Many people have a weakness and cravings for all things sugary. It becomes difficult to avoid all types of sugar, especially if they are restricted from taking it. This is due to the fact that almost everything you consume has some sugar in it, from processed foods to sweetened drinks.
The good news is that you can choose from multiple sweeteners and substitutes of sugar which help you to bring down the amount of sugar in your regular diet. The senior population especially needs to avoid sugar, as excessive consumption can cause heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity.
How Your Health is Affected By Sugar Intake
The main function of sugar is to enhance the flavor of your food by sweetening and preserving it. This is why most people get addicted to sugary foods and can’t resist them. However, your health can improve significantly if you reduce the amount of sugar you consume. Sugar directly causes obesity in some people, which in turn brings about a host of other health complications. It can also directly cause issues such as malnutrition, tooth cavities or decay, type 2 diabetes, high levels of triglyceride, and weight gain.
Sugar Substitutes
There are quite a few sugar alternatives available in the market, so it’s not uncommon to get confused picking the right one for you. You can go through a few factors while choosing, but first, know that four categories of alternatives are available. These are:
- Natural sweeteners
- Sugar alcohols
- Novel sweeteners
- Artificial sweeteners
Why Cut Down on Sugar
How much you cut down on sugar will depend on your reasons for cutting back. For instance, if you are a diabetic, you can benefit if you replace sugar with sugar alcohols or artificial sweeteners, just be sure to consume them in moderation. Be aware that using honey to replace sugar can still raise your blood sugar, so be sure to consult with your dietician to know which option is best suited for you.
Are Sugar Alternatives the Best Option for You?
Before choosing a sugar substitute because, you need to first determine whether you need them, the amount you need, and what type of sweetener is best.
Artificial Sweeteners
You only need to use a few artificial sweeteners to sweeten up your food as they are intense. You will not gain weight by using artificial sweeteners as they don’t add any calories to your system. They also don’t raise blood sugar levels, hence they are a good choice for people with diabetes. But do consult with a doctor before substituting sugar with artificial sweeteners if you are a diabetic patient.
Sugar Alcohols
Sugar alcohols will help control your weight and manage your diabetes. It also won’t cause tooth decay like sugar does. The main reason for this is that your body does not absorb sugar alcohols completely, but you have to watch how much you consume as too much can lead to problems with digestion.
Natural Sweeteners
Most people prefer the taste of natural sweeteners over table sugar taste. But the fact is that natural sweeteners often go through refining and processing as well. They are also high in calories and hence can cause health problems such as malnutrition, tooth decay, and weight gain. You will face these issues if you consume natural sweeteners excessively, so try to be moderate.
Novel Sweetener
Novel sweeteners are a bit difficult to categorize as they are mostly derived from highly refined natural sources. These sweeteners, such as some of the best monkfruit sweetener, may have health benefits such as controlling your diabetes, lowering your blood sugar, and helping to manage your weight.
The Top Sugar Sweeteners and Substitutes
We have listed a few common sugar substitutes and how you can get them incorporated into your daily diet.
Acesulfame Potassium
Acesulfame Potassium is an artificial sweetener that doesn’t cause tooth decay or blood sugar to rise or add any calories. It is heat stable, which means that you can use it when you are cooking or baking, as well as add it to the food at the table. It is almost 200 times sweeter than sugar so be sure to modify your recipe when you use it to cook other food. It can also be used to prepare beverages, common desserts, and candies.
Honey
This natural sweetener contains antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, making it more nutritious than table sugar. You can digest honey easier than table sugar but it does have the same count of calories that breaks down to fructose and glucose, posing the same health risks. Honey is more commonly used with salad dressings, marinades, baked goods, smoothies, and sauces. When cooking with honey, add less water as there already is water in honey and minimize the amount of honey accordingly as it is sweeter than sugar.
Maple Syrup
Maple syrup is a natural sweetener and rich in minerals such as potassium, zinc, iron, calcium, and manganese. But you need to consume maple syrup in moderation as it is high in calories. Apart from the popular waffles and pancakes, you can use maple syrup to add flavor to many savory dishes as well. You can add maple syrup to boost the taste of healthy breakfast options such as plain yogurt or oatmeal, as well as savory dishes such as salmon, chicken, or salad dressings.
Sucralose
Sucralose is a zero-calorie artificial sweetener that is known to be 600 times sweeter than sugar. People with diabetes, pregnant women, those looking to cut back on calories, or breastfeeding mothers can safely choose this as a sugar alternative as it has been approved by the FDA after wide tests were performed. You will find a wide range of sucralose products available in the market. This includes sugar-sucralose blends that are specifically prepared for baking. You can also use sucralose to add to foods and beverages at the table. You don’t need to use a lot of sucralose to enhance the flavor of your food, hence be careful while adding the amount.
Coconut Sugar
The best part about coconut sugar is that it is an unrefined natural sweetener that is able to retain all its minerals and vitamins while maintaining your blood sugar levels. The downside is, coconut sugar is high in fructose and carbohydrate, and it has the same amount of calories as table sugar, making it not the right choice for someone with diabetes. It is easy to use in the kitchen as you can directly replace brown or white sugar with it. It is better to grind coconut sugar in a blender first for a few moments as it is usually very coarse.
Date Paste
Dates are a natural sweetener that is rich in vitamins, fiber, and minerals. This is why you can add more nutritional value to your regular diet by using date paste to sweeten your food. You can also make date paste very easily at home to replace with sugar by blending cup of water, 1 cup of pitted, warm dates, and teaspoon of vanilla extract. Baked goods, marinades, smoothies, sauces, and salad dressings are commonly made sweeter using dates. Date paste is usually sweeter than sugar so use it in moderation when cooking.
Xylitol
Xylitol is a type of sugar alcohol that is 25% to 100% as sweet as sugar as it is a low-calorie sweetener. It can be a good option for patients with diabetes as it doesn’t increase blood sugar quickly and also does not cause tooth decay. You may, however, experience bloating or diarrhea as xylitol sometimes has a laxative effect if you consume it in fairly large amounts. You can find xylitol in chewing gum and other products that are commercially manufactured such as jellies, jams, frozen yogurt, sugar-free candies, and baked goods.
How You Can Consume Less Sugar
There are some simple steps that can help you to reduce the amount of sugar from your regular diet:
- Instead of choosing fruit juices and processed desserts, choose whole fruits. If you must choose fruit juice, make sure it consists of 100% of fruit.
- Instead of consuming yogurt that is sweetened with fruit in it, you should choose sugar-free preserves to sweeten your yogurt.
- When you are thirsty, avoid drinking drinks and sodas that contain sugar. Choose low-fat milk, water, or calorie-free beverages instead.
- Instead of adding table sugar or buying cereal that’s sweetened, add fruits to sweeten your cereal.
- Avoid candy as a snack and choose sugar-free hot chocolate, vegetables, low-fat cheese, whole-wheat crackers, or fruit instead.
Final Thoughts
People with diabetes need to avoid sugar from their diet and people who are looking to get fit also will choose to reduce sugar intake. We hope our tips help you to achieve the cut back on sugar with the help of these substitutes. So carve your way to healthy living by making healthier food choices.
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