How Sweet It Is - Understanding Sugar Alternatives

Today we are talking about sugar and it's alternatives.  I get this question often - as clients work through their choices and decide what to keep and what to let go to achieve their goals of controlling weight, kidney issues, blood sugar, blood pressure, energy, or all of it!  In a complicated food landscape, with a focus on sales over health - it can hard to feel like you're making the right choice for you! Read on for clarification!

1. Stevia. This plant-derived sweetener is non-caloric and can be used in baking or cooking. I occasionally recommend it for diabetics and those who want something with a sweet taste, but need to avoid the blood sugar spike.

If I have to choose a NCS (non caloric sweetener) this would be it but be advised, I don't recommend doing this regularly. 

2. Honey. While it has some antioxidant properties, honey is not necessarily healthier than white sugar, mainly because it can stick to teeth and contribute to cavity formation. However, honey does have more fructose than sugar, which can be better on the pancreas, but potentially more burden on the liver and blood triglyceride levels.  Use sparingly, for flavor, and always try to use less than a recipe calls for to cut down your sugar intake.

3.Splenda (sucralose). This artificial sweetener is 600 times sweeter than sugar. (please read that last sentence again and let it sink in)

It is not all-natural, being derived only in part from sugar, and while it is FDA approved and appears safe, it has not proven itself to be beneficial in losing weight. The reason may be tied to the tongue sensing the sweetness and triggering a hormonal cascade as if it were the real thing and yet - no energy boost comes from this. Additionally, there is some data that suggests that sucralose and aspartame (below) may have a negative effect on our gut microbiome and gut-brain health as compared to other options.

4.Aspartame and Saccharine. These artificial sweeteners are still found in some foods and drinks. For the same concerns as Splenda, I do not recommend either of these – if you want to cut calories or are diabetic, I suggest stevia instead.

5.Sugar alcohols like erythritol and xylitol. These have become more and more popular in foods and drinks. While large studies have not been done, the ones that have suggest these to be safe and have no impact on blood sugar. Personally, I hear more complaints of digestive bloating with these but no data on this yet.

6. Allulose. Allulose is a newer sweetener just starting to be available. It is naturally derived, often from dates or figs. It has a similar mouth feel as white sugar with only 10 percent of the blood sugar effect.

7. Monk fruit is similar to stevia in that it comes naturally from a plant and also has zero calories; how “processed” it is depends on the specific product that you buy.

8. Jaggery - similar to sugar, jaggery contains a higher mineral content than processed white sugar.  That said, it is calorically similar and will also raise blood sugar in diabetics so use should be limited. 

You may also want to try a moderate amount of fruit juice or unsweetened applesauce as a sweetener, especially when cooking or baking.

Bottom Line: If you’ve been using sugar appropriately, there is usually no reason to reach for artificial substitutes at all.