There is no absolutely healthy sweetener, but healthier versions. When compared to totally innutritious granulated sugar, there are many better substitutes that actually have benefits for our bodies. Replacing sugar is not just about calorie intake, but about choosing the ingredient that will work for our health, not against it.
Everything has perks and downsides, so note that the key is in portioning. It is best, if you can, to combine several sweeteners and rotate them in recipes. Some will work better than others in different dishes. When changing sugar for other sweeteners for the first time, start with an easy one, like banana bread, as it can endure all.
Many traditional meals from baked goods to sauces, call for a sweet component. Therefore, here are 3 amazing substitutes for sugar to use in those meals, with all their benefits and downsides noted. Nothing can give you the exact same taste and texture as white sugar, but it can be close and sometimes even better!
3 Healthy Substitutes for Sugar in Traditional Meals
1. Erythritol
Taste-wise, erythritol is an amazing sugar substitute! The taste resembles the sugar almost completely, but it has no calories. Structurally, erythritol is sugar alcohol, but much different than others.
Still, you can’t say it is healthy, but healthier than regular sugar. The key is in the quantity, as large amounts of erythritol can cause digestive problems and may cause heart issues, as well. FDA considers it safe, just don’t eat more than 50 grams of erythritol in one sitting.
Let’s speak about the good sides, too. It doesn’t provoke blood sugar and insulin at all, so it is ideal for people who have diabetes or insulin resistance. That’s because the body can’t break it down, it just passes through the bloodstream.
This sugary component actually helps dental health! Mouth bacteria can’t feed on erythritol, and it inhibits cavity and plaque formation.
Last but not least, this sugary alcohol is superb for weight loss, as it has 0, 2 calories per gram. That way, you can still eat sweets but keep the calories reduced.
When using erythritol instead of sugar in your recipes, note that you will need some more as it has 70% of the sweetness. For instance, you will need 1 ⅓ cups of erythritol if the recipe says 1 cup of sugar to achieve the same taste. If you like your desserts less sweet, you can definitely go for a 1:1 ratio.
Speaking of taste, there is no noticeable difference, as they taste almost the same. Thus, it won’t change the flavour of anything significantly, but it has a slight cooling aftertaste.
Erythritol looks the same as sugar, as well, hence it doesn’t always act as sugar. It doesn’t caramelize like sugar, so this can affect both colour and texture. This is fixable, though, as only a dab of molasses will fix the colouring issue.
When it comes to consistency, baked goods can come off a bit runny, as erythritol melts. You only need to adjust wet ingredients, though, just cut off the amount of liquid and you’re good to go.
It is also important to mention that baked goods are the best on the same day, as storing them affects the taste. That cooling sensation becomes stronger after a few days and they tend to dry out.
This won’t happen if you mix it with some other sweetener, like stevia, brown sugar, or something like that. Additions will stabilize everything and make your dessert completely the same, just healthier. Melding it will erase all the downsides when it comes to the taste and texture of baked goods.
In recipes that don’t require baking or cooking, erythritol shines. It is amazing in no-bake cheesecakes, raw cakes, parfaits, panna cotta, and many more. It will dissolve in liquid impeccably and won’t crystalize while chilling.
Of course, if the recipe asks for caramelization, erythritol won’t work well at all. Also, it doesn’t feed yeast, so you can’t use it when making bread and pastries. In addition, you won’t be able to ferment anything with erythritol, so don’t try to add it to kombucha or anything similar.
Read Too: What Sugar Does To Your Body
2. Date Syrup
If you like dates, you will love date syrup! It tastes like dates in a liquid form, caramelly, fruity, and super rich. It is naturally sweet, but not as much as honey or agave nectar, for example.
So, it does not spike the insulin as much as it has a lower glycemic index. What’s most important – date syrup is not addicting! It won’t make you crave more sugar after every bite, which will help you to eat sweets but consciously.
This is not a calorie-less option, but it is natural plus has other benefits. Unlike white sugar, it has micronutrients and antioxidants in its composition – potassium, calcium, riboflavin, magnesium, thiamin, folate, and niacin.
