Natural Substitutes For Sugar
Added sugar is one of the most controversial ingredients in the modern diet.
It has been associated with many serious diseases, including obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers.
One contributing factor is that most people consume way too much sugar without even realizing it.
Fortunately, there are many ways to sweeten foods without adding sugar to them.
This article explores 9 alternatives to refined sugar.
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Sugar can interfere with hormones in your body that regulate hunger and satiety, leading to increased calorie intake and weight gain .
Excessive sugar consumption can also harm your metabolism, which can lead to increased insulin and fat storage .
A high sugar intake is associated with poor oral health and some of the most deadly diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers .
In addition to causing health problems, sugar has some addictive properties. It causes dopamine to be released in the reward center of the brain, which is the same response activated by addictive drugs. Nevertheless, sugar should not be compared to drugs.
These properties lead to cravings and can drive overeating, especially among stressed individuals (
In A Pinch: Brown Sugar
Brown sugar is simply a blend of white refined sugar and molasses, both of which are products of the sugar cane. The molasses gives this sugar its brown color and a deep caramel flavor similar to that of raw sugar. As with raw sugar, the caramel notes of the molasses in brown sugar are great for replicating the maple notes in maple sugar.
When using raw sugar as a maple sugar substitute, use 3/4 cup for every 1/2 cup of maple sugar that you are replacing.
Types Of Keto Sweeteners
Which sugar-free sweetener to use is largely a matter of preference. I like monk fruit, erythritol and allulose, or blends of them, the best, but they all have pros and cons. There are 3 main categories of keto friendly sweeteners:
You can also see a comparison chart of the best keto sweeteners here it includes monk fruit, allulose and erythritol.
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Why Is Brown Sugar Better Then White Sugar
Let’s see why consuming brown sugar is better than consuming white sugar. Without chemicals. White sugar goes through a chemical process that contains contaminants such as sulfur, while brown sugar is a mixture of brown palm sugar. Therefore, eating brown sugar instead of white sugar is good for your health.
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Acesulfame Potassium A Popular Sugar Substitute In Diet Soda
Also known as Ace-K, this nonnutritive sweetener is FDA-approved and about 200 times sweeter than sugar. Often manufacturers combine it with other sweeteners, though it is also sold for tabletop use under the brand name Sweet One. You will also find it in some of your favorite diet soft drinks, such as Coca-Cola Zero Sugar and Diet Mountain Dew. The FDA recommends an ADI of 15 mg or less of Ace-K per kilogram of body weight per day.
A 132-pound individual would need to consume 23 tabletop packets of the artificial sweetener per day to reach that limit.
Substituting Sweeteners: Sugar Alcohols
One of my personal favorite classes of sweeteners are sugar alcohols: xylitol and erythritol. While these sweeteners sound like something created in the lab, theyre actually derived from corn husks and/or the bark of birch trees.
That said, they must be highly processed to become the pretty crystal sugar-like substance that lands in your pantry. So, calling them a natural sweeteners is a bit far-fetched. . That said, the benefits of occasionally using them outweighs their drawbacks for my particular situation.
Unlike many sugar substitutes, xylitol and erythritol dont have a funky aftertaste. That said, they both can cause a cooling sensationthe feeling in your mouth you get when eating a peppermint. Youll find that erythritol presents a stronger cooling sensation than xylitol. Ill give you a tip for reducing or eliminating of this cooling sensation.
Both of these sugar substitutes melt in high heat and dont caramelize. For this reason your baked goods often dont have a nice chewy quality unless you balance them with the other ingredients appropriately.
Both xylitol and erythritol also have a tendency to absorb moisture and thus your recipes will dry out more quickly. This means 2 things:
Youll need to remove your food from the oven a bit early in order to maintain softness.
You should be sure to eat your treats soon after making them.
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Demerara Sugar And Turbinado Sugar
These two sugars are sometimes referred to interchangeably, and also called ‘raw sugar’. Here in the States, you are much more likely to find this sugar sold as ‘turbinado’. Over the pond in Britain, you are more likely to find ‘demerara’ sugar.
However, if you do happen to find both at a store you would notice that the demerara sugar is typically lighter in color with a golden blonde appearance. The taste of demerara is also a bit milder than turbinado sugar.
Both of these sugars are great alternatives to coconut sugar and can be used in the same amount as the coconut sugar called for in a recipe.
Your Best Bet: Maple Syrup
If your recipe requires maple sugar specifically, then you need to use something that can provide sweetness along with the notes of caramel and butter that maple provides. Nothing comes closer to the flavor of maple sugar than the maple syrup from which it is made. Maple syrup is the reduced sap of the maple tree and the process of making it into maple sugar involves reducing it until it crystallizes.
