If you are trying to lose weight or improve your overall health, you may be looking for a substitute for table sugar. While several artificial sweeteners are widely available, they often leave an unpleasant aftertaste, and may have health ramifications. Use natural products in place of sugar instead. If you are diabetic, check with your doctor before using natural sugar substitutes, as they may affect your blood sugar negatively.
Honey
Honey is the natural sweetener made by honeybees. Honey varies in taste depending on the type of flowers that the bees used to make the honey. Because honey is sweeter than sugar, you can use less to sweeten tea and other drinks. According to Organic Facts, honey has several health benefits. When mixed with warm water, it may help you lose weight. It may boost athletic endurance, and it contains antioxidants, which may prevent cancer.
Date Sugar
Date sugar consists of dates ground into tiny pieces. According to What's Cooking America, date sugar contains iron and fiber, as well as other vitamins and minerals. Unlike sugar and honey, date sugar will not dissolve in liquid. Because dates are very sweet, you may need less than you would if you were using table sugar; you may need to experiment to figure out the right ratio, depending on your preferences.
Maple Syrup
Real maple syrup is not to be confused with the maple-flavored corn syrup that most grocery stores sell. Pure maple syrup is more expensive and sweeter than the flavored corn syrup. Most of the time, maple syrup comes from maple trees New England and eastern Canada, says Mother Earth News. The maple sap is drained from the tree, reduced and bottled. Syrup is a good sweetener for sweet potatoes and butternut squash. It also can be used to sweeten coffee, tea or oatmeal, suggests The World's Healthiest Foods.
Stevia
Stevia is a plant that grows in South America. Because the extract is very sweet, 1 tsp. of powder or liquid stevia is as sweet as 1 cup of sugar. In 2008, the United States Food and Drug Administration approved stevia as a food additive. TruVia is a brand of stevia sweetener that is available in many grocery stores. The Gourmet Sleuth says that sometimes stevia seeds are sold in farmers' markets, and that the plant is easy to cultivate, making it possible for you to grow your own natural sweetener at home.
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