5 Healthier Alternatives to Refined Sugar
Natural sweeteners like jaggery and dates provide sweetness along with nutrients and can be used as healthier alternatives to refined sugar. Read this microblog to learn more!
Refined or white sugar doesn't provide any nutrition and contains chemicals. It has a high glycemic index (GI) of around 65, so it causes blood sugar spikes and increases the risk of type 2 diabetes. Excessive consumption of refined sugar for a long time can cause weight gain, obesity, liver and heart disease.
You can replace refined sugar with some natural sweeteners that are healthy and provide the desired sweetness.
1. Dates
Dates are obtained from the date palm tree. They have natural sweetness and contain nutrients like antioxidants, fiber, iron, potassium, magnesium, and vitamin B6.
Dates have a glycemic index (GI) of around 42, which is relatively lower than that of sugar. Regular consumption of dates can help manage blood sugar, relieve constipation, and improve brain health.
2. Honey
Honey has been used as a natural sweetener for ages. With a glycemic index of 50, honey contains antioxidants and healthy plant compounds.
Moderate consumption of honey can help manage diabetes, lower blood pressure, and improve heart health.
3. Maple Syrup
Maple syrup is obtained from the sap of maple trees. It is a naturally sweet syrup with health benefits like skin health, digestion, and brain health.
The glycemic index of maple syrup is 54, so it causes fewer blood sugar spikes than refined sugar.
4. Jaggery
Jaggery or gur is an unrefined sugar. It is made from both sugarcane juice and date palm sap. Nutrition in jaggery comes from the molasses in it, which is removed in refined sugar.
It is a great source of iron, potassium, magnesium, and manganese. Jaggery has a glycemic index slightly lower than refined sugar, due to the presence of fiber and minerals. So, it is healthier than refined sugar.
Jaggery can help prevent anemia, detox the liver, improve digestion, and boost immunity.
5. Stevia
Stevia is a natural sweetener derived from the leaves of the Stevia rebaudiana plant, which is native to South America. It is 300 to 400 times sweeter than refined sugar.
It has almost zero calories and can help manage diabetes and aid in weight loss. Studies have found that stevia can help reduce triglycerides and LDL (bad cholesterol), while increasing HDL (good cholesterol).