Sugar is becoming widely recognized as unhealthy and even dangerous. Since there is a high demand on the body to digest, detoxify and eliminate refined or processed sugar, it literally leaches the body of precious vitamins, minerals and energy. This affects mood, weight, concentration, and so much more. And to make matters worse, the more sugar we consume, the more we crave. It has become an addiction in so many people.

This sugar epidemic has led to a 1000% increase in type 2 diabetes in children over the last two decades. If this number doesn’t set off alarms, I don’t know what will. So what can we do to regulate, or even cut out, our sugar consumption you ask? There are a list of healthier, more natural, options.

Xylitol is a sugar alcohol sweetener (no, there’s not alcohol in the finished product) that looks and tastes like sugar. It is readily found in the fibres of fruits, veggies and oats as well as other fibrous materials like corn husks, birch and sugar cane pulp. Xylitol contains fewer calories and carbs than ‘regular’ sweeteners, while maintaining the sweetness of sugar. It also has no effect on blood glucose levels!

Stevia, also known as sweetleaf or sugarleaf, is a natural sweetener extracted from the leaf of the stevia plant. It is up to 300 times sweeter than sugar, so only small amounts are required, and it contains no calories. Like Xylitol, Stevia has little to no effect on blood glucose.

Agave is another plant extract that is frequently used as a ‘natural sweetener’. It is typically highly processed and is heated to a point that leaves the end product with high fructose concentrations and little to no resemblance to the unprocessed agave plant. It is often advertised as a ‘natural’ product, so be cautious and do some research as to how specific companies are extracting and processing it. Keep in mind that even when properly produced, agave syrup still has a fairly high amount of fructose, so use sparingly.

Honey is another natural alternative to the ‘sweetener’ issue. Honey is typically pasteurized, which as we now know, destroys many of the nutrients in food. In the case of honey, pasteurization is used to delay crystallization, but also causes deterioration and a decrease in enzyme activity. Honey also has a fairly high quantity of fructose, but if taken in its completely raw form it also provides an array of health benefits. A few of these benefits include immunity boosters, antioxidants, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, allergy-fighting properties, and instant boosts in energy and strength. Local honey is particularly beneficial as the bees extract pollen and nutrients that are more relevant to your body as they are found in your area. So once again, raw, local and organic is the way to go!

There is the nitty gritty on natural sweeteners. The best advice I can give you is to do your own research on forms of natural sweetener, as well as the companies you are buying them from. Even though it may be ‘natural’, the company may use many unnatural forms of extraction and processing. 

For more health articles and healthy recipes check out my cookbook 2Nourish. Head to www.nourishbooks.ca to order a copy, or pick one up at Be Natural in Pemberton.