HEALTHY SUGAR ALTERNATIVES
Sugar is thought to have severely contributed to a variety of medical epidemics that affect us today: including obesity, tooth decay and liver damage. Of course a good way to combat this is to reduce the amount of sugar we eat. But we understand, it is hard to wean yourself off sugar.
In fact, people on a high-sugar diet often find out that they find kicking their sugar addictions as hard as smokers find giving up smoking. Recognising that you have a problem and implementing changes can have a big impact on your health. It is never too late to start. We have a great range of sugar alternatives that are better for you and natural. Take a look at our top seven favourite alternatives!
- Made from the natural sap of the coconut palm flower. It is normally harvested and air dried.
- It maintains many of the nutrients found in the coconut flower.
- It has a rich, caramel flavour and makes a great alternative to brown sugar!
- It is has a low-GI. This means that it releases energy more slowly into the body, resulting in less of a “sugar rush” and helping to keep the appetite under control.
- Honey is naturally sweeter than sugar, meaning you need to use less!
- Manuka and other honeys are known to possess antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.
- We love using honey with lemon and ginger to make a cold-busting drink!
- So versatile: add to sauces, dressings or smoothies. You can also drizzle over desserts and onto bread. Alternatively you can add honey to bakes and cakes, it adds both sweetness and moisture.
- Maple syrup is made from sap from the Maple tree.
- Unlike sugar, maple syrup contains essential minerals and nutrients.
- It is very sweet, meaning you do not need as much to sweeten food.
- It contains antioxidants!
- Maple syrup also has limited processing, meaning you consume a more natural product.
- Dates are a great way to naturally sweeten your food.
- We recommend using medjool or sukkari dates, as they are plump and moist.
- Dates give a sweet caramel flavour to cakes, bakes and smoothies.
- They are also high in dietary fibre, vitamins and nutrients; as opposed to nutrient-poor cane sugar.
- Use dates to make raw food, like our raw mocha brownies (click here for the recipe)
- Apple puree is a great way to add both moisture and natural sweetness to your cakes and bakes.
- Fruit puree works best in sweetening fruit/veg based cakes such as carrot cake or fruit loaf.
- Apples are packed with important dietary fibre, which is essential for a healthy digestive system.
- Puree not only sweetens, but introduces the full flavour and aroma of apples!
- Apple puree has substantially less calories than sugar.
- Xylitol, like coconut sugar, is has a low GI rating. This means it has little effect on insulin or blood sugar, making it a great choice for diabetics!
- It has a similar sweetness level to sugar, which means you can use it like for like.
- It has 75% less available carbohydrates than sugar!
- Xylitol occurs naturally. It can be extracted from fruits, vegetables, plants and trees.
- You may have originally heard of xylitol through the dentist or in dental products. This is because xylitol naturally protects the teeth by fighting cavities.
- Stevia has zero calories!
- We stock stevia in powder, granules and drop forms!
- Stevia is far sweeter than sugar, meaning you use less. For example 2 tablespoons of SweetLeaf stevia = 1 cup of sugar.
- Rated zero on the Glycemic Index. It also contains no carbohydrates!
- Stevia is a great way to add sweetness to your dishes, without the sugar.
Sugar, Sweeteners, Syrups & Honey
Be sure to check out our full range of sugar alternatives!