Sugar in Everyday Life: The 7 Healthiest Alternatives

Healthy alternatives to sugar are sought. Because high sugar consumption promotes obesity and lifestyle diseases such as diabetes. We have put together seven recommended sweeteners for you.

Sugar alternatives in the form of syrup

If you want to replace table sugar, there is a selection of different plant syrups with different degrees of sweetness and individual aromas. You should note that with these products you are already adding more water to the recipes. Keep these three candidates healthy if you don’t overdo it.

• Maple syrup is about 60 percent carbohydrates. Except for one percent, these are sucrose units – i.e. double sugars made up of one building block each, glucose and fructose. It contains some vitamins as well as minerals and trace elements. It also scores with anti-inflammatory polyphenols and antioxidants.
• In addition to sugar-sweet fructose and glucose, honey contains a large number of minerals, vitamins, and health-promoting accompanying substances as well as enzymes. These have even been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects. However, as soon as you heat honey, the health benefits disappear.
• Rice syrup is judged particularly positively because it contains little fructose. Its sugar content is based on glucose building blocks, which are linked in several units to form oligosaccharides. The effect on the blood sugar level is, therefore “softer” – it rises much more slowly than with table sugar.

Sugar substitute in solid, spreadable form

The following powders and granules are more similar to table sugar and therefore easier to use in cooking. However, you have to find out how much you really need in each case. Household sugar can only be substituted 1:1 in recipes in the rarest of cases.

• Birch sugar – also known as xylitol or buckle – is a sugar alcohol that leaves blood sugar levels unperturbed and contains only about half the calories of sugar. Also positive: It reduces the development of tooth decay. “Too much” can cause flatulence and loose stools.
• Erythritol: The sweetening power of the sugar alcohol erythritol is about 70 percent of ordinary sugar. At the same time, however, it accounts for only 20 percent of the calories and does not cause blood sugar to rise. However, be careful with daily consumption: Too much of a good thing can provoke diarrhea.
• According to the manufacturer, coconut blossom sugar also causes the blood sugar level to rise more slowly than table sugar. His glycemic index of 35 is said to be responsible for this. Additional content such as vitamins and minerals is also positive about the noble sweetness with a hint of caramel.
• Stevia is about 300 times sweeter than sugar. The sweetener spikes your blood sugar to zero percent. This changes, however, when stevia extract is mixed with carriers such as maltodextrin for better dosing. When using stevia, you should not exceed the daily limit of 4 milligrams/kg body weight.

Sugar consumption: Less sweet would already help a lot

According to nutritional surveys, we eat an average of 100 grams and more of sugar per person per day. This has a negative effect on health. According to nutritional societies, a maximum of 50 grams is recommended, and according to the World Health Organization (WHO) only 25 grams.

• The best sugar is still the one you don’t eat at all. Because people who eat fewer sweets live healthier lives overall and are less likely to develop obesity.
• Reach for sugar alternatives, just as with sugar, and make sure that you prefer to be cautious about sweetening. This also applies to sweets with little or no calories. This will get your taste buds used to less sweetness in the long term.
• In general, you should give preference to sweeteners that contain more sucrose or glucose, but less fructose. Too much fructose is suspected of promoting obesity. Too much fructose (more than 80 grams/day) can lead to non-alcoholic fatty liver.
• That’s why agave syrup, apple, and pear syrup – with a lot of fructose – are no longer among the first choices for sugar alternatives. You should also avoid such sweeteners if you have fructose intolerance.
• Also, consider sugar alternatives: These do not contribute much to the general supply of vitamins and minerals, even if they contain more than sugar. It is better and healthier if it contains polyphenols or antioxidants.
• Tip: The North Rhine-Westphalia consumer advice center has reissued its current guide “Caution Sugar”, in which the worst sugar traps and the best alternatives, including some recipe tips, are clearly presented.