Is that a loaded topic or what? We could talk for hours and hours. For your sanity, though, let’s get right to it. Sugar is consumed in many forms and for various reasons. Americans LOVE sugar – the average sugar consumption in adults in the United States in 2017-2018 was 17 teaspoons daily. Seventeen?!
Why do we seek alternatives to sugar? Sugar is linked with an increased risk of various health conditions, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer, fatty liver, cellular aging, and more. There was a 38% greater risk of dying from heart disease in those who consumed 17-21% of calories from added sugar compared with those who consumed 8% of their calories from added sugars. Sugar increases inflammation, and that may impact your brain, heart, skin, kidneys, liver, and joints. Want to age quickly? Drinking 20 ounces of a sugar-containing soft drink daily equated to 4.6 additional years of aging. Yikes! This premature cellular aging is related to shorter telomere length.
What drives a fatty liver? Surprisingly, not fat, but sugar – processed and refined carbohydrates, particularly those rich in fructose. In this study, eighty grams of sugar daily, which is equivalent to about 27 ounces of a normal soft drink, boosts fat production in the liver. And even if no more sugar is consumed, the overactive fat production in the liver continues for a long period of time. If you eat too many refined or simple carbohydrates, you overwhelm the body with sugar. Prolonged sugar consumption and elevated blood glucose levels lead to insulin resistance and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. Additionally, higher sugar consumption is generally linked with weight gain and visceral fat accumulation; fat that surrounds your internal organs and increases disease risk. People with excess fat around the waist and abdomen, in particular, are at a higher risk of developing insulin resistance.
So, what are sweetener options? Are some better than others? Let’s discuss.
Is maple syrup or honey better than white sugar, I’m frequently asked? They both are still added sugars, but there are some advantages. Maple syrup and local honey have a lower glycemic index than table sugar, hence, they affect your blood glucose levels to a lesser extent. Note that most commercial honey, however, has a high glycemic index, so quality and source is significant. Honey does contain vitamins and minerals, notably various B vitamins and small amounts of calcium, iron, zinc, and others. Darker honeys, such as buckwheat, generally speaking, have a higher antioxidant level – you may recall color is an excellent indicator of phytochemical content (even in honey). Maple sugar also adds minerals and antioxidants and is naturally sweeter, so you can use a lesser amount. And what about blackstrap molasses? We don’t tend to use it as regularly, but it’s quite rich in iron, calcium, magnesium, and potassium. Blackstrap molasses, like maple syrup and honey, has a moderate glycemic index. Brown rice syrup has a smooth flavor, but does have a high glycemic effect.
Seeking a lower glycemic effect – think coconut and dates. Coconut sugar can serve as a good alternative to sugar and adds some micronutrient value. Date sugar can be a good option from the nutritional front; low glycemic effect and lower in calories, but can be tricky to use as it does not dissolve easily into mixtures. Note that date syrup is also now available. Why did I not mention agave nectar? Agave does have a lower glycemic effect because it’s primarily composed of fructose and fructose does not increase blood sugar like the glucose in table sugar. Honey, for example, is closer to a 50/50 mix of fructose and glucose. The concern, however, is that when fructose is consumed in high quantities and/or over a long time, it leads to insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, fatty liver, and weight gain.
What about sweeteners that don’t have caloric value? Let’s start with artificial sweeteners, namely aspartame, saccharin, and sucralose. Products with these ingredients often also contain other ingredients. For example, Sweet’n Low, Equal, and Splenda all also contain dextrose and maltodextrin. These substitutes are all chemically produced. Although artificial sweeteners were developed as a sugar substitute to help reduce insulin resistance and obesity, data in both animal models and humans suggest that the effects of artificial sweeteners may contribute to many health challenges. Saccharin crosses the placenta and is secreted in breastmilk – far from the healthiest ingredients for a baby. Some claim that sucralose is stable in heat, however, when you heat sucralose, the artificial sweetener in Splenda, it may lead to the formation of harmful and possibly carcinogenic chlorinated organic compounds. Additionally, sucralose may disrupt your gut bacteria and lead to dysbiosis.
How about sugar alcohols – those ingredients ending in -ols, like sorbitol, maltitol, and erythritol? We don’t entirely digest sugar alcohols, hence, the lower calories. Downside? If they’re not fully digestible, they’re more likely to lead to diarrhea. Allulose, which I’ve seen more recently in foods, is not metabolized by the body, so can have similar gastrointestinal side effects as the sugar alcohols. Additionally, if you have food sensitivities, note that most sugar alcohols as well as dextrose, high fructose corn syrup, and allulose are corn-derived. What kind of corn? GMO cornstarch or cornstarch that has been genetically modified. Um, no thank you. Be aware that maltodextrin may be derived from wheat or corn.
And last, but not least, what’s the scoop on stevia and monk fruit? Stevia is derived from the leaves of the plant, Stevia rebaudiana. Pure stevia leaf extract is 100-300 times sweeter than table sugar yet it has no calories or artificial ingredients. Some find stevia bitter or do not like the aftertaste. It’s very sweet; I find the trick is to use a very small amount. Stevia and monk fruit both have no effect on blood sugar; they have a glycemic load of zero. Monk fruit, also known as luo han guo, is a small sub-tropical melon with naturally occurring antioxidants. It too has zero calories and is approximately 250 times sweeter than sugar. I find the taste more neutral than stevia. You will frequently find added ingredients in some stevia and monk fruit products, most frequently sucralose and erythritol. Be sure to opt for 100% pure stevia and/or 100% pure monk fruit.
Bottom line: My true favorite sweetener is no sweetener. Next up, I like 100% monk fruit or stevia depending on how it’s being used. If you need a sweetener that is more suitable for baking, consider dates/date sugar or coconut sugar as starters and then possibly 100% maple syrup or a locally sourced honey. Any way you look at it, choose wisely and use in small amounts. Do your best to simply avoid the artificial sweeteners. And definitely do not heat Splenda.
Want to view a great chart, take a look at this link. While generally not a fan of the Sugar Association, I find this chart to be very informative.
Whoa, that was a lot of information to digest. I certainly hope you found it helpful. I hope you’re able to enjoy the soon-to-be longer days.
Be well,
Natalie