The alternatives to sugar come in handy when you want to reduce the calorie intake, counteract the negative effects of glucose spikes and, more generally, make a step towards healthier eating habits. White sugar is a source of empty calories, and there is an abundance of alternatives so that anyone can find one that suits their needs.
What’s the real reason for cutting down on sugar in your diet?
When searching for the perfect healthy substitute to sucrose (white sugar), it is a good idea to start with answering a simple question – what is your main reason for giving up on sugar? We all know that it is good to cut down on sugar, but let us remind you why it is so important. Consuming too much sugar in your diet has many negative effects:
- A strain on the pancreas, increased risk of insulin resistance and diabetes.
- Greater fluctuations of the blood glucose level intensifying the systemic inflammation which aggravates chronic diseases, causes the so-called brain fog, chronic fatigue and many other symptoms.
- The risk of energy surpluses that lead to excess weight, obesity and their consequences for your health.
- Poorer diet quality because it provides nearly no valuable microelements.
- A higher concentration of triglycerides in the blood and other lipid disorders which accelerate the atherosclerotic process.
- Aggravation of acne and skin lesions due to a high concentration of glucose (and insulin) in the blood.
- Impaired liver function, and even fatty liver disease.
Depending on which health issue caused by excess sugar in your diet is the most urgent one for you, you can choose a sugar substitute that will not have these specific disadvantages. There really is a lot to choose from.
Polyols – sweet alcohols that resemble sugar, sugar alcohols
Polyols are very popular alternatives to sugar. They are valued for their minimal impact on the blood glucose level, low calorie content and sensory properties similar to white sugar. In chemical terms, polyols are not carbohydrates (sugars), but polyhydroxy alcohols, also known as sugar alcohols. They occur naturally in fruit and vegetables, such as plums, figs or strawberries. In addition to erythrol and xylitol which are the most popular polyols, other sweet polyols used as alternatives to sugar include: sorbitol, isomaltose, mannitol and maltitol.
Advantages of polyols as alternatives to sugar
- Low glycaemic index. A slow absorption process which does not cause sudden glucose and insulin spikes.
- A low calorie content (an overall calorie content for the entire polyol group set at 240 kcal per 100 g).
- It may be used by people with diabetes and insulin resistance.
Disadvantages of polyols as alternatives to sugar
- They may have a laxative effect, particularly at higher doses (>1 g per kilogram of body weight).
- They have a cooling effect, or leave a refreshing aftertaste in your mouth, when consumed. It may be a bad thing, but sometimes it is a good thing (for example, in the case of chewing gums).
Xylitol – E967
Xylitol, which is the sweetest of all polyols, is virtually as sweet as white sugar (sucrose), so it may replace it 1:1. Xylitol is also frequently dubbed as birch sugar, but it is also naturally present in a lot of fruit and vegetables. Its glycaemic index is 13 which means that its impact on the blood glucose level is around 9 times lower than that of sucrose. It also has a low calorie content of approx. 240 kcal/100 g.
The fact that it not only does not have any negative impact on your teeth, but it actually supports oral hygiene, is an enormous advantage of xylitol. It supports saliva production, restores the acid-base balance, lowers bacterial adhesion to the dental plaque and reduces the risk of caries. The laxative effect is a disadvantage of xylitol. In sensitive people, a portion as small as approx. 0.4 g per kilogram of body weight may cause bloating and diarrhoea. Therefore, it is a good idea to start on small portions of xylitol and watch your body’s reaction to that sweetener.
Erythrol (erythritol) – E968
Erythrol, also known as erythritol, is one of the favourite alternatives to sugar among people who count their calories. It has approx. 70% of the natural sweetness of sucrose; it does not raise the blood glucose level (its glycaemic index is 0, and its insulin index is 2) and it is very versatile. It occurs naturally in certain types of fruit and mushrooms; it also occurs in human body as a result of metabolic changes. Erythrol has the lowest calorie content of all sweet polyols. There are only about 20 calories in 100 g of erythrol. It is an excellent alternative to sugar for people with diabetes and insulin resistance and for anyone who cares about lowering their daily calorie intake.
Erythrol does not leave an undesired aftertaste, although it does have the so-called cooling effect. It is great in healthy summer desserts, lemonades, cakes, but it can also be processed with heat.
