If you want to lose weight or enjoy a healthy lifestyle, you must let go of sugar. When you eat sugar, it can lead to chronic inflammation in your body. As a result, you may face heart diseases, skin issues, and other energy imbalance issues. Now, the problem is that you can’t easily kick the sugar habit because it is an addictive substance. When you eat more sugar, you will crave it more. If you can’t leave your sugar habits, you should look for sugar alternatives. Here, we will provide a complete guide on the use of sugar alternatives.
Honey:
Honey is the thick and sweet syrup that we get from the bees. It is one of the best sugar alternatives. The bees collect nectar from the flowers to make honey. The flavour and the colour of honey depend upon the nectar of these flowers. We can use it as a sweetener for tea, yoghurt, and other things. We can also use honey to create caramelization during the baking process.
It has antioxidant properties, and these properties prevent staling. The sugar content in the honey is almost 80%. That’s why it is considered one of the sweetest sugar alternatives. These sweetening properties of honey come from fructose and glucose. If you want to use it as a substitute for table sugar, you will have to use its two-third cup instead of one cup of table sugar.
Stevia:
We can get this sugar alternative from the Stevia plant. The glycemic index of Stevia is almost zero, and it doesn’t contain fructose. According to Slayton, it is far more sweetened than table sugar. That’s why you should be very careful while using it. Only a little amount of Stevia is enough to create sweetening impacts in your tea or smoothie.
Some people may find its taste odd, and they can use different liquid formulations of Stevia. We can easily use it in our favourite foods. When we use it in coffees and smoothies, it will give an extra sweetening taste. In most cases, we are using Stevia leaves to create taste.
Maple Syrup:
We can drive this natural sweetener from the maple leaves. After driving this natural sweetener from the maple leaves, we can easily use it as a sugar alternative. Anyhow, based on the processing levels, it is found in different grades. It also has some vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, along with sweetening impacts. We can use maple syrup in different recipes.
For example, we can use it for baking different things. We can also use it as a topping for breakfast foods. You can easily buy maple syrup from the market. While buying maple syrup from the market, you should demand its pure form. Its reason is that its various forms are available in the market. In most of the forms, they have included artificial sugars.
Coconut Sugar:
We are using coconut sugar as a sugar alternative in bakery items. We can get a coconut from the palm tree. As it is a plant-based sweetener, it is healthier than table sugar. It has enough amounts of some essential minerals like iron and zinc. Coconut sugar also has essential fiber inulin.
This essential fiber can slow down the digestion process. It can also prevent your body from blood sugar spikes. The glycemic index of coconut sugar is also lower than regular sugar. To create sweetening impacts in your foods, you can use it the same way as you will use table sugar.
Agave Nectar:
According to a dissertation help firm, this natural sweetener provides more nutrients than regular sugar and is a better sugar alternative. Due to its flavour, you don’t need to use enough amounts in the foods. Anyhow, it is high in calories, and it contains enough fructose.
Therefore, it can become the cause of weight gain. If you have diabetes, it is not the best choice for you. Due to its higher shelf life, we can also use it as a sugar alternative for cooking. It is available in liquid form. That’s why you will have to make some changes to your recipes.
Monk Fruit Extracts:
If you are trying to restrict calories, it is one of the healthier sugar alternatives. It is almost 300 times more sweetener than regular sugar. That’s why you will have to use its little amount. According to FDA, it is a zero-sugar and zero-calorie sweetener.
When you consume it, you will never face any side effects. Anyhow, at the commercial scale, its processed form is available. Therefore, before buying this sweetener, you must check its label. You can easily use it for cooking and baking processes. You can also use this natural sweetener to create alternations in your recipes.
Date Paste:
If you are looking for the best sugar alternatives to add nutritional value to your diet, date paste is the best choice. Its reason is that dates are the best sources of fibre, minerals, and vitamins, and you don’t need to buy date paste from the market. You can easily make it to your home.
To make the date paste, you will have to use pitted dates, water, and vanilla extract in the blender. After making the date paste, you can easily use it in smoothies, sauces, etc. While using date paste in different recipes, you should know that it is sweeter than regular sugar. Therefore, you will have to use less amount of the date paste.
Sucralose:
It is an artificial sweetener that you can use as a sugar alternative. Sucralose is a zero-calorie artificial sweetener 600 times sweeter than table sugar. FDA has studied the nutritional value of this sweetener. According to the FDA, it is a safe option if you are trying to restrict calories and eating sugar. Diabetes patients and pregnant women can also use it. According to FDA, it is also a safe sweetener for breastfeeding women. You can find a wide range of sucralose products. You can use these products for various purposes like cooking and baking etc.
Conclusion:
Restricting your sugar intake can be very difficult, and the urge to fall back is present. But you can use the sugar alternative mentioned earlier to help with your sugar craving. It is imperative for a healthy and long life that you switch to healthier sugar substitutes.
