Having a sweet tooth is not a problem, but consuming empty calories with absolutely no nutrition is. White sugar has a past history of triggering cardiac issues and causing impaired cognitive functions. Still, these sweetened white crystals with no nutritional value continue to be our dietary weakness.
Living an entirely sugar-free life sounds super tough and impractical to maintain. However, a workable option is to switch to safer alternatives to sugar that promote good health in the long run.
With wholesome and tempting substitutes to sugar, quitting sugar can be less hurting.
The best bit is that you can buy these sugar substitutes from wholesale food ingredient suppliers for a comparatively lesser price.
Let’s embark on a bitter-sweet journey of swapping empty calories with healthy ones.
Luckily, these healthier sugar substitutes don’t compromise the taste of our favorite meals yet keep serious health concerns like obesity and diabetes at bay.
HONEY
In case you wish to initiate your journey of healthy calorie consumption with a basic and easy to find alternate, try honey. The product is always on-shelf, naturally occurring, and whatnot.
Unlike table sugar, honey is more digestible with significantly greater water content.
Considering the potential benefits of honey, dieters can use it as a great dressing and sweetener for salads and baked items.
The powerhouse is rich in anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory properties and tastes excellent when coupled with raw veggies.
However, when using honey, ensure not to put too much heat as excessive heat makes the syrup lose its nutrients.
XYLITOL
Products with xylitol sweetener have sweetness, more like sugar. Xylitol contains fewer calories than sugar, around 2.4 gram per calorie. Xylitol’s prominent feature is that it is safer to consume as it doesn’t increase blood sugar levels.
Though Xylitol can be highly beneficial for humans when consumed moderately, it is reported that Xylitol can be poisonous for dogs.
This naturally-derived sweetener is also considered safer for patients with diabetes.
However, moderation should be practiced when substituting sugar with Xylitol as too much consumption of Xylitol can cause gastrointestinal distress.
ERYTHRITOL
Like Xylitol, erythritol is a sugar alcohol, containing fewer calories.
Erythritol holds 6% of the calories of the regular table sugar.
It mimics the sugar taste so well that making a switch turns much more manageable with it.
The human body doesn’t have the enzymes to break down erythritol, so most of it is absorbed directly into our bloodstream and discharged through the urine as it is.
Therefore, it does not seem to have adverse effects like that of regular sugar.
Moreover, erythritol doesn’t raise blood sugar, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels.
Despite its low-calorie count, erythritol increase fat mass and weight gain.
Besides, erythritol can cause or worsen existing digestive issues, but that only happens when it is consumed in big portions.
MAPLE SYRUP
Maple syrup is packed with antioxidants rich in minerals containing calcium, potassium, zinc, iron, and manganese. However, similar to other organic sweeteners, maple syrup is rich in calories and must be consumed in moderation.
It contains a considerable amount of minerals, like calcium, potassium, iron, zinc, and manganese.
Also, maple syrup contains more antioxidants than honey.
The oligosaccharides — a form of carb made up of numerous simple sugars — in maple syrup are equally responsible for the lowered plasma glucose concentrations.
Test-tube studies have shown that maple syrup may even have anti-cancer properties, but more research is required to support such studies.
It’s light on the liver because of its comparatively low glycemic index score and has the ability to reduce body inflammation. Many of us have been a victim of inflammation and its harmful effects, and pure maple syrup is just the right option that doesn’t only work as a sugar substitute but also as an anti-inflammatory agent.
DATE PASTE
Dates are filled with fiber, minerals, and vitamins and minerals, so using date paste as a sugar substitute in your recipes can add up the diet’s nutritional value, which otherwise becomes impossible with regular table sugar. Date paste is a simple sugar substitute that can be prepared at home.
To prepare a home-made ready to use date paste, you will need:
- A blender.
- 3/4 cup of water
- 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- About 1 cup of warm, pitted dates.
Once you have gathered all the ingredients, form a thick paste in the blender, and there you have an all-natural and supremely nutritious sugar replacement.
MONK FRUIT POWDER
Monk fruit powder, a sweeter alternative to sugar, is formed from a small melon grown in parts of Southeast Asia.
It is rich in antioxidants with zero calories and carbs. So if you’re strictly maintaining your scale or watching your glucose levels, monk fruit powder can do the trick for you.
The monk fruit powder’s most prominent feature is its slightly caramelized flavor that tastes best with baked stuff.
The taste complements baked items the best. However, the flavor comes off a little different than the regular sugar- based items.
Start off by initially taking it in a drink or a smoothie. If it matches your taste preferences, then continue.