Healthy Sugar Alternatives

The increasing number of diabetes cases in the United States has manufacturers of sugar substitutes creating alternative to standard sugar, or sucrose. Not all sweeteners are created equal. Some contain questionable, manmade ingredients that make natural alternatives seem like a healthier, safer option. Natural sweeteners provide a variety of benefits that sugar and chemically manufactured ingredients do not.

Xylitol

Xylitol is a sugar alcohol that provides fewer calories compared with sugar and does not contribute to tooth decay. The body does not absorb sugar alcohols completely, limiting their ability to raise blood glucose levels. The sugar alcohol category of sweeteners is classified as a food additive, and approval by the Food and Drug Administration is not required. As little as 10 g of xylitol may cause intestinal disorders, such as gas, diarrhea and bloating.

Stevia

Stevia is a calorie-free sweetener from South America derived from the leaves of the plant Stevia rebaudiana. A 2006 study by researchers in Belgium found that stevia is 300 times sweeter than sugar, is safe to eat and may reduce cases of Type 2 diabetes and obesity. The sweetener is popular in the United States; sales totaled $45 million in 2005, according to Nutrition Business Journal. Stevia is sold in liquid, powder and leaf forms. In 2008, the FDA approved certain highly refined stevia products that contain the ingredient rebaudioside A, a compound found naturally in the stevia leaf, as sugar substitutes.

Agave

Agave syrup is four to eight times sweeter than sugar. The product is sold as either a light syrup or a dark amber variety with deeper flavor. Agave sweetener provides equal numbers of calories and carbohydrate levels as sugar. The advantage of consuming agave is the low glycemic load provided by the sweetener. Its sweetness is more concentrated than sugar; thus, lower amounts are required.

Honey

The history of honey used as a sweetener began approximately 9,000 years ago. The caloric content is nearly equivalent to sugar and the glycemic index is similar, but honey contains high levels of anti-oxidants. Darker raw honey provides anti-oxidant benefits, but lighter refined honey does not. The phytochemicals in honey provide anti-bacterial and anti-viral effects. The risk of botulism prohibits feeding honey to children less than one year old.