Cutting out sugar has never been trendier, but knowing the facts before going natural is important. Here’s the lowdown on why you should switch table sugar for these alternatives…
Because fruit is so sweet, it won’t come as a surprise that each piece is loaded with sugar. Now, don’t throw away your strawberries, cherries and pineapple too quickly. We’re talking about monosaccharide sugars called fructose – actually defined as a carbohydrate. Table sugar, in contrast, is a disaccharide called sucrose.
Normal free-flowing sugar from a bag that we all have in our kitchen cabinets right this moment is a completely empty calorie, bringing nothing to your nutrition but intense sweetness. Fruits come filled with fibre for good, slow digestion and boast a bevvy of with vitamins, minerals and nutrients – way more bang for your buck!
All fruits contain sugar of the same form, but each type holds vastly various quantities so it’s worth working out which are higher and lower if you want to keep even natural sugars to a minimum. It’s no secret that eating too much sugar (of any kind) can be harmful to your system and detrimental to a good diet, which makes fruit a fantastic snack or regular treat, but not something you should be having with every meal of every day.
As table sugar continues to get blacklisted and banned from diets across the world (often being dubbed as ‘toxic’, ‘poison’ and just pure ‘evil’ – if you don’t believe us, go read Robert Lustig’s articles on sugar ‘abuse’), we believe you can always have your cake and eat it too. We’re all for healthy eating, but having a little treat is important too, here’s sugar alternatives explained and our tips on how to still make and bake with sweetness but not empty calories:
Fresh fruit
Figs, dates, bananas and apples are great sweeteners and table sugar alternatives, which also add bulk and fibre. Ripe, freshly-picked berries will add instant hits of sweetness to your pancake batter, morning smoothie or dessert sauce. Lots of American recipes, especially sugar-free vegan ones, will use pureed banana to bind as an egg replacer and pureed apple as a natural sweetener.
Dried Fruit
Dried fruit contains all the goodness of its plumped up previous incarnation, though sometimes can contain added sugar, so read your labels carefully. If using dried (in morning granola, cakes and as a mid-afternoon office snack) a little often goes a long way, making you cook and bake both frugally and healthily. Hold a fig in your hand, now hold a dried fig – a huge difference in size, but similar nutritional structure. Bear this in mind.
Honey
Honey has long been of nutritional and antibacterial value, acting as a natural remedy and sometimes food source as far back as back 5,000 years ago (when Newgrange was only newly-built). With uncountable subtle variations in flavour depending on where and when bees collect pollen, honey is as versatile an ingredient as any other. Available in both runny and set styles, buying honey as local as possible ensures you are not contributing to a huge carbon footprint, supporting business in your area and helping to fight against hay fever. Also, remedy the onslaught of a sore throat or cold by trying a few cups of hot water with honey, lemon and clove – you’ll soon be right as rain again!
Maple syrup
A punchy flavour that’s derived from the sap of maple trees. With it’s base in nature and exposure to the elements, this earthy, thick sweetener is great balance for savoury dishes and amazing when drizzled over roasted root vegetables or in marinades which require a harmonious balance of salty and sweet.
Agave nectar
A relative newcomer to the scene in Western Europe, agave nectar is sweeter than table sugar and with the same complex structure as naturally-occuring fruit sugars. Made from the agave plant, it’s mostly produced in Mexico and offers a great vegan alternative to honey.
A dash of spice
Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cardamom and vanilla. You would be surprised how great sweetness can be replaced by warm spices or vanilla. Try upping these ingredients whilst lowering your table sugar intake for an initial taste of a sugar-free lifestyle.