A big portion of erythrol eaten at one go may cause bloating and have a laxative effect; however, it is not as frequent as with xylitol. The following portions are considered to be safe for gastrointestinal comfort: 0.46 g of erythrol per kilogram of body weight for men and 0.68 g of erythrol per kilogram of body weight for women.
Stevia – E960
Stevia is a plant originating from Brazil. Its unusual properties have been used by certain Indian tribes for centuries. Stevia leaves contain unique substances called steviol glycosides. Stevia is approx. 300 times sweeter than sucrose, so you need to consume it in moderate quantities. It does not provide virtually any calories which makes it an excellent alternative to sugar for people who deal with excess weight or obesity. It does not have any impact on blood sugar level either – it is perfect for people with diabetes and insulin resistance. Stevia has virtually no negative effects that sugar has on your body. Just like xylitol, it does not have a negative impact on your dental condition; it may actually support oral hygiene thanks to its antibacterial properties.
How to use stevia for sweetening? The plant is available as liquid or dry extracts, dried leaves or powder. When using stevia, make sure you use it in moderate amounts. It is easy to overdo it. Even though stevia seems to be the perfect alternative to sugar, its specific aftertaste may not be to everyone’s liking. Check out stevia because you may like its flavour and it may become your perfect sweetener.
Artificial sweeteners as alternatives to sugar
Artificial synthetic sweeteners (non-nutritive sweeteners) are another group of sweeteners – they add a sweet taste while providing only trace quantities of calories. The most frequent sweeteners that are used in products or beverages marked as no calories or no sugar are: aspartame, acesulfame K, saccharin, cyclamates, and sucralose. None of them (except for saccharin) has any impact on glucose and insulin blood levels.
There are many controversies surrounding the influence of artificial sweeteners on your health which I have covered in detail in this article: “Ten answers to frequently asked questions about dietary sweeteners”. In a nutshell, even though they are controversial and continue to be the subject of research, all of the above-mentioned sweeteners are safe and they are still safer than classic sugar.
Sugar substitutes, but are they really?
In addition to low-calorie (or even no-calorie) sweeteners, there is also a whole range of sugar substitutes that provide simple sugars and carbohydrates. However, they are not healthier alternatives to sugar that are good for everyone. If you want to cut down on calories or if you are looking for a low glycaemic index, those options aren’t likely to be good for you.
However, they may be good for people who don’t care about some simple carbohydrates, who do not have any issues with insulin resistance and who are not looking for a no-calorie alternative to sugar. For example, they are good for active people who need some boost after aerobic exercise or for athletes who make home isotonic drinks.
They are only slightly healthier than sugar, but they are very similar to sucrose in terms of chemical composition.
Honey
Honey is composed in 81% of simple sugars: fructose, glucose, sucrose and maltose. In addition, it also contains small quantities of minerals and vitamins as well as other biologically active compounds. Even though honey is typically praised as a real “health booster”, it is worth remembering that it has a high glycaemic index (85) and 100 g of honey contain as much as 82 g of simple sugars. A teaspoon of honey (10 g) is approx. 30 kcal, and a teaspoon of sugar (5 g) is approx. 20 kcal. Honey consumed in moderate quantities may be a healthy ingredient of your diet (particularly if you are a physically active person); however, you should not consume it in larger portions without worrying and treat it as a much healthier alternative to white sugar.
Molasses
Molasses is a by-product of the sugar-making process; it is most frequently obtained from sugar beets, sugar cane and carob. Molasses is a thick, sweet and sticky liquid. It contains approx. 50% of sucrose, which means that half of it is sugar. It has approx. 25% less calories than sugar (290 kcal per 100 g), but it contains considerably more micronutrients. It is quite a significant source of: iron, calcium, selenium, potassium and manganese. However, its glycaemic index remains high at 55 which does not make it a good alternative to sugar for everyone.
Agave syrup, date syrup, maple syrup
Various syrups, such as agave syrup, date syrup or maple syrup, are also popular sugar substitutes. Their calorie content is similar to that of sugar (260-400 kcal) and they have a high glycaemic index. Agave syrup is an exception (it has a lower GI equal to approx. 30), but it is not a much healthier alternative to white sugar due to its high content of fructose. Natural syrups are slightly healthier than pure sucrose because they provide a few micronutrients in addition to carbohydrates, but that does not mean that they are devoid of the majority of disadvantages of white sugar.
