Do you love to bake or just simply enjoy having sweets? 

Most people enjoy a treat from time to time, I don't blame you! However, in your health journey, you may be looking to reduce the amount of refined sugar you are consuming. Refined sugar is usually the type of sugar found in many packaged goods, pastries, and desserts, but what exactly is refined sugar? Refined sugar is produced when sugar cane or sugar beets undergo heavy processing to remove their nutrients, which leaves a product that is almost entirely sucrose. 

When you eat white or brown table sugar, sucrose, made up of glucose and fructose molecules, it's the sweet flavor that you are tasting. Finding your favorite alternative sweeteners to refined white or brown sugar to use in baking, mixing in your coffee, or whenever you enjoy a sweet taste can help keep your blood sugar stable and reduce the likelihood of drastic insulin spikes, which is a leading cause of type 2 diabetes. 

There are many different types of sugars out there and it can be confusing to know which kinds are best! So, how can you still satisfy your sweet tooth without eating lots of refined sugar? Let’s take a look at many different natural sugar substitutes!

Types of Natural Sugar Substitutes 

Unrefined Sweeteners

What exactly is an unrefined sweetener? Unrefined sugars, not to be confused with “unprocessed” sugars, include sweeteners that don’t have their nutrients completely stripped during processing. They still retain the nutrients that are present in their natural form and undergo less processing than refined white and brown sugar. 

It’s important to note that refined sugars are still usually very high in calories and carbohydrates. In other words, they may impact your blood sugar only slightly less than refined sugar. Additionally, the amounts of vitamins and minerals present in unrefined sugar are fairly low and not likely to provide very much of a health benefit. 

Molasses

Commonly used in baking, molasses syrup is a great option for a more full-bodied smoky flavor. Molasses is derived from sugar cane and sugar beets and is the part that is boiled out during processing to produce refined sugar. Some of it is retained in brown sugar, which gives it its color and different flavor from white sugar. 

By boiling sugar cane twice, you get a darker, thicker and more bitter syrup known as blackstrap molasses. While blackstrap molasses isn’t as commonly used as a sweetener due to it's flavor, it's much more nutrient dense! More specifically, it's especially rich in antioxidants, iron, calcium, magnesium, and potassium!

Coconut sugar 

Coconut sugar is a delicious natural sweetener for replacing granulated table sugar in a 1:1 ratio in baking recipes! It has a caramel-like flavor and is only mildly processed to retain its beneficial nutrients, like iron, calcium, zinc, and antioxidants. Coconut sugar isn’t a low-calorie option and while it may have a lower glycemic index than refined white sugar, it still has the same amount of carbohydrates per gram. So, if blood sugar control is your goal in using natural sugar substitutes, coconut sugar might not be the best option for you! 

Agave

The agave plant produces a sweet nector called agave syrup. It’s flavor can range from light to rich caramel flavor depending on how it’s extracted. Agave ranges from about 55-97% fructose, which doesn’t impact your blood sugar the same way as glucose does. This means that those conscious of blood sugar spikes like diabetics can enjoy fructose-based sweeteners like agave without having to take a lot of insulin. 

However, our bodies metabolize a much lower fructose content than what agave contains. Unfortunately, this can actually lead to high cholesterol and weight gain. Consuming straight fructose syrup is much different than eating a fructose-rich fruit full of fiber! So if you’re looking for the occasional way to avoid a major insulin spike, agave might be a great option to have on hand. 

Honey

One of nature’s sweetest gifts, honey is a delicious alternative to table sugar! While honey isn't low in calories or carbs, its known health benefits make it a winner to have in your kitchen. Honey has antibacterial and antimicrobial properties and is also soothing to the throat during times of sickness. Honey has higher fructose to glucose ratio than table sugar, meaning it has a slightly lower GI index. If substituting honey for sugar in a baking recipe, make sure to check out this honey-to-sugar converter.

Maple Syrup

Another one of nature’s incredible treats is mouth-watering maple syrup! There’s nothing quite like 100% pure maple syrup to sweeten practically anything, and it contains beneficial vitamins and minerals. Additionally, maple syrup has a lower GI than sugar and honey. Just like honey, make sure to check out this guide for substituting maple syrup when baking! 

Other Naturally Derived Sweeteners

Monk Fruit 

You may have heard of monk fruit recently as it’s been becoming popularized as a zero-calorie natural sweetener. Amazingingly, China Has been cultivating this fruit for hundreds of years. When extracted, monk fruit is approximately 100-250 times sweeter than table sugar and still contains no carbohydrates. Rather than getting its sweetness from high amounts of fructose or glucose, monk fruit’s intense flavor comes from a unique type of antioxidant called a mogroside. 

Although monk fruit extract is on the pricier side, it's sweetness allows you to use less at a time. Monk fruit is a challenging fruit to grow, harvest, and process, causing a higher price tag. For it'srich antioxidant properties, scientists believe that monk fruit may improve some health parameters. You can get monk fruit extract in granulated or liquid form. Erythritol, a sugar alcohol is someitmes mixes with monk fruit, which is something to keep in mind when purchasing. In both granulated and liquid forms, monk fruit is an easy additon to both beverages and foods!

Stevia 

Stevia is another popular zero-calorie sweetener. It's made from the leaves of the stevia plant and is about 100-300 times sweeter than sugar yet has no carbohydrates. Stevia in liquid drop or granulated form, and adding just 1-2 drops to your beverage is usually enough to sweeten it sufficiently - talk about a powerful natural sugar substitute! 

Sugar Alcohols

Naturally derived from plant and fruits, sugar alcohols provide a sweet flavor with few carbohydrates or calories. However, artificially manufactured sugar alcohols are common these days.

Sugar alcohols won't cause a big spike in blood surgar like natural sugar will. Unfortunatley, this can result in some unpleasant gastrointestinal side effects if consumed in large amounts. Here are some common sugar alcohols you may find sold as a sugar substitute along with their unique qualities:

1. Xylitol - equal to sugar in sweetness, can be used as a 1:1 substitute in baking and may help prevent tooth decay  
2. Erythritol - lowest chance of causing digestive problems, as it is almost fully absorbed in the small intestine
3. Sorbitol - very likely to cause digestive discomfort like diarrhea or abdominal pain when consuming 20 grams or more, but safe under 10 grams
4. Maltitol - almost as sweet as sugar with half of the calories

While sugar alcohols can be a great substitute to fulfill your sweet tooth without the excess carbs or calories, it’s important to keep consumption of these in moderation as you should with refined sugar. 

Whole Food Substitutes

While there are many different types of processed sweeteners that you can keep in your cupboard and easily add in to anything you are making, it’s also important to remember that you can easily substitute refined sugar with some sweet and tasty whole foods. So don’t overlook the ingredients that you might already have on hand! Here’s some delicious contenders:  

1. Bananas
2. Apples/applesauce (sweetened versions will have added sugars, unsweetened won’t)
3. Dates
4. Figs
5. Sweet potatoes 

Your blood sugar benefits from the extra fiber when using these food substitutes, you’ll also get extra vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. While these foods do contain sugar, there’s nothing wrong with increasing your intake of natural sugar with nutritious foods!

Check out some tips on using whole food sugar substitutes!

Ditch Artificial Sugars

There are so many delicious natural sugar substitutes out there! It can be tricky to figure out which one you will enjoy the most and what works the best in your recipes, but it may be worth some trial and error to find the delicious combination that satisfies your sweet cravings without the insulin spike. 

Need help knowing which sweetener might be best for you? You can always reach out to your Vessel nutrition coach for any questions or suggestions about natural sugar substitutes!