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Adding sweetness to food and drinks is essential to relish the mouthwatering taste of the food. It’s worth noting why it’s good to opt for sweeteners, including maple syrup, stevia, and dates. sweets taste delicious, but what you shouldn’t forget is that eating too much-added sugar spoils health, leading to medical conditions like diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and fatty liver disease.
Alternatives to refined sugar are as follows:
1. Stevia
Stevia, a natural sweetener derived from the leaves of the South American shrub Stevia rebaudiana, serves as a plant-based sweetener extracted from one of two compounds, glycosides — stevioside and rebaudioside A that don’t contain any calories, up to 450 times sweeter than sugar, tasting slightly different than sugar. Replacing sugar with stevia prevents weight gain and reduces blood sugar levels. Stevia, considered generally safe, may harm your gut microbiome.
2. Sugar alcohol
Sugar alcohols, referred to as polyols, serve as a type of carbohydrate in fruits and vegetables. These sugar alternatives include erythritol, xylitol, and maltitol. Erythritol with 0.2 calories per gram, and xylitol provides 2.4 calories per gram. Sugar alcohol is safe, causing digestive upset when eaten in large amounts. Sorbitol, however, triggers laxative effects in 20–50 grams dose; erythritol causes stomach upset when you eat 455 mg per pound (1,000 mg per kg) of body weight.
3. Monk Fruit Sweetener
Monk fruit extract obtained from the Siraitia grosvenorii plant is native to China. Monk fruit is about 300 times sweeter than table sugar. Compounds called mogrosides, primarily mogroside V, don’t affect blood sugar levels but promote weight loss and improve blood sugar levels.
4. Allulose
Allulose, referred to as D-allulose, has monosaccharides (or sugar) existing naturally in certain fruits. Allulose mimics the taste of regular sugar and is beneficial for reducing blood sugar and insulin levels. However, large doses lead to symptoms like bloating, diarrhea, and abdominal pain.
5. Applesauce
Sugar with applesauce reduces your refined sugar intake. There will be a reduced risk of chronic disease.
6. Yacon syrup
Yacon syrup extracted from the yacon plant tastes sweet, dark color, and thick consistency. Rich in fructooligosaccharides, yacon syrup contains one-third of the calories of regular sugar.
7. Honey
Honey contains trace amounts of vitamins and minerals and has an abundance of plant compounds providing anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits. Honey polyphenols modulate inflammation. Honey, with a slightly lower glycemic index (GI) than table sugar, is healthier than refined sugar.
8. Maple Syrup
Maple syrup, a thick, sugary liquid, contains a small number of minerals, including potassium, iron, zinc, calcium, and manganese. Rich in phenolic compounds, lignans, and coumarins, Maple syrup has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Beneficial nutrients and antioxidants, maple syrup, have a slightly lower GI than regular sugar.
9. Molasses
Molasses, a sweet, syrup-like material, is obtained from boiling sugar cane or sugar beet juice. Vitamins and minerals, as well as antioxidants, minerals iron, potassium, and calcium; molasses are a fine replacement for refined sugar.
Final Say
High-sugar diets are responsible for the increased risk of disease, and so it is of utmost necessity to go with replacing refined sugar with sweeteners on this list.
