The holy grail in the world of sweeteners is one that is low calorie and also natural and unprocessed. Although there is no perfect sweetener, there are healthier alternatives to refined table sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and artificial sweeteners.
Stevia, a Sweet Calorie-Free Herb
Stevia is a sweet, virtually calorie-free herb that grows naturally in South America where native peoples have used it for hundreds of years. It can be purchased in granular sugar substitute form (much like popular artificial sweeteners like Equal and Splenda) or in liquid droplet form.
Stevia’s use has expanded worldwide. It has been used since 1970 in Japan, and since has become one of the most popular sweeteners there. Stevia has obtained generally recognized as safe (GRAS) status in the U.S. as a sweetener and has been safely administered in research studies in doses of up to 1500 mg per day for two years. Still, some people have reported symptoms like nausea, dizziness, and muscle pain when using stevia.
The fact that the herb grows naturally is comforting to some who don’t like the idea of artificially manufactured substances like aspartame (Equal) and sucralose (Splenda) entering their bodies. It would seem that a substance that grows naturally, has a sweet taste, and has virtually no calories, may be a better sugar substitute than some of the artificial sweeteners on the market.
Naturally Ocurring and Tasty Xylitol
Xylitol is a naturally occurring substance found in most fruits and vegetables. It is widely used in sugar-free gum, mints, and other sugar-free products. But it can be purchased in granular sugar substitute form for baking and various sweetening purposes. There have been over 1500 published studies that attest to xylitol’s safety and health benefits. Unlike processed sugar, xylitol actually helps prevent cavities, has few calories, and is absorbed slowly into the body, regulating insulin levels.
A drawback to the product is that it can cause diarrhea in some individuals when taken in larger doses. The body can usually adjust to xylitol, however, until such adverse affects subside. Caution should be taken when xylitol is around pets. It is deadly to dogs, so xylitol users should keep it in a safe place.
Is Honey Better than Sugar?
Honey is a natural substance that can be used as a sugar substitute. Although it is natural, most types of honey are over-processed to the point of removing healthy enzymes and phytonutrients (plant compounds with health-protecting qualities). Honey also promotes tooth decay and has a higher caloric content than table sugar. For these reasons, honey should be used sparingly.
However, if the choice is between honey and table sugar, honey wins every time. It has anti-fungal and anti-bacterial qualities that can help reduce sore throats and coughs. (It has even been shown to quicken healing when applied to cuts and scrapes). When compared to table sugar, honey has been shown to cause a lower rise in blood sugar.
The best kind of honey to purchase is raw organic honey from natural food markets or local farmers markets. These honeys are unprocessed and probably have a thicker and less transparent appearance. These visual differences from the honey bear found at the supermarket are signals that the healthier aspects of the honey have not been stripped away.
Sugar Free, Low Calorie Cinnamon
Cinnamon can increase the sweetness of baked goods, reducing the need for refined sugar. Cinnamon is naturally occurring, tastes great, and has numerous health benefits. Its caloric content is six calories per teaspoon compared to table sugar’s 15 calories per teaspoon. Cinnamon regulates blood sugar by slowing how fast the stomach empties of food after eating. So by adding cinnamon to high carbohydrate foods one can actually reduce the food’s ability to cause blood sugar spikes. All in all cinnamon can be one of the healthiest sugar substitutes.
With more awareness on the possible adverse affects of processed sugar and artificial sweeteners, these substitutes are great to have handy for various sweetening needs.
Sources:
WHFoods.com, “Cinnamon” (accessed June 5, 2010)
WHFoods.com, “Honey” (accessed June 5, 2010)
FatSecret.com, “Cinnamon” (accessed June 5, 2010)
Stevia.com, “Questions and Answers about Stevia” (accessed June 4, 2010)
WebMD.com, “Honey” (accessed June 4, 2010)
WebMD.com, “Xylitol” (accessed June 5, 2010)
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