Unlike artificial sweeteners, these are healthier natural alternatives to white sugar. Some of them are of low glycemic index and therefore suitable for use by those who seek to regulate blood sugar.
The sugar you find in a candy bar is very different from the sugar you find in an apple. That's because they're two different kinds of sugar. The sugar in a candy bar is added sugar, while the sugar in an apple — or any other kind of fruit — is natural sugar.
According to nutritionist Dr. Lisa Young, consuming natural sugar is completely healthy; it's added sugar you need to worry about.
There are two types of natural sugar, according to Young: fructose and lactose. Fructose is the kind of sugar you find in fruit, whereas lactose is the kind of sugar you find in dairy. Both are naturally occurring.
There are only a few sweeteners we can use that do not affect our health badly. Which means they are low in calories, low in fructose and have a very sweet taste. We reveal to you what healthy natural sweeteners are.
Few of us can really give up the sweet taste and all the sweeteners during the diet. For this reason, we present to you sweetener options that you can use when you look after pounds.
Stevia is one of the most popular natural sweeteners, and it is an extract extracted from the leaves of the plant of the same name (stevia rebaudiana). This plant has been cultivated in many parts of South America for centuries due to its sweet taste and its medicinal properties. There are several very sweet components in the leaves of stevia and a hundred times sweeter than the ordinary white sugar we use most often. Although very sweet, it does not contain calories, and some research has proven its healing properties. It lowers blood pressure by 6-14 percent, but has no effect on normal or low blood pressure. Stevia has been shown to lower sugar levels in diabetics. Several scientific studies have been published saying that stevia improves the body's sensitivity to insulin, lowers bad LDL cholesterol and reduces the buildup in the arteries. If you want to sweeten something, stevia may be the healthiest choice. There is a downside though. Many people simply do not tolerate the specific taste of stevia, but it depends on the manufacturer. Try more types and you may find the one that works best for you.
Erythritol is another sweetener with very few calories. It is actually sugar alcohol found in certain types of fruits, but if you are buying erythritol powder, keep in mind that it is most likely obtained through an industrial process. It contains 0.24 calories per gram or 6 percent of the calories from ordinary sugar with 70 percent of its sweetness. Erythritol does not raise blood sugar or insulin levels or have any effect on cholesterol and triglyceride biomarkers. It is absorbed into the body through the intestines, but is eventually excreted via the kidneys. Research has shown that erythritol is safe to use, but just like other sugars, it can have a bad effect on digestion if used in large quantities. It has a similar taste to sugar, but afterwards it has a slight taste in the mouth. Erythritol cannot be said to be healthy, but it is much less harmful and easier to tolerate than other sugars.
Xylitol is just like erythritol a sugar alcohol containing 2, 4 calories per gram or 2/3 of the calorific value of regular sugar. Xylitol has been shown to contain components that have a very good effect on tooth health, reducing the risk of tooth decay and tooth decay. It also has a very good effect on bone strength and helps prevent osteoporosis. It does not raise blood sugar or insulin levels. The same as erythritol can have a bad effect on digestion and is very toxic to dogs.
Yacon Syrup Recently, a hit among natural sweeteners is the yak syrup obtained from a plant of the same name, which grows in the Andes in South America. This syrup became popular after being reported to be an excellent supplement for weight loss, and one study reported that it was this syrup that had a significant effect on weight loss in obese women. It is very rich in fructooligosaccharides that have the same function as highly absorbent trains that feed good bacteria in the gut. Yacon syrup is very effective in treating constipation, but large amounts can cause digestive problems.
What about other natural sweeteners?
There are some very popular foods that people use instead of sugar, such as honey, molasses, coconut sugar and maple syrup. Although often used instead of sugar, they are not too different from white sugar. They contain a slightly lower concentration of fructose and some nutrients, but your liver will not really notice a difference with ordinary white sugar.
But to clarify something… Small amounts of sugar will not do you any harm if you do not take them often and if you do not suffer from diseases that completely prevent the use of sugar. However, always keep in mind that sugars are empty calories, without nutrients, to badly affect the health of your teeth, but they will certainly not destroy your metabolism and affect your liver health. It's all a matter of measure.
Eating healthy and exercising healthy will not hurt you if you occasionally sweeten your favorite treat.
