The overconsumption of processed sugar and carbohydrate intake make us look today at alternatives to sugar. Alternatives still have sugar but they are easier for your body to process. The World Health Organization (WHO) has recently dropped the recommended daily allowance of sugar from 10% to 5%. (or roughly 25 grams, 6 teaspoons). Read on for these 5 Great Sugar Alternatives!
This is extracted from birch wood and is a naturally occurring alcohol found in plant material such as vegetables and fruits (eg. cauliflower, berries and plums). Xylitol benefits include the fact that it doesn’t raise your blood sugar level, helps prevent tooth decay, has the same sweetness of regular sugar and might even prevent ear infections in preschool children. (A note of caution however: if you have dogs, be careful with the handling and storing of birch sugar as evidence suggests it can cause severe liver damage in animals.)
2. Raw honey
If you decide to swap out refined sugar and use honey, better to make sure you pick the raw variety. Raw honey (contrary to most of the honeys consumed nowadays that are filtered and heated) is unpasteurized, unfiltered and pure so it keeps its wonderful nutritional values intact and maintains many health benefits, is antibacterial, antiseptic and has anti-inflammatory properties. Despite its many advantages, honey has a similar effect on your blood sugar level as regular sugar, making it unsuited to diabetics. Children under one-year-old should not eat honey since it may contain a bacteria that could grow in the child’s undeveloped digestive system. According to research, honey might reduce allergy symptoms, so if you buy local honey it could actually help with allergies since it may make your body adapt to local pollen strains.
As other fruits can be an alternative to sugar, the pluses of using dates are that its high potassium content, vitamins, minerals and fibre are even higher than that of honey. The fibre and low glycemic index in dates help to slow down sugar absorption. Dates have been shown to relieve constipation, decrease cholesterol and boost energy. Dates are a great, versatile ingredient used in baking.
4. Stevia (steviol glycoside)
This all-natural sweetener amongst our sugar alternatives is extracted from the plant species Stevia Rebaudiana, a South American plant. Stevia is a good alternative for people suffering from diabetes and overweight since it’s zero-calorie. Stevia is sweeter than sugar but has a bitter aftertaste. The stevia added to food is a chemical extract (E960) so unfortunately, doesn’t contain its valuable nutrients.
5. Maple syrup
This is extracted and usually made from the xylem sap of sugar maple, red maple, or black maple trees, with the Quebec province (in Canada) being the largest global producer. It is one of the healthier alternatives to sugar, as it’s all natural, contains a high number of different compounds such as antioxidants (phenolic compounds) that reduce the damage caused by free radicals. It also possesses anti-inflammatory properties in addition to calcium, potassium, and magnesium. Look for Grade B or even Grade C quality product that is USDA-certified organic.
I for one, have already started using maple syrup and dates to bake cakes and biscuits with amazing results! What healthy sugar alternatives have you tried and found most satisfying? Let us know by commenting below, joining in the conversation on Facebook and following us on Twitter and Instagram. (Check out more Top 5’s and we’ll help get and Keep YOU Fit in no time!)
