What healthy sweeteners to use in recipes? We welcome the morning with a cup of bitter coffee or aromatic tea. Most of us add a lump of sweetness. Sometimes two to complete the enjoyment. However, we often do not think about the long-term effect of this habit. In fact, there are many ways to make food and drink healthier without losing the tempting, sweet taste. It is very important when choosing sweeteners for your recipes to pay attention to whether they are natural or artificial.
Even if they do not contain calories, artificial sweeteners can seriously affect our tolerance to sugar or lead to more serious consequences for our health. Natural sweeteners, in turn, are not only harmless, but can also contain antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. They are processed and assimilated more easily by the body. Here are some useful alternatives to refined sugar and harmful sweeteners that you can include in your daily menu. Honey This thick, golden liquid, in addition to being delicious, is rich in vitamins and minerals.
Honey has healing and anti-inflammatory effects. Its glycemic index is lower than that of table sugar. Unfortunately, it is not so convenient for baked cakes, it is also believed that at high temperatures some of its useful ingredients disappear. On the other hand, there are many different ways to enjoy it when consumed directly in recipes without heat treatment. However, it is good to be moderate in quantity, because although useful, honey contains sugars and is high in calories. Stevia Stevia is a natural sweetener derived from the leaves of the South American shrub Stevia rebaudiana.
Which sweeteners to use in our diets
It is an attractive sugar substitutes because it is many times sweeter than it, and at the same time it does not contain any calories. Studies show that consuming stevia in recipes does not raise blood sugar levels and prevents weight gain. At the same time it is an effective tool for the treatment of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and kidneys. Before including stevia permanently in your diet, it is good to consult a specialist, as it is not appropriate to use in combination with drugs to lower cholesterol and blood sugar.
Maple syrup Like honey, maple syrup is thick and amber in color. It also has beneficial anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. It is obtained by boiling the juice of maple trees. It contains a number of minerals in small quantities – calcium, potassium, iron, zinc, manganese. Its sibling is agave syrup, which also has beneficial properties for the body. Despite the beneficial nutrients of both syrups, they are high in sugar and should be used sparingly.
What healthy sweeteners to use like molasses is made from boiled sugar cane or sugar beet juice. It contains, albeit a small number of vitamins, as well as several antioxidants. It is also a good source of minerals – iron, potassium and calcium, which are important for many aspects of health. In general, molasses is a good substitute for refined sugar and a natural sweetener in recipes. However, let’s not forget that it is still a form of sugar. Used in various healthy sweets.
Erythritol Externally, erythritol is very similar to white healthy sugar, but it is certainly more useful than it. It is a polyhydric sugar alcohol and is synthesized from plants containing starch. It does not damage the teeth, and its zero glycemic index makes it suitable for diabetics, as it does not affect insulin and blood sugar. Keep in mind that in some people erythritol is more difficult to absorb by the body and may have a laxative effect.
Dates Dates are the dried fruits of the date palm. What healthy sweeteners to use an excellent alternative to refined sugar because, unlike it, they contain good nutrients, including fiber, potassium, magnesium, manganese, vitamin B6 and antioxidants. Due to their sweet taste, you can use dates in sweets as a substitute for sugar in desserts – energy bars, cakes, cookies, smoothies. They go well with nuts, seeds, oats and milk. Although very sweet, studies have shown that dates do not significantly affect blood sugar levels, even in people with diabetes.