7 natural sweeteners to replace sugar
Want to reduce sugar intake or even go to natural sweetener, but don’t know which to choose? Experts the Challenger has prepared a guide to the most popular natural sweeteners and explained the pros and cons of each.
“Give up sweets!”, “Don’t let the white death to destroy you!” to do with these horrible slogans, after the news that sugar — not the most useful product in the diet of modern man, is no surprise.
Natural sweeteners — a perfect choice for anyone who consciously wants to eliminate refined sugar from your life, but not ready to completely abandon the sweet taste of drinks and dishes. Below we have gathered seven of the most popular sugar substitutes, which today offers the market a healthy diet.
1. Maple syrup
Cult sweetener derived from the condensed SAP of sugar maple trees, a vegetable symbol of Canada.
Pros: very tasty and fragrant, is ideal for pancakes, waffles and other desserts. Rich in manganese, zinc and antioxidants, retains its nutritional value even when heated.
Cons: the maple syrup is not cheap, it is quite often counterfeited and stained. Average calorie (260 calories).
2. Agave nectar
Another “Hello” from the Western half of the world — Golden agave nectar. It is produced from the SAP of the blue agave, used to make another “funny” liquid — tequila.
Pros: good soluble in water, sweeter than sugar in half, is spent more economically palatable, has a low glycemic index. For agave nectar Western foodblogger came up with a bunch of recipes, so there are always ideas about how best to use it.
Cons: high price. Contains 75-90% fructose, which is not very good for the metabolism. Not all doctors are allowed to diabetics.
3. Jerusalem artichoke syrup
Golden sweet syrup, which is obtained from tubers of Jerusalem artichoke.
Pros: gentle caramel taste, easy to add to drinks and desserts, like children and adults. Has a low glycemic index suitable for diabetics. Contains inulin — a natural prebiotic, stimulating the growth of “friendly” intestinal microflora.
Cons: quite expensive if you go to it. The average calorie — 267 calories, though less than regular sugar.
4. Stevia
All-natural sweetener. The sweetener stevia is made from a South American plant known in our country under the name “honey grass”. Dried herb sweeter than sugar or 10 times, and the extract (stevioside), obtained from the juice — as much as 200-250 times.
Pros: zero calories and glycemic index, suitable for diabetics, lowers blood pressure, strengthens the nerves. Suitable for baking and beverages, is consumed sparingly.
Cons: easy “grassy” taste that can just do not “fit” in with your tastes. If you choose a more affordable option in the form of dried herb, you will need to brew. The sweetener stevia is not a source of energy.
5. Coconut sugar
Rich in minerals crystallized sugar that is produced from the flower nectar of the coconut palm (Yes, it still blooms!).
Pros: contains little fructose and high in potassium, zinc, calcium and vitamin C. a Glycemic index less than that of cane sugar and honey, suitable for diabetic food. An ideal sweetener for porridge or morning cereal.
Cons: need to be very careful at the time of purchase, as some manufacturers in order to save can “dilute” it with cheaper cane. Calories and carbohydrates is identical to white sugar. It may seem not enough for sweet drinks.
6. Grape sugar
Thick clear syrup with no taste, extracted from condensed and filtered grape juice.
Pros: mildly sweet, easy to use, does not change the color and flavor of the dishes. Manufactured without heat treatment. Suitable for baby food.
Cons: consists mostly of glucose, therefore, is contraindicated in patients with diabetes. Calorie is approximately equal to ordinary sugar. Gives so sweet a taste that is expected from it — you have to increase the amount of syrup, thus increasing the calories.
7. Xylitol
The sweetener, which is a complicated way to stand out from the hardwoods, cotton husk and corn.
Pros: does not raise blood sugar (suitable for diabetes), not harmful to teeth, calorie is approximately equal to white sugar.
Cons: can cause stomach upset. In the manufacture of corn there is the risk of using GMO raw materials. Is not completely natural sweetener, as the initial product is a multi-stage processing.
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