Blog65: "A Guide To Sugar"-replacing refined sugar with natural sugar

INDIA is the second largest producer and the largest consumer of sugar worldwide. If you are trying to decrease your intake of sugar, artificial sweeteners should not completely replace sugar. Artificial sugar 100 times sweeter than sugar, they can alter your sensitivity to sweetness, making you crave more sweet foods. Sugar is a sneaky little ingredient that's in a considerable amount of foods in many forms. Despite its delicious and innocent taste, sugar has addictive properties and is linked to a variety of preventable health conditions. Although it's easy to label all sugar as "bad", there are types that, when eaten in moderation, may have nutritional benefits. So if you are worried about your weight and want healthier alternatives to processed sugar, you might want to switch to the following natural sugar(3). Before jump into replacing the refined sugar with natural sugar, let’s understand that what is refined sugar, artificial sugar, natural sugar and it's sources.

1. REFINED SUGAR OR TABLE SUGAR

Refined sugar refers to sugars that have undergone an extraction and purification process, often turning the finished sugars into crystals that are easy to add to foods. Refined sugar typically refers to table sugar, which is most commonly made from sugar cane and sugar beets. During the refining process, the sugars are processed to the point where the nutrients naturally available in the raw foods are lost. Refined sugar is used as an added sugar in prepared and processed foods, as well as for eating and cooking.

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2. ARTIFICIAL SUGAR

These sugar substitutes are zero- or low- calorie alternatives to the sugar options. Because of this, companies market their products as "sugar-free", "diet" or "no calories". They are found in many diabetic products because they have little or no effect on blood sugar levels. Some can be made from natural leaf extracts and some are manufactured. Most artificial sweeteners are also remarkably sweeter when compared to table sugar, meaning smaller amounts can be used to create the same sweetness level.

+ Acesulfame potassium

+ Aspartame

+ Cyclamate (Sweet n' Low)

+ Neotame 

+ Sucralose (Splenda)

+ Saccharin (Sweet n' Low)

Also Read: Simple tips to stop sugar cravings

3. NATURAL SUGAR & SOURCES

Natural sugar is those found naturally in foods. For example, lactose is a natural milk sugar and fructose is a sugar found in fruits. They can also be sugars that are naturally produced, not refined and are added to foods, such as honey, stevia, agave nectar and maple syrup. Sources of natural sugar are considered healthier than refined sugars, because they usually contain additional nutrients -- for example, calcium from dairy products. However, natural sugars can still count as added sugar -- for example, sweetening your tea with honey or putting maple syrup on pancakes -- and should be limited.

+ Fruit: primarily contains fructose 

+ Potatoes and yams: contain starch which are made up of glucose molecules

+ Cow's milk: primarily contains lactose

+ Stevia: a favourite herbal sweetener of the health conscious, and certainly natural and plant-derived. However, the body responds to the sweet taste of stevia by preparing to receive sugar, rapidly clearing glucose from the bloodstream in anticipation. When none is provided (stevia provides no glucose or energy) a state of low blood sugar results, which can amplify cravings, increase appetite and elevate stress hormones.

+ Corn syrup: a highly refined sweetener derived from corn. Corn syrup is almost entirely glucose and is processed heavily to increase its sweetness (converting some of the glucose into fructose). HFCS is widely used in soft drinks, baked goods, cereals, condiments and processed foods, mostly in the US and foreign countries.

+ Honey: Honey has been hailed as a healing food in Ayurveda and has been used in a variety of medicines, since time immemorial. Besides improving immunity and protecting you from cold and flu, honey also aids weight loss and is extremely versatile. It doesn't have any overpowering flavor that might disrupt the overall taste of a dish and hence, can be easily used instead of sugar in almost all sweet dishes and even beverages like tea, milkshakes, smoothies, etc. However, only raw honey has all these health benefits.

+ Jaggery: Gur or jaggery is another super-food that can be used in a variety of sweet dishes, not just to add sweetness to them, but to also make them more nutritious. It's made from boiling concentrated sugarcane and is available in multiple forms. Jaggery can easily be added to milk tea, or any other desserts like halwas, laddoos, etc. Also Read : All about jaggery

+ Khandsari: Khandsari (Also known as 'Khaand') is a local delicacy produced in sugar lands of western UP, India from centuries. Khandsari is a simple sugar that is physically extracted from the liquid jaggery making it the healthiest alternative to refined white sugar. The sugarcane juice is boiled until it turns into thick liquid jaggery syrup. Then the syrup is let stay for couple of days for the formation of sugar crystals. Finally, the sugar crystals are separated using centrifugal machine. The process of separating sugar crystals is mechanical hence keeping the sugar chemical-free. No bleaching or refining agents are used anywhere in the process. 

