Sweetener Alternatives

It's natural for people to like sweets. We're drawn to the refined, exaggerated perfection of what makes us like fresh fruits and greens. And who can blame us? Cakes, cookies and candies are just so darn cute and delicious. But our consumption of sugar is linked to numerous diseases, including diabetes, obesity and Alzheimer's to name a few. Sugar is added to almost everything we eat these days, and it's far too easy to have sweets with almost every meal instead of as an occasional treat. No matter what the name is for the sweetener, it all has a very similar effect on our waistline. Sugar, brown sugar, evaporated cane juice, high fructose corn syrup, sucrose, molasses, honey, agave nectar and many more are found in almost every packaged food and in many restaurant dishes. We have access to commercially available zero-calorie sweeteners, but the neurological damage and cancer links found in studies with sucralose, aspartame and saccharin (Splenda, Sweet-n-Low, Equal) and the headaches and withdrawal symptoms people experience when they stop eating it are a bit frightening. Here are a few unsung alternatives that are also naturally derived to help you shrink your waistline and kick sugar to the curb.

Stevia
Stevia is plant found in South America that can be grown as an herb like mint or basil easily. The leaves of the stevia plant are up to 300 times sweeter than regular sugar. Its strong sweetness means you don't have to add a lot to get the sweet effect you're looking for, however you can't trade a cup of sugar in a recipe for a cup of stevia. It comes in liquid form, sometimes with added extracts like vanilla to flavor it. It also comes in powder. Stevia has a slightly bitter aftertaste comparable to other commercially available artificial sweeteners. Some don't notice the bitterness and are fine to add it to tea or coffee, though I recommend using it to sweeten things that are thicker and have more flavor, like smoothies or pudding, to keep the stevia from overpowering the recipe. A pinch of salt added to the recipe can reduce the bitterness of stevia quite a bit.

Luo Han Guo
This sweetener is derived from the fruit of a Chinese vine of the same name. It has been used in China for thousands of years as an alternative to sugar and to treat the overweight and diabetics. It's often an ingredient in Chinese cough medicine. Luo Han Guo is also 300 times sweeter than sugar like Stevia. Because it is derived from a fruit, it has an aftertaste that is more earthy and "aromatic" in flavor, similar to molasses or brown sugar. Treat it like stevia when adding to food.

Erythritol and Xylitol
These two sweeteners are virtually made the same way and get their sweetness from sugar alcohols developed by fermenting fruit and/or sugar. Erythritol and xylitol are often found in gum and mints as they do not promote tooth decay. They tend to range from 0 to 10 calories per serving and do not effect your blood sugar. In granulated form, they are very similar in sweetness to sugar and can be swapped for sugar in a recipe with no adjustments. They are often considered slightly less sweet than sugar and have a "cooling" aftertaste, similar to mild mint. But beware: Just like alcohol, erythritol and xylitol are very hard on your digestion and can cause digestive issues when overconsumed. One or two cookies made with this sweetener or a couple cups of coffee with a spoonful stirred in is about all most people can handle without getting an upset stomach later in the day.


Try each of these natural alternatives to zero-calorie chemical sweeteners by themselves or in combination with each other to find your perfect sweet retreat, without worrying about the bad health effects! And until next time, keep it clean!