. It contains traces of vitamins and minerals, as well as plenty of healthy antioxidants (24).

Consuming honey can help increase antioxidant levels in the blood. High antioxidant levels in the blood are associated with a lower risk of disease (25).

In fact, honey has been shown to reduce several risk factors for disease. One study found that consuming honey over an 8-week period in diabetics significantly reduced levels of bad LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the blood (26).

It also increased the levels of good HDL cholesterol. However, the same study also observed an increase in a marker for long-term blood glucose levels (HbA1c), which is not good.

Another study found that eating honey lowered levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), which is a marker of inflammation (27). It also lowered homocysteine levels, which is another blood marker associated with disease.

In addition, both studies showed that honey has slightly less harmful effects on blood sugar levels and metabolism than regular sugar.

However, despite the fact that studies have shown that honey has some promising health benefits, it still contains fructose, which can contribute to a variety of health problems.

In short, honey is still sugar and therefore not completely harmless.

Summary: Honey contains antioxidants and small amounts of vitamins and minerals. It has some health benefits, but at the end of the day it is still sugar and therefore should not be consumed in excess.

7. maple syrup

Maple syrup is a thick, sugary liquid made by boiling down the sap of maple trees. It contains a reasonable amount of minerals including calcium, potassium, iron, zinc and manganese. In addition, it contains at least 24 different types of antioxidants (28).

A number of test tube studies suggest that maple syrup may even have anti-cancer effects, but more research is needed to confirm this (29).

However, even though maple syrup contains some beneficial nutrients and antioxidants, it is very high in sugar. It has a slightly lower glycemic index than regular sugar, which means it does not raise blood sugar levels as quickly as sugar (30).

Similar to coconut sugar and honey, maple syrup is also slightly better than regular sugar, but should still be used sparingly.

Summary: Maple syrup contains some minerals and over 24 antioxidants. It is slightly better than sugar, but should still be used sparingly.

8 Molasses

Molasses is a sweet, brown liquid with a thick, syrupy consistency. It is produced by boiling down cane sugar or sugar beet juice.

Molasses contains a handful of vitamins and minerals, as well as some antioxidants. Molasses is even richer in antioxidants than sugar and maple syrup (31). In addition, molasses is rich in calcium and potassium and may promote heart and bone health (32, 33).

All in all, molasses is a good substitute for refined sugar, but there is no reason to add it to your diet as it is still a form of sugar.

Summary: Molasses contains nutrients that may support heart and bone health and help regulate blood sugar levels. Nevertheless, molasses is high in sugar and should be used sparingly.

Avoid replacing sugar with these sweeteners

Some alternative sweeteners may actually do more harm than good. Some could be even more harmful than sugar.

Here is a list of sweeteners you should avoid.

Agave nectar

Agave nectar is made from the agave plant. It is often marketed as a healthy sugar alternative, but is probably one of the unhealthiest sweeteners you can find on the market.

Agave nectar is 85% fructose, which is a much higher fructose content than regular sugar. As mentioned above, large amounts of fructose have been linked to obesity and other serious diseases.

High fructose corn syrup

High fructose corn syrup is a sweetener made from corn syrup. It is commonly used to sweeten processed foods and soft drinks.

As the name suggests, high fructose corn syrup is very high in fructose. It can increase the risk of weight gain, diabetes and other serious diseases (35, 36, 37).

High fructose corn syrup is at least as bad as sugar and should be avoided at all costs. Although you won't typically use high fructose corn syrup as an ingredient in your recipes at home, it can be found in sauces, salad dressings and other condiments you use in cooking.

Conclusion

Eating too much sugar has been linked to several serious diseases including obesity, diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

The sweeteners presented in this article are good alternatives, with alternative being the key word, meaning that they should be used instead of refined sugar.

Stevia is probably the healthiest option, followed by xylitol, erythritol and yacon syrup. Less bad sugars such as maple syrup, molasses and honey are slightly better than regular sugar, but should be used sparingly.

References

Source: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/natural-sugar-substitutes#section1

Previous article The truth about the side effects of aspartame

Next article Tip of the week Tip: Consume more magnesium