+ Coconut sugar: Coconut sugar is one of the most enriched natural sweeteners out there. With the rise of coconut oil as a health food around the world, people are slowly recognizing the benefits of coconut sugar as well. It has a low-glycaemic index and hence, can control blood sugar. It is also rich in nutrients like iron, calcium, potassium, etc and is chock-full of antioxidants.

+ Maple syrup: is a thick, sugary liquid that's made by cooking down the sap of maple trees. It contains a decent amount of minerals, including calcium, potassium, iron, zinc and manganese. It also contains at least 24 different types of antioxidants. A couple test-tube studies have indicated that maple syrup may even have anti-cancer benefits, but more research is needed to confirm this. While maple syrup contains some beneficial nutrients and antioxidants, it's very high in sugar. It has a slightly lower glycemic index than regular sugar, so it may not raise blood sugar levels as quickly, but it will still raise them. Much like coconut sugar and honey, maple syrup is a slightly better option than regular sugar, but it should still be consumed in moderation.

+ Date sugar: Date sugar is another highly nutritious natural sweetener that can be a very valuable addition to your diet. It's made from dried dates that are ground to a fine powder. Dates are rich in fiber and can promote the feeling of satiety, keeping you full for longer. They are also rich in potassium that is detoxifying in nature. Cooking with date sugar might take some getting used to, but once you know how to use it properly, you'll end up making your dishes yummier and healthier.

+ Blackstrap molasses: Molasses is a thick syrup made during the sugar-making process. It comes from crushed sugar cane or sugar beets. This is the syrup produced after the third boiling. It is the thickest and darkest in color, and also tends to have a bitter taste. Blackstrap molasses is the most concentrated form and contains the most vitamins and minerals. For that reason, it is said to have the most health benefits. It contains several important nutrients and antioxidants, making it a better option than refined sugar. However, it's still very high in sugars, which can be harmful when consumed in excess. At the end of the day, molasses is just a slightly "less bad" form of sugar.

Ultimately these natural sugars are sugars, too. They provide a plethora of micro-nutrients, antioxidants and other protective components, along with easily digested carbohydrates to prime metabolism, decrease stress hormone activity and promote good health. As you all know "moderation is the key" , consuming in small amount is perfectly okay.

Easy ways to replacing refined sugar with natural sugars in your diet

+ Add raw honey to your coffee/tea in place of refined white sugar

+ Cook with sweet root vegetables

+ Sweeten home-baked cakes and muffins with mashed pumpkin, sweet potato or applesauce
+ Use whole fruits (fresh or frozen) in smoothies and shakes, instead of sugary syrups & flavoured milks

+ Buy plain yogurt and add your own fruit toppings or a little unprocessed honey

+ Use sweet-tasting spices such as cinnamon and natural cocoa powder

+ Sweeten desserts with Grade B maple syrup or honey 

+ Stick to 100% not-from-concentrate fruit juices, with no added sugars or sugar syrups

+ Make your own jams and conserves from 100% fruit and lemon juice

+ Eat whole fruits for dessert, fresh, poached, baked or stewed

+ Make your own chocolatey treats with cocoa powder, cinnamon, cocoa butter or coconut oil and honey.

Also Read: Stop overeating today
Second Thought's Final Thought

+ Each of these natural sweeteners has a best use, and some recipe modification will be necessary. Explore and find what natural sweetener you like best.

+ What is the best alternative to sugar? That is definitely a matter of taste preference as well as health status, but a good alternative to refined sugar will be a healthy natural sugar substitute rather than one of those dangerous artificial sweeteners.

+ Are natural sweeteners better than sugar? Unlike refined sugar, natural sweeteners like date paste and fruit jam provide beneficial nutrients and major health benefits.

+ Living healthy doesn’t mean you have to give up sweets entirely; it just means you need to replace unhealthy refined sugars and artificial sweeteners with these natural sweeteners.

"moderation is the key" 

THANK YOU!!