A few weeks ago Emily covered why you need to cut out artificial sweeteners. Take a minute to read this one.
Why you should cut artificial sweeteners.
Now, check out the follow-up to a lot of questions we received about what you should use instead. Here are Emily’s answers…
Best Options:
Organic Maple Syrup- (shocking I know that a girl from Vermont would recommend maple syrup) It is very sweet, comes from nature, has been around for years so we know it is safe, and our body knows how to process it. MPS is sweet enough that you can use very little and get a lot of sweetness and flavor.
Organic Honey- Honey is made by bees from the nectar of flowers. Very sweet, comes from nature, has been around for years so we know it is safe, and our body knows how to process it.
Molasses- Very sweet, comes from nature, has been around for years so we know it is safe, and our body knows how to process it. Also offers the body nutrients like potassium, calcium, and iron.
Organic Green Leaf Stevia -Stevia is a sweetener made by purifying extracts from an herb that grows in South America. Stevia is available as a dietary supplement but not a food additive in the United States because of a lack of data regarding its safety.
This means you can buy packets to use in your coffee or for baking, but you won’t find it already added to packaged foods. You can now also by the herb and process it yourself. Stevia has been widely used in Japan for the past several decades without any apparent adverse effects.
It actually has no calories and tastes up to 400 times sweeter than sugar, but it can produce a slightly bitter aftertaste. It won’t raise blood sugar, and it may even help stabilize blood sugar levels. There is some debate out there if it causes sweet cravings when you consume large quantities.
Okay Options:
Brown Sugar – white sugar with molasses, so it does offer a little nutritional content.
Truvia – more processed version of stevia, made by the Cargill and Coca-Cola company. Although they start with raw stevia herb, it is not know what process they use to develop the granules. They also list “natural flavor” in their process without identifying the source.
Why are theses your best options? They pack a sweet punch so you can use very little. Some of them offer nutrients, and excellent flavor. However, let us cover one more time that you should avoid excess sugar/sweetness.