The main constituent in millions of recipe- sugar enhances the flavour and sweetens the food. Though sugar comes from sugar cane and is a natural substance still it has its own shortcomings such as high calories sans fibre or protein. It’s a strict ‘no-no’ for diabetic patients as it shoots up insulin levels. If you’re looking forward to experimenting with some natural and healthy substitutes for sugar here they are:
Honey
Not only sweet but packed with numerous qualities, honey has fewer calories and fewer amount of fructose and glucose in it. Raw honey has a variety of plant chemicals acting as antioxidants. Along with that honey has effective antibacterial and antifungal properties which are known to be a folk remedy for different infections. Since honey is prebiotic in nature it nurtures the good bacteria and helps in digestion and overall wellbeing.
Stevia
Made from the leaves of Stevia Rebaudiana plant, stevia is a sweetener that grows in a warm climate. It doesn’t have calories and carbohydrate, thus it doesn’t spike the blood sugar level. These benefits make stevia the perfect substitute for sugar. Add dried leaves powder to your beverages or sweet dishes and fulfil your dessert cravings.
Date Sugar
Date sugar is the richest sugar in terms of antioxidants. It is prepared from ground dates by drying them. It also constitutes a high concentration of potassium. However, it does contain a certain amount of fructose, thus not advisable for those looking towards maintaining the right blood sugar level.
Jaggery
It is prepared using traditional methods of pressing and distilling cane or palm juice. The steps include extraction, clarification and concentration. It certainly has more nutrients than sugar because of high molasses content, which is removed while preparing refined sugar. It also contains a minute amount of vitamin B, calcium, zinc, phosphorus and copper.
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Maple Syrup
Everybody’s favourite, maple syrup is harvested from maple trees. It’s impossible to devour pancakes without adding the layers of dripping maple syrup and guess what it is also an excellent alternate to sugar. If nor processed, it’s one of the most natural forms of sugar. Though it has a fair share of antioxidants but it does contain fructose too.