Are you struggling with that incorrigible sweet tooth of yours or are you trying to quit sugar for weight loss reasons or simply to embrace a healthy option? The good news is there are healthy white sugar alternatives in the market and all of the ones listed here are easily available and affordable for everyone!
In the USA, a majority of people consumes too much sugar mostly as refined sugar like high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) and white sugar. They are subsequently added to make food, cereals, snacks, etc.
Though sweets make food and drinks taste delicious, consuming too much of sugar will take a toll on your overall health. For instance, too much of added sugar leads to medical conditions like fatty liver, diabetes, and heart disease
Embrace these 5 best healthy white sugar alternatives for improved health.
1. Stevia
Stevia is sourced from the leaves of a shrub predominantly found in South America called stevia rebaudiana and is a natural sweetener. It is extracted from glycosides that is one of the two main compounds stevioside and rebaudioside A of the plant.
They do not have any calories, tastes different from sugar, and is 450 times sweeter than sugar. Both human and animal research reveals that replacing sugar with stevia helps in the prevention of weight gain and helps in the reduction of blood sugar levels in the body.
2. Dates
Dates are the dried fruits that you find on the date palm trees. They are chewy and sweet and are one of the best alternatives to refined sugar. Besides being a natural sweetener, dates are a rich source of nutrients with manganese, potassium, magnesium, polyphenol antioxidants, vitamin B6 and carotenoid.
Thanks to their sweetness, you can use them for cakes, cookies, energy bars, homemade shakes, and more. Some people generally blend dates to make them a thick paste so they can be used in food and shakes in place of refined sugar.
They are loaded with calories and natural sugars however studies demonstrate they do not affect blood sugar levels significantly unlike table sugar, not even in people with diabetes.
3. Apple sauce and other fruit purées
You can replace refined sugar with applesauce and other fruit purées like that from bananas for cakes, muffins, cookies, and breads.
Fruits offer you a wide range of health benefits however, when you are buying applesauce from the market, read its label carefully. It should not contain no added sugar and should be unsweetened in nature.
4. Honey
Honey is made from bees and it is a thick, sweet, and golden liquid. It has traces of minerals and vitamins beneficial for your health. However, the compounds present in the honey you consume depends on the type of bee that has made it. Certain compounds present in honey, for instance, polyphenols can help in reducing body inflammation and it has a glycemic index lower than table sugar.
5. Maple syrup
Maple is syrup is made from the sap derived from the maple tree. It is a sugary and thick liquid with small traces of iron, calcium, zinc, manganese, and potassium.
It is rich in beneficial nutrients to the body like lignans and couramins that are phenolic compounds and have anti-inflammatory and are antioxidants. Though, rich in natural sugar and calories, however, it has a lower glycemic index than table sugar. Remember, always use it in moderation.
Good health starts with tiny lifestyle changes and switching to a healthier alternative to refined sugar can really help you extensively in becoming more energetic, fitter, happier, and free from life threatening diseases too!
