2024

Sweets for your sweets: A quick guide to natural and artificial sweeteners (PART 2)

 

On part 1 [http://www.nutrition53.com/Sweets-for-your-sweets-A-quick-guide-to-natural-and-artificial-sweeteners-PART-I_b_51.html], some artificial sweeteners were listed, including what risks are associated when consuming them. This time get to know more about natural sweeteners; it could be better suited for you than other sweets.

 

 

Natural Sweeteners

 

One advantage of using natural sweeteners — or food choices that use natural sweeteners — is that it helps prevent chemicals to enter your body, which may have harmful effects. Natural sweeteners, including our trusty ol’ granular sugar could be better for you as it may contain naturally occurring good properties like antioxidants. Find which one suits you best with these natural sweeteners you can commonly find.

 

 

  1. Raw Honey

Make sure you look for raw, unprocessed honey as the processed ones tend to lose it’s natural antioxidants, enzymes, amino acids, vitamins and minerals. Although when using honey, use as little as possible because it can be very sweet and it’s high in fructose.

 

      2. Agave liquid

Extracted from agave fruit, agave liquid — in nectar or syrup form — has no associated health risks in its natural form. In fact, it doesn’t spike blood sugar as quickly as table sugar, though it contains some calories. Make sure to use it moderately just like honey.

 

      3. Stevia

When replacing sugar, most experts will recommend stevia. It’s an all-natural sweetener derived from the leaf of the stevia rebaudiana plant. It has no calories, have beneficial effects on the pancreas, and can help keep off sugar cravings as it assists control of blood sugar levels. It’s known to be the best choice for diabetics, dieters, and even vegans. For complete nutritional benefit, stevia is used in the all-natural, plant-based protein mix Vegan1 [http://www.nutrition53.com/vegan1.htm]. Vegan1 is completely paleo-friendly, using only natural ingredients (just like stevia) to give you the nutrition you need. In fact to make it tastier, Vegan1 used another natural sweetener — organic cane sugar — in healthy amounts of course.

 

Whether for your beverages, desserts, snacks, and even toothpastes, make sure you watch-out for what kind of sweetener is used to ensure you get the best nutrition you can.