What instead of sugar? What is the healthiest sugar substitute?

Do you sweeten two teaspoons, one, or maybe three? The more, the more you are affected by the not at all sweet problem that Poles (and not only) have with this crystal additive. What’s more – you can choose not to sweeten at all and the problem will affect you too! Especially for you we check what to replace sugar with and give you quite a list of healthy options to choose from.

This time it is best to start reading with our other article, in which we answer the question whether sugar is addictive. There we describe “bad” and “good” sugars. There is also a clear answer to the problem already mentioned: why does one not need to sweeten to still be in the “sugar risk” group? In short: the ingredient simply ends up in so many dishes (and in large quantities!) that it is difficult for us to avoid it.

So today, let us try to make a difference!

Sugar substitute. We check what to replace sugar with

Well, yes, but why actually seek change? Well, there are solid grounds for that; the excess of consumed sugar leads to many diseases, from obesity, through tooth decay, to hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. In order to stay in good shape, it is worth looking for a substitute, for example in the form of a sweetener, or another, healthier solution.

Our “casting” for the healthiest sugar substitute is actually just a small introduction to a topic that would fit best into a large book. What’s interesting, at the end of last year there was a premiere of a quite interesting position of the author Molly Caramel “How to break with sugar”, where on 350 pages the issue is described in quite detail, although still not in an exhaustive manner. So let’s move on to the answer to the title question: what to replace sugar with?

Xylitol – good, but not everyone should

Sugar = a few zlotys, xylitol = a dozen. Euro! Yes, it is not a cheap substitute, but it has several properties worth mentioning. Firstly, it is its calorific value, which decreases by as much as 40% in comparison with the regular “crystal”. It stimulates the development of beneficial intestinal microflora, which aids calcium absorption, making it advisable for people suffering from osteoporosis or as a preventive measure against it. On top of that, it is as sweet as regular sugar, so it is efficient enough without having to use too much. Finally, it has a very low glycaemic index, which will please diabetics in particular.

The downside remains the way it is processed by the body, as xylitol does not undergo fermentation processes in the digestive tract, but only in the large intestine. This has advantages (neutrality towards tooth enamel) and disadvantages (possibility of excessive gas formation). Therefore, the body must be prepared for this sugar substitute and get used to it gradually.

It is worth knowing that xylitol is also referred to as birch sugar, due to the method of obtaining it – from birch bark. Be careful: the real one comes from Finland, where it is produced using a traditional method, while substitutes (made from corn) massively flood the market in the form of Chinese sources. You have to pay much more for the original, but it is definitely worth it.

Cane sugar

The expression “cane sugar” sounds healthier to many people than “granulated sugar”. The former, as the name suggests, is made from cane and the latter from beet or… cane. Yes, don’t be fooled by all sorts of revelations, cane can also be refined. The result is that unrefined cane sugar contains around 80% sucrose, which is still a poor result. On top of this, the nutritional content is traceable. So far, it is still xylitol that is in first place.

Aspartame – harmful?

What instead of sugar? Aspartame, perhaps? It is harmful! Such information circulated the world some time ago, but is it true? It turns out that it is not necessarily true. First of all, the main allegation was carcinogenicity – in the nineties studies were carried out on rats, allegedly confirming this thesis, but the enzymatic processes of these animals did not fully reflect the behaviour of the human body. Modern research has unequivocally failed to show any cancerous side effects.

Another risk is phenylalanine, which is produced by digesting aspartame. However, here too the situation remains special – this is a problem only for people with a specific disease, namely phenylketonuria. The manufacturer is obliged to inform on the packaging about the use of this sweetener.The third “sin” with which aspartame is associated is methanol, which is released in metabolic processes shortly after its consumption. And here the problem is solved quite quickly, because there is relatively little methanol.

Nevertheless, aspartame is a chemical compound, more specifically a peptide ester with the designation E951. Its excessive and prolonged consumption can cause a number of problems, such as insomnia, dizziness, rashes or nausea. Although there are no studies indicating its carcinogenic effects in humans, as well as (usually) immediate allergic reactions, it is recommended to limit its consumption to those products that are necessary. The acceptable daily intake (ADI) has been set (depending on the organisation) at 40-50 mg/kg body weight.

Coconut sugar

Worthy of note in the case of coconut sugar is its rather low glycaemic index, which is exactly 35. This number is connected with a serious issue – it can be consumed by diabetics. However, going to other scientific sources, the index is rated much higher, at 54, and this is already quite a problem, because it is not far from ordinary refined sugar (68). It is therefore usually recommended to use xylitol, which also has slightly fewer calories.

However, coconut sugar has a certain other, rather important property, namely an interesting taste. It is particularly suitable for desserts, which acquire a slightly caramel and, above all, coconut flavour. In terms of nutrients, it has small amounts of potassium, calcium, iron and zinc. This makes it slightly healthier than conventional sugar, although not by much in practice.

Something new – stevia

Is it possible to combine a slightly bitter taste with a sweetness 300 times greater than that of refined sugar? Such is stevia, a healthy plant native to South America. This sugar substitute comes in many forms: tablets, powder, fresh leaves and liquid. It can be used both for baking and to sweeten tea – of course, bearing in mind its natural sweetness, i.e. not using too much. What we can find in the shop is usually available in the form of a sweetener, i.e. to the natural stevia extract producers add other (less sweet) sweeteners, such as erythritol. This makes the finished product less sweet, but makes it harder to use too much.

Stevia is calorie-free and therefore suitable for people on a weight-loss diet. In addition, it is rich in dietary fibre, antioxidants, minerals and vitamins, including C and B2, as well as selenium, calcium, potassium, copper, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, manganese and others. It also has hypoglycaemic, fungicidal, antibacterial and anti-carious properties. Moreover, it lowers blood pressure, which is at the same time a certain contraindication for people with a problem in this area. Besides, at many moments it is strongly compared with xylitol, which in many cases is superior in properties, low caloricity and better price.

Brown sugar. Is it really healthier?

Finally, we dispel a myth about sugar – that brown sugar is more expensive and healthier. The answer is twofold and is: not necessarily and not always. First of all, it is worth mentioning at this point the refining process, i.e. the chemical processing of sugar into the form of white crystals which we know very well. After this process, we have almost only sucrose in our ingredients, and no nutritional value.

The first problem you may encounter when buying brown sugar is that it is ordinary refined sugar coloured brown, for example with caramel. Apart from the colour, it is no different from ordinary white sugar. If you are looking for a genuine product, you will find the word ‘unrefined’ on the packaging. Then, too, it is not really possible to say that it is a real sugar substitute, because chemically, except for the content of potassium, iron or magnesium, it is the same substance, i.e. sucrose.

It does have all those nutrients in it that are destroyed in the refining process, but there are still relatively few of them. Their calorific value is not very different (+/-20 kcal), so to get the same sweetness you have to use more of it and therefore take in more energy.

Sugar substitute in another form – do you know any?

Erythritol, date syrup, honey, molasses? We realise that the above described are not all options for a sugar substitute. We also know that every blog article on the web is complemented by the substantive comments that appear underneath. Therefore, if you know and use other methods or ingredients that allow you to eliminate excess classical sugar from your diet, then share this knowledge with other readers – we invite you to discuss!

All these sugar substitutes you can find in the Fitatu application. Thanks to this, you can see how the calorific value of your favorite dishes changes when you replace sugar with one of the substitutes mentioned. More information about Fitatu can be found at: https://www.fitatu.com