Have a Sweet Tooth? Try These Natural Sugar Alternatives

Are you trying to cut back on the sugar in your diet?

Refined sugar is added to many of the things that we eat, from sweetened beverages to most processed foods, so it can be a challenge to avoid it. However, consuming too much sugar can negatively impact your health and cause problems such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.

So what are the best ways to cut back on your sugar intake? By using natural sugar alternatives you can still enjoy sweets without the same bad effects that come from processed sugars. Keep reading our page to learn about some of the natural and healthy sugar alternatives for you to try.

Fruit

Using certain types of fruit as alternatives for sugar is a healthier way to satisfy a craving for sweets. Fruits like bananas, dates, and figs are especially popular for incorporating into dishes and smoothies.

Whether you use fresh or frozen produce, you’ll still get the added bonus of healthy nutrients and fiber too.

Stevia

Stevia is a low-calorie sweetener that’s extracted from a plant called Stevia rebaudiana. This sweetener is popular because it’s got a low-calorie content and is even sweeter than regular sugar, making it ideal for people with diabetes too.

One of the downsides to stevia is that it can leave an aftertaste, so many people use another alternative to put in their coffee or tea.

Erythritol

Erythritol is a sugar alcohol, which means it tastes just like sugar, but it has fewer calories. Despite the name, this alternative to sugar doesn’t contain any ethanol, so you don’t need to worry about getting intoxicated from it.

While erythritol is healthier than sugar, it doesn’t digest completely. Consuming too much of this, or any sugar alcohol can cause gastrointestinal issues like bloating and diarrhea.

Agave Syrup

Agave syrup is a natural sweetener, which means that it offers more nutrients than processed sugars but it’s still high in calories. This sweetener is more concentrated than sugar, so if you’re using it as a replacement, you won’t need as much.

Agave also contains less glucose than refined sugar, so the body’s bloodstream absorbs it slower and it’s less likely to cause an insulin spike.

Raw Honey

Raw honey is another natural sweetener, similar to agave nectar. Honey is sweeter than table sugar and has more of a nutritional value due to its antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.

Despite these benefits, too much honey can still cause health concerns because it’s also high in calorie content. It’s important to note that honey should never be given to babies under 1 year old due to the risk of botulism.

Using Natural Sugar Alternatives for Your Health

No matter your reason for trying to cut back on sugar, there are plenty of natural sugar alternatives for you to try instead. Some natural sweeteners may be better for your lifestyle than others, so it’s important to do your research.

Hopefully, our article gave you some healthier sweetener options to use in place of processed sugar. If you found this article helpful, then don’t forget to take a look at some of our other health and lifestyle content!