Healthy Substitutes for Sugar
I hope this post finds you well and healthy,
As many of us know, refined sugar is one of the most addictive foods on the planet. In fact, studies on mice have shown that it is 8x more addictive than some drugs like cocaine!! How crazy is that?! Sugar is one of the most inflammatory foods out there and extensive research has been done to show that the increase in refined sugar consumption has been a major player in the rise of health issues such as heart disease, diabetes and obesity. As this topic comes up A LOT, I thought it would be useful to give you some tips and tricks on simple ways to nix the refined sugar and some healthier alternatives you can try.
After years of working in the packaged food industry, I came to the hard realization of just how many name substitutes there are out there for sugar. Unfortunately, manufacturers tend to use these to disguise how much added sugar there really is in a product. You would be surprised at how many unexpected foods have added sugar in it such as pasta sauce, bread, gum, salad dressings and more! But not to worry, I’ve got you covered on some great and healthy substitutes for refined sugar. Read on to learn more.
When doing your next grocery shop, here are some words to look out for:
Aspartame (chemical sweetener)
High fructose corn syrup (HFCS)
Corn syrup
Fruit juice concentrate
Rice syrup
Dextrose or dextrin
Saccharose
Panocha
Yellow sugar
Cane sugar
Grape sugar
Turbinado sugar
Panela sugar
Maltodextrin
Glucose solids
Mannose
Just to name a few.
*Agave nectar was once seen as a healthy sweetener, but studies have shown that it is 70-90% fructose making it more harmful for metabolic health than regular sugar.
Fructose and glucose are found in many things, but are healthy to consume in moderate amounts when coming from a natural source such as fruit (if you have diabetes or insulin resistance please speak with your doctor about your fruit intake). In fact, the natural sugars in fruit won’t spike our blood glucose levels as other processed foods will because they contain a good source of fibre. This allows for a more consistent release of fructose and glucose into our bloodstream. Not only does fruit contain fibre and give you energy - it also is a great source of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Fruit truly is nature’s candy that can be a great substitute for a treat if you are craving something sweet!
Some great sugar substitutes to try:
Honey
Dates
Maple syrup
Molasses
Coconut sugar
Stevia
Pureed fruit
Monk fruit
Yacon syrup
Raw cane sugar (less processed than table sugar and is not bleached)
I love adding small amounts of honey or maple syrup to my morning lattes or recipes to give it a bit of added sweetness. Stevia is also a good low-calorie alternative if you are used to adding sweeteners such as Splenda as it is more naturally derived. However, it is still highly processed so I would recommend trying out honey or maple syrup first!
Tip: try a substitute above for sugar in one or two of your daily food or drinks for two weeks such as your morning coffee or oatmeal and see how you feel.
For some tasty refined sugar-free recipes, be sure to check out my free healthy superfood recipe e-book or Instagram page!
Warmly xo
Gill
your coach
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