Despite what you may have heard, you don’t need to avoid sugar completely. Your body needs it for energy. However, a ideal nutrition It consists of 12 teaspoons of added sugar, not exceeding 10% of the calories in an average intake of 2,000 calories.

This doesn’t mean your desserts have to be boring. Instead of eliminating sugar from your diet, you can focus on the types of sugar you consume.

Natural sugar substitutes are a great way to sweeten your favorite treats while boosting your health. These are our six best natural sugar substitutes worth trying. You might be surprised at how many you already have in your pantry.

For more diet tips, see why chia seed water what could be your next favorite drink and what foods you should eat protect your kidneys.

What are sugar substitutes?

Before moving on to sugar substitutes, it is important to clarify what sugar is. It’s not inherently bad for you. It is vital for your health. Your body converts carbohydrates into glucose, a type of sugar that is the primary source of energy to keep your body moving and your brain functioning. Despite what some popular diet fads advocate, without carbs and sugar, you may experience health problems and symptoms such as low energy, sleep problems, and loss of appetite. brain fog.

The aim should not be to avoid sugar, but to consume sugar. Right varieties from sugar. Much of today’s American diet consists of added sugars, processed and refined to add intense sweetness without too much substance. Ultra-refined white sugar and high fructose corn syrup are common ingredients in sodas, pastries, bread and condiments. These are quickly delivered to your bloodstream without adding any other nutritional value. Excessive consumption of these sugars can cause serious health problemsIncluding high blood pressure, diabetes and fatty liver disease.

You can find the amount of added sugar on the nutrition facts label and ingredients list of any food item. The higher added sugar is in the ingredients list, the more sugar is in the product. Added sugars go by many names, including brown sugar, corn sweeteners, corn syrup, dextrose, fructose, glucose, high fructose corn syrup, malt syrup, maltose and sucrose.

In contrast, natural sugars are unrefined or only lightly processed and occur naturally in many foods. fruitsFor example, they contain fructose but are also rich in fiber, providing a balanced combination of nutrients for your body. Honey And maple syrup It is naturally sweet but rich in minerals, vitamins and antioxidants.

There are also a variety of natural sweeteners and sugar substitutes you can add to foods and drinks that provide sweetness without the downsides of refined sugars. Examples of these alternative sugars include sugar alcohols such as sorbitol. artificial sweeteners such as natural sweeteners such as aspartame and stevia.

The best natural sugar substitutes

Here’s the good news: If you want to cut back on sugar, you still have plenty of options to keep things sweet. Below are six of the best natural sugar substitutes you can add to your diet instead of refined sugars.

Honey

Honey has long been appreciated not only for its natural sweetness but also for its nutritional value. Bees make this from plant nectar during the pollination process, and it contains a number of beneficial plant compounds and antioxidants.

Minimally processed raw and dark honeys are especially rich in flavonoids and phenolic acids. this offer many benefitsincluding positive effects on cardiovascular, gastrointestinal and respiratory health. It was even shown reduce seasonal allergies.

maple syrup

Another popular natural sweetener, maple syrup, has found its way onto many pancakes. If you’re cutting out sugar, you can skip the pancakes and opt for syrup. produced from sap from sugar maple trees.

This is because maple syrup contains antioxidants and minerals like honey. It is beneficial for your health. Many of the unique compounds found in maple syrup have been shown to help fight cancer and diabetes. maple syrup is darkerthe less refined it is, the more of these benefits it can provide.

stevia

If you don’t like the taste of maple syrup or honey but still want a way to sweeten drinks and recipes, stevia is a great natural sugar alternative to try. This sweetener is made from the Stevia plant and 200 to 400 times sweeter more than table sugar.

Stevia, a sugar substitute, is non-nutritious, meaning it contains almost no calories. It adds sweetness without needing much, and might be just what you’re looking for when cutting out sugar. Stevia also happened is associated with lowering blood sugar and cholesterol. Note that many stevia products on the market contain other processed ingredients or sugar alcohols; so it’s important to do your research before using them.

pureed fruits

If you’re looking for a more nutritionally balanced type of candy, it’s hard to beat raw fruit. Dietary fiber found in raw fruits aids digestion and slows down sugar metabolismIt reduces the blood sugar spikes you may see from fruit juice or sugar additives. Eating fiber-rich foods can also help you Reduce your total calorie intake and reduce your risk of heart disease.

Pureed fruits give you many of the same benefits, and they can also be used as a sweetener to other foods. For example, applesauce is used in place of eggs in many recipes, and pureed fruit is also a great addition to the dish. plain, unsweetened yogurt.

monk fruit

Monk fruit is another plant-based sugar alternative. It is derived from monk fruit, also known as luo han guo, a small round fruit commonly found in Southeast Asia. Although monk fruit itself contains fructose and glucose, these are actually removed in extraction This process creates a non-nutritive sweetener that is approximately 100 times sweeter than table sugar.

Since monk fruit is relatively new on the market, more research is needed to determine its full potential health benefits. Research on other non-nutritive sweeteners shows promising results. weight management And fend off diabetes. The naturally sweet mogrosides in monk fruit are also Contains antioxidantsIt may aid immune health and cancer prevention.

Fruit juice

Fruit juice is a natural sweetener that you can drink alone, add to other drinks or condiments, or even use in cooking. 100% fruit juice is a much better option than refined table sugar or high fructose corn syrup because the juice is natural and unprocessed. At the same time contains many vitamins and nutrients.