Sugar is sweet. It excites our taste buds and stimulates our minds. Unfortunately, sugar poses a potential health risk when taken regularly. Because of this, we are often advised to cut down our sugar intake or embrace a safer alternative like natural sweeteners.
Unlike refined sugar, natural sweeteners boast an array of health benefits. They control weight gain, blood sugar levels, boost your immunity, and improve your health.
If you’d like to try out these perfect sugar substitutes, you could start with the few mentioned below. Not only are they healthy, but they also have the potential to stimulate your buds while providing your body with the nutrients it needs to thrive.
1. Monk fruit sweeteners
Want to stimulate your buds with something sweet without compromising your health? Try this zero calorie sweetener. Monk fruit sweeteners come in several forms, such as liquid, powder, and granular. They contain zero calories and fat, making them ideal for diabetics and weight loss enthusiasts. Unlike refined sugar, the monk fruit sweetener has several health benefits. According to multiple studies, it effectively treats ailments like sore throat and stalling the growth of cancerous cells.
2. Sucralose
Sucralose is another perfect sugar alternative made from sucrose. Its taste is good—probably better than sugar—and it has several health benefits. Sucralose is about 600 times sweeter than sugar. Therefore, you only need a small amount to experience its sweet taste. Manufacturers include this sweetener in several products, including chewing gums and cakes. If you are struggling to lose weight, rather than consume sugar (which is detrimental to your ambition) you can consume sucralose instead.
3. Aspartame
Aspartame is a very common type of natural sweetener. Like a few of its companions, it is known to be 200 times sweeter than sugar, making it an ideal and healthy alternative to sugar. Manufacturers use aspartame for several food products, like diet soda. However, unlike sucralose, using this natural sweetener for baking purposes may backfire due to its ability to melt at high temperatures. If you are battling phenylketonuria, you might want to stay away from this particular one.
4. Saccharin
I bet we are all familiar with the common saccharin. However, if you aren’t, it’s probably because you often skipped biology classes. Saccharin—which is around 300-400 times sweeter than sugar—comes in several brands, including Sweet Twin, Sweet’N Low, and Necta Sweet. It contains zero-calorie, making it ideal for diabetics and weight loss enthusiasts.
Like other natural sweeteners, saccharin is used to produce a variety of foods, such as baked goods, jams, drinks, etc.
5. Yacon syrup
Yacon syrup is another common sweetener that boasts of some health benefits. This sugar alternative is derived from the daisy-like yacon plant, which is common in South America. Yacon syrup is popularly known for its weight loss features and its ability to quell constipation.
Furthermore, this natural sweetener is very high in antioxidants and consists of a certain soluble fiber that nourishes the good bacteria in your intestine.
Conclusion
Taking natural sweeteners is the perfect way to enhance your health and excite your taste buds. Unlike typical sugar, they boast of various benefits and are ideal for an individual with certain illnesses. As a precaution, ensure you consume these sugar substitutes moderately. Even if they are unrefined, abusing them could lead to severe health issues.