Coconut sugar, cane sugar and brown sugar
Will coconut sugar, cane sugar or simply “brown” sugar be good alternatives to sugar? It depends on what you are looking for, but for the majority of people, the answer is no. In chemical terms, they are simply crystallized simple sugars which are very similar to white sugar. In terms of health benefits, they are no alternative to sugar. They have a different taste and different culinary properties, but they do not have a lower calorie content or glycaemic index and they do not provide a lower quantity of carbohydrates. The American Diabetes Association warns people with diabetes against treating coconut sugar as a healthier alternative to white table sugar.
Lesser known healthy sugar substitutes
Monk fruit
Monk fruit is a sweetener that is gaining popularity with each week. It has even been dubbed “a natural sweetener that is better than stevia”. It is widely used outside Europe as a low-calorie, natural sugar substitute. In the European Union, monk fruit has been classified as novel food. It has not been approved for distribution yet. It has been under intense scrutiny of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA); however, the authority has not decided yet on approving monk fruit for sale and distribution due to “insufficient evidence regarding its safety as a food additive”. Once EFSA has given positive opinion on monk fruit, monk fruit sweeteners may soon appear on the store shelves. It is a good idea to get to know it better now.
The monk fruit extract (Siraitia grosvenorii) is obtained due to its valuable sweet taste provided by mogrosides – sweet glycosides found in fruit. The monk fruit extract is approx. 250 times sweeter than sucrose. It is low-calorie and does not impact the blood glucose level. It does not leave the characteristic aftertaste, typical for other plant-based sugar substitutes. It may become a hit in the future; however, we must still wait until it is officially launched in Europe.
Thaumatins (talin) – E957
Thaumatins are proteins isolated from the African katemfe fruit. They are the strongest natural sweeteners with sweetness that is defined to be thousands times stronger than sucrose. The sweet aftertaste after thaumatin consumption remains for approx. 10 minutes – much longer than in the case of sugar and its other alternatives. Thaumatins are considered to be no-calorie sweeteners. A trace quantity of thaumatins, literally fractions of calories, is enough to make a meal sweet.
Thaumatins are not used as household sweeteners; however, they are highly valuable for industrial food production. They are listed as E957 on the list of food additives. Apart from adding a sweet taste, they also have properties that mask the unwanted bitter, spicy and metallic aftertastes. They are used in sugar-free bakery products, desserts, ice cream, flavour coffees, chewing gums and low-sodium products for people with hypertension.
Inulin
Inulin is a white powder and it is extracted from chicory or onion. It is used as a thickening agent and a prebiotic. Sometimes it is also listed as a natural sugar substitute. It has few calories (150 kcal per 100 g) and a low glycaemic index (GI=14); it also has one major setback – it is about 10 times less sweet than sugar. Using inulin will help you lower the calorie content and glycaemic load of a meal; however, it does not provide the level of sweetness provided by sugar (or other sugar substitutes listed in this article for that matter).
However, inulin makes a dish much healthier. Inulin is direct food for intestinal bacteria which has an impact on its broad health-promoting effect. It regulates lipid disorders, helps you take care of your immunity, has an anti-atherosclerotic effect, prevents obesity and even supports calcium absorption.
But let’s be honest, inulin is not a 1:1 substitute of sugar. It simply isn’t sweet enough. It will not work when you want to sweeten cakes, desserts or tea; it gently thickens the meals and gives them a slightly sweet hint. It can be used for sauces, puddings or smoothies if you care about a slightly sweet taste and the prebiotic properties of inulin.
Healthy sugar substitutes – which one to choose?
Which alternative to sugar will be the best one for you? Natural or artificial? Popular or less known? A cheaper one or one in which you need to invest more? There really isn’t a single clear answer to that question. Each sugar substitute has its own advantages and disadvantages.
For most people who want to take care of their overall health, the perfect alternative to sugar would be one that has a low calorie content and a minor impact on the glucose blood level, and which also adds a sweet taste that comes the closest to the one obtained with classic sugar. Polyols, such as xylitol, erythrol or stevia, will work well in that case.
People who are very physically active, who want to cut down on sugar because it does not provide them with much value, but who like the fact that it contains a lot of easily absorbed carbohydrates, can choose honey, molasses, maple syrup or agave syrup.
As you can see, the definition of a healthy alternative to sugar changes along with your expectations.
Alternatives to sugar – calorie content, carbohydrate content, GI
Read also: “Glucose – 8 things everyone should know about it”.
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