Sweet Solutions: Deconstructing Sugar Alternatives and a Recipe for Homemade Ice Cream
Sugar: a simple five-letter word considered a powerful enemy by many.
Many dieticians recommend cutting back on highly refined foods and beverages with added sugars and artificial sweeteners. The good news is that there are sweet ways to reduce refined sugars in your diet, without sacrificing flavor.
Explore the following sweeteners by clicking on each drop-down below:
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Honey
Honey contains trace amounts of vitamins and minerals, as well as an abundance of plant compounds that provide anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits. Compared to table sugar, honey also has a slightly lower glycemic index (GI)—a measure of how quickly a food can make your blood sugar (glucose) rise.
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Maple Syrup
Maple syrup is the cooked-down sap of maple trees. It contains a small amount of minerals, including calcium, potassium, iron, zinc, and manganese. It’s also rich in phenolic compounds like lignans and coumarins that may have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.
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Molasses
Molasses is made from boiling sugar cane or sugar beet juice. It contains a handful of vitamins and minerals, as well as several antioxidants. It’s also a good source of the minerals iron, potassium and calcium, which are important for many aspects of health.
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Dates
Dates are the chewy, dried fruits of the date palm tree. Unlike refined sugar and many other sweeteners, dates are a good source of additional nutrients, including fiber, potassium, magnesium, manganese, vitamin B6, and carotenoid and polyphenol antioxidants. Dates are high in natural sugars, but studies note they don’t significantly affect blood sugar levels like table sugar does, even among people with diabetes.
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Fruit Purées
Blended fruits like applesauce offer health benefits due to their nutrients. For example, mashed bananas are high in folate, manganese, magnesium, and vitamins B6 and C. Unlike refined sugar, fruit is generally linked to a variety of health benefits, including a reduced risk of chronic disease and a lower risk of death from all causes.