Besides that, antibacterial antioxidants are there, too. This means they slow bacteria growth and have a direct positive influence on inflammatory processes, compared to sugar that triggers them.
Date syrup has, subjectively, a sweeter smack than sugar, so you can use 2/3 of a cup in place of 1 cup. This is a fluid sweetener, so reducing liquid ingredients is a must. Considering its consistency, it won’t work well in recipes that call for whipping sugar and butter into a creamy texture.
Date syrup is particularly well-suited to soft, spongy-textured desserts like cakes, cupcakes, and cookies. It also works finely as a sweetener for different drinks, such as tea, coffee, or cold beverages like smoothies. When it comes to baking, date syrup is chiefly incorporated into bread and pastries.
It will wake up the yeast, give a nicer color, and a distinct caramelly taste with only a teaspoon. It is amazing in both savory and sweet bread. Due to its texture, everything will turn out softer, spongier, and moister, which is amazing!
With this one, you will have no trouble achieving the caramelly color, as the syrup is dark and golden already. Moreover, it is the best thing to use as a drizzle over pancakes, waffles, oats, or plain yogurt.
Besides the health benefits, it also adds complexity to the bite. If you fancy a sweet and salty combination, date syrup is a fine base for marinades, glazes, and sauces.
3. Monk Fruit Sweetener
Monk fruit comes from Southeast Asia, and it is an important part of Chinese medicine because of its benefits. It became popular worldwide in the 2010s after the FDA claimed it was safe to use.
The sweetener has a powdery texture and a super interesting composition. It is incredibly sweet – between 100-250 times more than regular sugar. Yes, you read it right.
But its sweetness doesn’t come from natural sugars, but from mogrosides – an antioxidant. This specific antioxidant is the only sweet component left after processing the monk fruit, there is no fructose or glucose at all! Because it is super sugary, it is not strange manufacturers mix it with inulin or erythritol to soothe the flavor.
The absence of regular sugar compounds makes it a no-calorie sweetener. This suggests that it is perfect for those who want to reduce their calorie intake. There is actually no exact research for monk sweetener only, but it can be compared to other zero-calorie ones.
Even though more research is needed, there are strong implications about the benefits of this sweetener. It may have anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, anti-cancer, and anti-diabetes properties. It suppresses the growth of cancer and other harmful cells, plus reduces blood sugar levels.
As said above, monk fruit sweetener is much stronger than regular sugar, so you will need smaller amounts to replace it in recipes. You will definitely have to test it out for yourself, as taste is a subjective feeling. But, if the recipe says 1 cup of sugar, go for ¼ cup of monk fruit sweetener.
However, there are many different brands on the market that combine monk fruit with some other sweeteners, so the fact above is only for straightforward ones. The good thing is, it becomes more stable when used in a blend and it is always noted on packaging in what ratio it substitutes the sugar. There are many out there intended for baking or drinks only, and they work a fantastic job in swapping the regular sugar.
When baking with monk fruit, it can end up crystalizing, so to avoid that, melt it in some liquid, like milk or water first. It actually works like a charm with a tad moister flours like almond, tapioca, flaxseed, or spelt. On the other side, super dry flours (coconut, for example) call for a LOT of liquid.
Monk fruit sweetener is versatile, as it comes as slightly granulated, powdered, and liquid. Powdered variety is a top-notch choice to make glazes or frostings, while liquid one is a fine binding agent for raw desserts. Still, it will have an effect on the texture of cookies and cakes, but nothing unbearable.
Speaking of taste, it can, indeed, have an aftertaste, but not as strong as stevia, e.g. If you’re using straight monk fruit, you will need small quantities, so it won’t be able to leave an intense bitterness behind. On the other note, when combined with other sweeteners, it becomes more neutral-tasting.
Still, when introducing it to your palate, start small, with a pinch or so.
Read More: 5 “Healthy Foods” Filled with Sugar You Should Avoid
image sources
- pexels-suzy-hazelwood-2523659: Suzy Hazelwood on Pexels
