7 Healthy Sugar Substitutes + One I NEVER Use

In this post, we’ll look at healthy substitutes for sugar. We’ll cover why these choices are better alternatives to highly refined sugar. Plus, I’ll tell you about one substitute I never use, and why you shouldn’t either.

If you have been following me for a while, no doubt you have read my post on How to Quit Sugar and watched the video, too. You know that I used to struggle with my weight and that I had an unhealthy relationship with sugar, as many of us unknowingly do.

I knew that in order to maintain the clean eating lifestyle that I had started to keep, I had to take a big step. A move forward in my journey to good health. And yes, that step was to finally quit sugar.

Realistically, we know that giving it up totally is impossible because many of the foods that we eat contain sugar. So, what I mean is, that I gave up highly processed sugar that is stripped of its nutritional value. Now, I try to consume only natural sugars found in clean, wholesome foods.

But of course, I do have to add ingredients when I cook and bake that add sweetness when required. And that’s when I look to healthy sugar substitutes like pure maple syrup, coconut sugar, and raw honey. These are my top 3 picks and my go-tos whenever a recipe calls for a sweetener.

So, let’s take a look at how much better these 3 picks are than refined sugars. Then, we’ll look at a few more sugar substitutes and cover how they are useful as replacements for highly processed sugars. And of course, there’s the one alternative I NEVER use, agave nectar.

HOW CAN I REDUCE MY SUGAR INTAKE?

Watch my video on how I quit sugar, and you’ll see that you, too, can reduce your sugar intake. Some of the ways I discuss in the video and in my post are listed below. Honestly, it is not an impossible feat - I’m proof - and you can succeed, too! 

• Go through your pantry and remove items with hidden sugars, like ketchup and barbecue sauce
• Don’t fall for artificial sweeteners; they are bad for you and make foods taste super sweet, leading to sugar dependency
• Read the labels on what you buy; leave items with organic cane syrup, high fructose corn syrup, and dextrose on the shelf
• Identify the culprits that lead to your sugar dependency like sodas, chocolate, and sweeteners in coffee
• Start slow and do your best every day

1. PURE MAPLE SYRUP

Pure maple syrup. Yum! Besides being amazingly delicious and all-natural, pure maple syrup contains antioxidants (24 to be exact!) and nutrients like potassium, manganese, and iron. It has a low glycemic index score, and also has the potential to reduce inflammation in the body. This bonus makes pure maple syrup one of my top picks as a sugar substitute. It’s a great addition to a tasty vanilla latté!

Other good things about maple syrup are:

• This sweetener has a 1:1 ratio of any liquid sweetener or honey, so is easy to use in recipes
• If you are a vegan and don’t want to consume raw honey, pure maple syrup is the ideal replacement

2. RAW HONEY

Raw honey is a nutritional powerhouse when it comes to sugar substitutes. Honey, in its raw form, contains royal jelly, beeswax, and pollen. 

It also contains propolis, also known as bee glue, because the bees use it to fill crevices and seal honeycombs. Propolis is known to have anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and infection-fighting properties. 

Amino acids and enzymes are found in honey, too. Other things to know about raw honey:

• Buy raw honey, not pasteurized or filtered to get these benefits, so be sure to look for that as you shop
• Use raw honey if you have a recipe that calls for a liquid sweetener that does not need to be heated too high (you don’t want to lose the nutrients in the cooking process)
• Conveniently, the ratio is 1:1 just like the pure maple syrup
• It’s great on veggies like Brussel sprouts or used in a Honey Mustard Dressing

3. COCONUT SUGAR

Coconut sugar is made from the sap of the coconut palm. It is extracted and made into granules by boiling them. Inulin, a type of fiber, slows glucose absorption and, therefore, gives this sugar substitute a lower glycemic index than highly processed sugar. 

• Coconut sugar has a 1:1 ratio to granulated sweeteners and tastes similar to brown sugar
• Potassium and antioxidants are found in coconut sugar
• Sweeten dishes like Healthy Cinnamon Apples as a low GI sugar replacement

4. MOLASSES

Molasses is made from boiling down sugar beet juice or cane sugar. The syrup is a dark, thick liquid. It is often used to soften cookies and is tasty in marinades and sauces. You can buy light, dark, or blackstrap molasses, depending on the recipe. Blackstrap is the most concentrated of the three and has the most nutrients, including the following:

• Rich in vitamins
• Betaine
• Minerals such as potassium and calcium
• Enjoy in recipes like Healthy Ginger Cookies

5. STEVIA

Although I am not a fan of stevia because one has to be so careful about whether the brand purchased has been highly processed, some people love the versatility of this sweetener. Stevia is a sugar substitute that originates in the leaves of the plant Stevia rebaudiana.

It is a popular sugar substitute because it has zero calories, and doesn't appear to break a fast by causing an insulin spike. Studies show it to be safe.

Facts about stevia include the following information:

• Stevia is 200 to 300 times sweeter than table sugar
• Stevia contains no sugar and no calories
• As with any sweetener, use in moderation

6. XYLITOL

With a sweet taste similar to sugar, xylitol is considered natural because it is found in very small amounts in some fruits and vegetables (strawberries and mushrooms being examples). Xylitol has fewer calories than sugar, but does have a very small effect on blood sugar if consumed in high doses.

• Xylitol is considered safe for diabetics
• Sugar has 4 calories per gram, while xylitol has 2.4 calories per gram
• Sugar can be replaced at a 1:1 ratio with xylitol

7. ERYTHRITOL

Erythritol is a natural sweetener. It has .24 calories per gram, compared to xylitol, which has 2.4, and sugar, which has 4 calories per gram. Erythritol is called a sugar alcohol, and like other sugar alcohols (mannitol, xylitol, sorbitol, for example) can cause digestive issues like bloating if used in large amounts.

• Erythritol does not spike insulin or blood sugar
• It has 70% of the sweetness of refined sugar
• Erythritol melts in high heat and does not caramelize, so keep that in mind when using it in the kitchen
• It can be used in recipes, but the baked goods are best on the day you make them
• Many bakers use it in a 1:1 ratio to sugar

WHY AVOID AGAVE NECTAR?

Agave nectar is composed mostly of fructose. Consuming fructose in excess is thought to be the cause of many serious diseases.

Sure, it has a low glycemic index, and that’s a good thing, but it is associated with the bad cholesterol (LDL)^* which leads to heart disease. All in all, it’s just loaded with fructose, and that is not what we want to be eating.

MORE HEALTHY LIVING POSTS

I've written other posts on sugar, along with several others about eating clean and living healthy. Happy reading!

• How to Quit Sugar: The 7 Steps I Took to Finally Quit Sugar and How You Can, Too!
• The Top 18 WORST Fake Healthy Foods (Avoid These)
• Does Intermittent Fasting Work For Weight Loss? Beginner's Guide to Intermittent Fasting
• Is Coffee Healthy? 11 Insane Benefits of Coffee
• 15 Weight Loss Hacks That Actually Work!

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