We are all more than aware of the negative impact sugar has on our health; not only does it affect us on the inside, but also on the surface. Sugar consumption is linked to cavities, weight gain, acne and skin aging, but it’s also been found to increase not only our chance of developing diabetes, heart risk and fatty liver disease, but also fatigue and depression.
A recent study has even shown that drinking two sodas a day can have significant effects on your health. But not only is sugar the culprit here; artificial sweeteners that can be found in diet and zero-calorie drinks can also prove not to always be the best option. The study suggests that more research should be carried out in order to determine what’s the exact cause for this difference between natural and artificial sweeteners.
Nevertheless, nature is wise and bountiful, full of several organic options that make our lives sweeter without taking a toll on our bodies. Here are just a few of the many sugar substitutes out there!
Agave
Agave nectar comes from the same plant that our trusty friend tequila does, so that means it’s suitable for vegans. Thanks to its low glycemic content, it doesn’t increase our blood sugar like conventional sugar does. It’s also more caloric than normal sugar, but since it’s much sweeter, we don’t have to use as much of it to get that perfect taste for our cakes. Another benefit of agave is the amount of minerals, vitamins and metabolites it contains, which means it’s also nutritious. So, what’s the catch? Agave has a great amount of fructose in it which can lead to insulin resistance, making it a non-option for diabetics.
Honey
Much like agave, honey is a natural liquid sweetener that can be used in almost every recipe. Besides avoiding the health risks linked to sugar consumption, honey is the only natural sweetener that actually provides numerous benefits to our body; it helps to reduce inflammation, it’s good for our hearts and it’s anti-microbial. Although, just like with everything else, we should consume it in moderation due to the fact that the body breaks honey into glucose and fructose .
Stevia
Stevia is a plant extract that is zero calories. This means that it’s a safe vegan alternative for diabetics or people who have to keep a close eye on their daily calorie consumption. Just like agave, it’s much sweeter than conventional sugar, so you don’t have to use a lot –and we don’t recommend using too much either. It seems to have a strange aftertaste that makes it not too suitable for hot beverages such as coffee or tea, but it can be used in several other recipes as it comes in different formats: powder and liquid.
Coconut sugar
Recently, coconut oil has been all the rage in terms of healthy diets, but have you heard about coconut sugar? This natural sweetener comes from coconuts and it’s a natural alternative to refined sugar. Although it has the same caloric content as normal sugar, it’s not refined, meaning that it maintains all its natural minerals and vitamins that are beneficial to our health. It doesn’t spike our blood sugar either, however people with diabetes should have speak with their doctors to see if they could include it in their diet.
Maple syrup
Who doesn’t love a stack of pancakes drizzled with maple syrup? But we can use it with so many other recipes, which means that it’s a great natural alternative for those looking to cut sugar from their diets. Just like honey, maple syrup contains more than 50 natural compounds that are beneficial to our health such as calcium, potassium, magnesium and iron. However, it isn’t as sweet as normal sugar, so the amount we need to use might be a bit more to achieve our desired level of sweetness. Another con is that in some countries, the maple syrup sold isn’t as pure as, say, Canada, so we need to be cautious when looking at the labels and making sure it doesn’t contain sugar water.
What you can do in your own sweet time
So there are several natural and healthy options out on the market to cater to our sweet tooth, but the best thing we could do is try to reduce our overall sugar consumption. Not only will we start to feel the physical benefits in no time, but our mindset will also start to change, leading to a happier and healthier life.