When using maple syrup in place of maple sugar, the fact that it is a liquid is the most important factor to keep in mind. You will need to reduce the quantities of other liquids in the recipe to compensate. Note that you will need to use roughly the same amount maple syrup as the amount of maple sugar that you are replacing.
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Vanilla Extract To Sweeten Coffee
You can also add vanilla extract to sweeten your coffee. It is the best option for all vanilla-flavor coffee lovers. Add a few nips of vanilla extract to your coffee that will give you ultimate flavor and taste. Although, it doesnt sweet as compared to sugar, it will give you an elegant taste with a sweet aroma. So, use the best vanilla coffee recipe as a natural sweetener.
Sweeten Coffee With Maple Syrup
Maple syrup is also a natural sugary sweetener like natural honey with lots of health benefits. It contains calcium, potassium, zinc, and manganese. These natural nutrients neutralize dangerous germ and free radicals and oxidative damage. Darker Grade B maple syrup is recommended because it contains more beneficial antioxidants than lighter maple syrup. Maple syrup in coffee is one of the best natural sweeteners for coffee.
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White Granulated Sugar And Molasses
No surprise, this is the closest you can get to store-bought brown sugar without actually having any. Brown sugar is up to 10 percent molasses by weight so these ratios will give your DIY version just the right amount of moisture, plus the caramel flavor your crave. Substitute 1 cup white sugar and 2 teaspoons molasses for every cup of light brown sugar the recipe calls for. If it calls for dark brown sugar, up the molasses to 1 tablespoon per cup of white sugar.
Healthy Ways To Sweeten Coffee
Coffee is the most common beverage to keep your mind fresh all day long. It takes care of your mind and health. Coffee contains antioxidants and other effective and useful nutrients which are very helpful to prevent weight gain and diabetes. But, the health benefits of coffee equal to zero if you add spoonful of sugar.
Although, it is obvious that sugar can sweeten your coffee but it is also sure that the mixing of sugar in your coffee isnt so sweet for your health. So, you may want to know what can you put in coffee instead of sugar? If you want to switch the sugar to some artificial or natural sweeteners, you can use honey or maple syrup. These sweeteners will help you to keep up the benefits of your coffee. These natural sweeteners are not so harmful to your health.
Here I am going to talk about 12 healthy ways to sweeten coffee without sugar. So, lets learn about how to make coffee taste good without sugar.
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Take note that for baking, you typically cant just substitute a sugar alternative one-to-one with no other changes. Youll need to adjust ratios of other ingredients to get the desired result youre looking for. Sugar alternatives will also impart a different flavor, so youll want to keep in mind whats most appropriate for what youre making.
Sweeten Coffee With Honey
You may have the question in your mind that Can I sweeten coffee with honey for health benefits? What is the healthiest sweetener for coffee. There is a tendency that people think honey can be used for tea and sugar for coffee. Trust me, if you mix honey in your coffee, it will taste delicious. These nutrients give the essential and important vitamins and minerals to keep your body strong and healthy.
So, because of its different nutritious options, you can substitute sugar with honey in your coffee.
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Low Carb Sweetener Consistency For Drinks Sauces And Frosting
One big difference between low carb sweeteners and sugar is their ability to dissolve. This is particularly true for granulated sugar-free sweeteners, like erythritol, xylitol, and blends of them. Besides, erythritol can crystallize, making the problem worse.
The most noticeable foods where granulated low carb sweeteners can be problematic are things that are supposed to be smooth drinks, sauces, frostings, and so on.
You have 2 choices when you need a smooth consistency:
Path To Improved Health
Sugar substitutes provide sweetness and enhance the flavor of food without adding the calories of sugar. Unlike sugar, they dont contribute to tooth decay. Most of them dont raise blood sugar levels. This may be helpful if you have diabetes and have to be careful about how much sugar you consume.
Sugar substitutes may also be helpful if youre trying to control the amount of calories you consume. They are found in most of the light, reduced calorie, and sugar-free foods and drinks available today. Although sugar substitutes have fewer calories than sugar, its best to limit them and focus on healthy food choices. Fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and whole grains are the best sources of nutrition for your body.
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Replacing Table Sugar With Honey
Honey is fabulous. I could just eat delicious raw honey by the spoonful, but that probably wouldnt help me out too much.
When it comes to baking with honey, youll want to decrease the amount you use because its actually sweeter than sugar. For every 1 cup of sugar youll want to use 3/4 cup of honey.
