5 Healthy Alternatives to Refined Sugar

Know the other sweeteners that are low in calories and healthier than refined sugar

Use these sweeteners instead of sugar for healthy and long life.

(Image: iStock)

The moment we want to add sweetness to our food or beverages, we think of refined sugar and don't even take a second to think how unhealthy it might be. According to research, most people consume sugar in the form of refined sweeteners like white sugar and high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). These sweeteners are also used in beverages, cereals, sweet snacks, and desserts.

Although sweets taste delicious but the added sugar takes a toll on your health. Added sugar is strongly linked to health conditions like heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and fatty liver disease. It is fine to have refined sugar once in blue moon but if you want to have sweet things regularly, replace refined sweeteners like white sugar and HFCS with other sweeteners that we will mention below.

1. Stevia

Stevia is a natural sweetener that is derived from the leaves of the South American shrub and its scientific name is Stevia rebaudiana.

The plant-based sweetener can be extracted from one of two compounds called glycosides — stevioside and rebaudioside A. This sweetener has o calories and is 450 times more sweeter than sugar though it may taste slightly different than sugar.

Research indicates that replacing sugar with stevia is a good decision since it may help prevent weight gain and reduce blood sugar levels thus protecting you from other chronic health conditions.

2. Monk Fruit Extract

Monk fruit extract is derived from the Siraitia grosvenorii plant, which is commonly found in China. Even this option is 300 times more sweeter than table sugar with nearly no calories. This compound gets its sweetness comes from compounds called mogrosides, primarily mogroside V.

Since monk fruit doesn’t have any calories, it doesn't affect the blood sugar levels and helps in weight loss and improve blood sugar levels if replaced with regular sugar.

Make sure to read labels before you buy this option since it may be mixed with other sweeteners as well.

3. Dates

We all have heard and eaten dates. It is one of the common dried fruits that are consumed by people and obtained from date palm tree. These are sweet, chewy fruits and can be an excellent alternative to refined sugar with several health benefits.

Unlike refined sugar, dates are a good source of nutrients like fiber, potassium, magnesium, manganese, vitamin B6, and carotenoid and polyphenol antioxidants. Dates are sweet and thus it can easily replace sugar in recipes for energy bars, cakes, smoothies, and cookies.

Dates are high in calories and natural sugars but do not affect blood sugar levels like table sugar.

4. Honey

Honey is a common replacement for refined sugar. It is a thick, golden liquid produced by honeybees that has trace amounts of vitamins and minerals that provide anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits.

The types of plant compounds in honey depend on the type of bee that produced the honey and the type of flower the bee was feeding on.

Honey compounds like honey polyphenols help modulate inflammation in your body and honey also has slightly lower glycemic index (GI) than table sugar that makes it better option than table sugar.

5. Maple Syrup 

Maple syrup is a thick, sugary liquid that’s made by cooking the sap of maple trees and it is rich in nutrients and minerals like calcium, potassium, iron, zinc, and manganese. It is also rich in phenolic compounds like lignans and coumarins that have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

Though maple syrup has some beneficial nutrients and antioxidants, it is still very high in calories and has slightly lower GI than regular sugar thus it should be used in moderation.