Matumizi ya sukari ya ziada na ulaji wa wanga hutufanya tuangalie mbadala wa sukari. Vingine vina sukari lakini ni rahisi kwa mwili wako kuvichanganua. Shirika la Afya Duniani (WHO) limepunguza kiasi cha sukari kinachopaswa kutumiwa kila siku kutoka asilimia 10 hadi asilimia 5. (Kuhusu gramu 25 za chakula, au kijiko cha chai) Soma juu ya hizi 5 Great Sugar Alternatives! Hii ni kuchukuliwa kutoka birch mbao na ni asili kutokea pombe kupatikana katika mimea kama vile mboga na matunda. cauliflower, berries na plums). Faida za Xylitol ni pamoja na ukweli kwamba haina kuongeza kiwango cha sukari ya damu yako, husaidia kuzuia kuoza kwa meno, ina ladha sawa ya sukari ya kawaida na inaweza hata kuzuia maambukizo ya sikio kwa watoto wa shule ya mapema. Hata hivyo, kama wewe ni mnyama, unapaswa kuwa makini na kushughulikia na kuhifadhi sukari ya birch, kwa sababu ushahidi unaonyesha inaweza kusababisha uharibifu mkubwa wa ini kwa wanyama. 2. Uwezekano wa kupata Ikiwa unaamua kubadilisha sukari iliyosafishwa na kutumia asali, ni bora kuhakikisha kwamba unachagua aina mbichi. Asali ya mbichi (kinyume na asali nyingi zinazotumiwa leo ambazo zimepasuliwa na kupasha joto) ni safi, haijachapishwa na haijasafishwa, kwa hivyo inahifadhi maadili yake ya lishe ya ajabu na inahifadhi faida nyingi za afya, ni antibacterial, antiseptic na ina mali ya kupambana na uvimbe. Pamoja na faida zake nyingi, asali ina athari sawa kwa kiwango cha sukari ya damu kama sukari ya kawaida, na hivyo haifai kwa wagonjwa wa kisukari. Watoto chini ya umri wa mwaka mmoja hawapaswi kula asali kwa sababu inaweza kuwa na bakteria ambayo inaweza kukua katika mfumo wa kumeng'enya chakula wa mtoto. Kwa mujibu wa utafiti, asali inaweza kupunguza dalili za mzio, hivyo kununua asali ya ndani inaweza kusaidia na mzio, kwa kuwa inaweza kufanya mwili wako kukabiliana na aina ya mchuzi wa mchuzi. Kama matunda mengine yanaweza kuwa mbadala wa sukari, faida ya kutumia tarehe ni kwamba maudhui yake ya juu ya potasiamu, vitamini, madini na nyuzi ni hata ya juu kuliko asali. Fiber na kiwango cha chini cha glycemic katika tarehe husaidia kupunguza upungufu wa sukari. Mtende umeonyeshwa kupunguza uvimbe, kupunguza kolesteroli na kuongeza nishati. Mchele ni kiungo kizuri sana kinachotumiwa katika upishi. 4. Uwe na uhakika Stevia (stevia glycoside) ni aina ya sukari ya asili inayotokana na mmea wa Stevia rebaudiana. Stevia ni mbadala mzuri kwa watu wanaosumbuliwa na kisukari na uzito wa ziada kwani haina kalori. Stevia ni tamu kuliko sukari lakini ina ladha kali. Stevia iliyoongezwa kwa chakula ni dondoo la kemikali (E960) kwa hivyo kwa bahati mbaya, haina virutubisho vyake vya thamani. 5. Uwe na mtazamo mzuri. Mti wa maple ni mti wa asili wa Canada, ambao hutengenezwa kutoka kwa mti wa maple, maple nyekundu, maple nyeusi, na maple ya sukari, na mti wa maple nyeusi, na mkoa wa Quebec ni mtayarishaji mkubwa wa mimea hiyo. Ni moja ya mbadala afya kwa sukari, kama ni wote asili, ina idadi kubwa ya misombo tofauti kama vile antioxidants (misombo phenolic) ambayo kupunguza uharibifu unasababishwa na free radicals. Pia ina uwezo wa kuzuia uvimbe pamoja na kalsiamu, potasiamu, na magnesiamu. Kwa hivyo, chagua bidhaa za ubora wa daraja la B au hata daraja la C ambazo ni za kikaboni zilizothibitishwa na USDA. Mimi tayari nimeanza kutumia syrup ya maple na mihadasi kuoka keki na biskuti kwa matokeo yenye kustaajabisha! Ni mbadala gani wenye afya wa sukari ambao umejaribu na kugundua kuwa wenye kuridhisha zaidi? Tuambie kwa kutoa maoni hapa chini, kujiunga na mazungumzo kwenye Facebook na kufuata sisi kwenye Twitter na Instagram. (Angalia zaidi Top 5s na tutakusaidia kupata na kuweka wewe fit katika muda mfupi!)