Youll also note that you cant cream honey, so it will often result in denser baked goods that dont rise as well as those made with sugar. You can use 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda to help offset this issue and give your baked goods some better height.
Honey will also impart a distinct flavor to your baked goods. There are several varieties of honey, some stronger than other. Take that into consideration when thinking about what youre making and if the honey flavor will enhance or detract. I love honey in my sons favorite grain-free banana cake with peanut butter frosting recipe.
Frosting Icing & Toppings
Mmmm, frosting Who doesn’t remember the good ole days when you were barely taller than the kitchen counter as you watched your mom whip frosting in a bowl? You knew that if you stared at her long enough and exercised enough patience, she would let you lick the whisk, the bowl, and anything else that had frosting on it the spatula, the spoon, the countertops where globs had plopped down as she mixed ingredients Our mouths are watering just thinking about it!
Whether you call it frosting, icing, or simply “topping”, the best part about the list of ingredients is that it’s short, simple, and all-natural. Most frosting recipes call for powdered sugar, softened butter, vanilla extract, and milk.
You’re a quick study, so we’re willing to bet that as you read this, you’re already anticipating the texture and consistency issues that could arise if you use stevia instead of sugar without adding additional ingredients to compensate. Not this time, baby!
Well, there you have it! We invite you to embark on your baking-with-stevia journey by trying out these tips on your cookies, cakes, and frostings using Sweetly Stevia’s granulated stevia products. If you’d like to stay up to date with the latest stevia recipes, then be sure to click the subscribe button to follow our blog! We are always posting new articles and recipes every week! You can also visit the Recipe tab of our website if you would like to see a list of recipes’-past! Happy baking!
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Are Sugar Alternatives Really A Healthier Option
Whether or not sugar substitutes are a healthier choice for you depends on which type of sweetener you use, how much you use, and why you use it.
Artificial sweeteners. These synthetic sugar substitutes are intense sweeteners, so you only need a little bit to enhance flavors in food. They add no calories and may help with weight control, although the benefits of artificial sweeteners on weight loss in the long term are still unclear. Artificial sweeteners may be beneficial for those with diabetes since they dont raise blood sugar. However, its important to consult with your doctor before using a sugar substitute if you have diabetes.
Some people have concerns about the safety of artificial sweeteners. However, all artificial sweeteners must be reviewed and cleared by the Food and Drug Administration . The FDA also provides consumption guidelines that outline the maximum quantity of artificial sweeteners you can safely have each day.
Sugar alcohols. Unlike sugar, sugar alcohols dont cause tooth decay or cavities. Sugar alcohols also can help with weight control and diabetes management. This is because the body doesnt completely absorb sugar alcohols. However, when consumed excessively, sugar alcohols can lead to digestive problems, such as diarrhea and bloating.
Coconut Sugar A Healthy Sugar Alternative Or A Big Fat Lie
The harmful effects of added sugar are becoming increasingly more evident.
As a result, people are turning to natural alternatives.
A sweetener that has become very popular in the past few years is coconut sugar.
This sugar is derived from the coconut palm tree and touted as being more nutritious and lower on the glycemic index than sugar.
This article separates the facts from the fiction to determine if coconut sugar is really a healthy sugar alternative.
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Coffee With Almond Milk
Research shows that Almond milk contains more calcium than cows milk with less dietary fat. Almond milk varieties, like vanilla almond milk and honey-sweetened almond milk can add more flavor than regular cows milk. The nutty flavor of the milk gives you a natural flavor.
If you dislike almond milk, you can try Peanut milk, banana milk, and pea milk.
How To Make Caster Sugar
Whether you have run out of caster sugar or you feel like trying something new, you can make this kind of sugar at home. You will need regular granulated sugar, and a food processor, or a coffee grinder.
You can get a cup of granulated sugar and pass it through the food processor until you have a very fine powder.
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Healthy Sugar Alternatives: How To Choose The Right Sugar Replacement For You
It may be difficult to sort through all the sugar alternatives on the market to decide which one is right for you. Here are a couple of things to consider:
Understand the four categories of sugar alternatives. There are four common types of sugar substitutes: artificial sweeteners, sugar alcohols, novel sweeteners, and natural sweeteners. Each has potential benefits and negatives depending on your goals.
Think about why you want to cut down on sugar. If you have diabetes, for instance, artificial sweeteners or sugar alcohols, like xylitol, may be a better choice when consumed in moderation. Natural sweeteners, like honey, can still raise blood sugar. Always consult with a doctor or dietitian if youre not sure of your best option.