Sugar is sweet and pleasant, but too much of it can sometimes lead to health problems. Today, desserts and some foods often have too much added sugar. That is why many people are now turning to plant based sugars.
These sugar alternatives are great ways to curb your sugar cravings while also cutting your sugar intake. Here are five sugar substitutes that may work for you.
Plant Based Sugars to Try: Coconut Palm Sugar
Have you ever tried natural sugar? If you are wondering what is natural sugar and where it comes from, read through.
A healthy sweetener for coffee or sugar substitute is coconut palm sugar. Unlike regular sugar, coconut palm sugar contains vital minerals, including iron, zinc, calcium, and potassium.
You may be wondering, is coconut palm sugar keto?
The answer is no. While these minerals mean the calories consumed from coconut palm sugar are not “empty.” If you’re watching your blood sugar, it’s advised to limit its consumption.
Despite these nutritional benefits, coconut palm sugar still contains high levels of fructose.
Dates
Unlike a lot of foods on the list, dates are great because they’re naturally sweet, loaded with fiber, and actually offer some nutritional value.
Most people recommend making a paste out of the dates, which can then be used in smoothies, salads, or to replace syrup in any recipe.
It’s also not complicated or time-consuming to create this natural sweetener. To make date paste, follow this simple date pate rescipe. Simply soak 2 cups of pitted dates in 2 cups of water for a minimum of 8 hours.
Then, remove the dates and reserve the water. Blend the dates in a blender, adding a tablespoon of the soaking water at a time.
Continue blending and adding water until you achieve the desired consistency. Your paste can then be refrigerated in an air-tight container for up to 2 weeks.
Monk Fruit Sweetener
Monk fruit sweetener is made from monk fruit, a small melon native to parts of China and Thailand. It’s becoming one of the most popular sugar substitutes today.
You may be wondering, which one is better, and what’s the difference between coconut sugar vs monk fruit?
According to Healthline, monk fruit sweetener is “natural, contains zero calories and is 100-250 times sweeter than sugar.”
You might also be thinking, what does monk fruit taste like?
Unlike most sweeteners, monk fruit does not derive its taste from fructose or sucrose. Instead, its sweetness is due to flavored antioxidants called mogrosides. So expect a little aftertaste.
Spices
Did you know that when cutting back on sugar, there are several spices that can help you out?
Here are a few to get you started:
- Allspice is great for things like ham, Swedish meatballs, baked goods, and desserts.
- Cinnamon can replace brown sugar in any dish, but be careful because a little goes a long way.
- Cardamon is a spice used in Scandinavian bakeries and is a great substitute for sugar when baking desserts.
- Vanilla beans are more of a fruit than a spice, but they can be added to grains, coffee, desserts, pudding, etc. One inch of vanilla bean is equal to about 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
Apple Sauce
Applesauce is a great substitute for many types of desserts and baked goods. If you’re looking to substitute sugar for applesauce in a baking recipe, be sure to buy unsweetened.
Next, make sure the sugar in your recipe is being used to add sweetness. If so, applesauce is a great substitute. Applesauce is great in things like brownies, loaves of bread, oatmeal cookies, and muffins.
In certain recipes, however, sugar adds crispiness and texture. So, if you’re baking something like sugar cookies or hard candies (where this is the case), applesauce is not going to work.
Takeaway
Plant based sugars are giving us more options to cut back on our sugar intake. Like many changes, it may be hard or challenging at first, but it’s not too bad. You can get used to these natural ways of adding sweetness to your drinks and foods.