SUGAR SUBSTITUTES, THE GOOD THE BAD AND THE DOWN RIGHT UGLY

Sugar, it really is a love hate relationship with this simple carbohydrate. It is cheap, and makes things taste amazing! But aside from all of the things we as consumers and the food industry manufacturers love about sugar, we as a society are beginning to see the toll that it is taking on our health. Diabetes, obesity, and many cardiovascular disease are all contributed to by excessive consumption of sugar. This news is not new, and over the last couple of years I have seen a massive shift in peoples attitude towards sugar. This coincided with the rise in popularity of programs like ‘I Quit Sugar’ and books like ‘Sweet Poison’ (if you haven’t read the latter I urge you to please pick up this book at some point and have a quick squiz, it will change your perspective on sugar dramatically).

As we are seeing more people ‘giving up sugar’ we are also seeing a rise in sugar substitutes, of which people mostly know little about.

Below I have outlined the pro’s and the cons of the sugar substitutes that are currently being used. Knowlledge is power and you should be doing your research before replacing one food with another, because it may be doing you more harm than good.

AGAVE

From the same plant as tequila comes agave syrup. This super sweet alternative is often found in many ‘healthy’ foods. If you are a diabetic this may be a healthier option, however, like everything, consume it in moderation.

Pros: Low GI (effect on blood sugar)

Cons: Very high fructose (about 85%), highly processed and heat treated (translation: any beneficial enzymes or nutrients that were one in the syrup are no longer)

HONEY

Not all honeys were created equal so we need to make sure we are comparing the right types of honey.

Generally speaking, if you buy it from the supermarket it is no good. Why? It has been heat treated and processed to almost an inch of its life, leaving refined sugar with little to none nutritional benefit.

Instead opt for a raw organic and local honey if available.

Pro’s: natural and unprocessed, antimicrobial activity (meaning that it helps to support your immune system in fighting off any bugs that might be hanging around.

Cons: Relatively high fructose content and a moderate GI

RICE MALT SYRUP

Made by adding enzymes to breakdown the starches found in brown rice, then heated until it is broken down to a syrup.

Pros: Fructose free

Cons: High GI (98!!) and therefore has a strong effect on blood sugar. No nutritional benefit despite brown rice being very nutritious.

STEVIA

Stevia is a green leafy plant but modern stevia is generally sold in the form of the extract (liquid) and powder. Stevia is hard to use in cooking, in the sense that you don’t need to use very much at all to get a strong sweet taste.

Pros: Health benefits such as managing blood sugar levels and lowering blood pressure. Overall safety of stevia is high, with no adverse health effects currently known.

Cons: A distinctive taste which is unpleasant to some

COCONUT SUGAR/NECTAR

Made from the sap of the coconut plant (not to be confused with palm sugar..this comes from a different part of the plant). Coconut sugar is really easy to substitute with normal sugar, in terms of quantity and taste.

Pros: Low GI, contains vitamins, minerals and fibre unlike many other sweetener options

Cons: High calorie, similar to normal sugar, moderate amount of fructose.