Sugar…Good or Bad?

WHAT SUGAR SHOULD I CONSUME? HOW MUCH SUGAR SHOULD I CONSUME? WHERE DOES NATURAL SUGAR FALL INTO THE DISCUSSION ABOUT SUGAR? 

I am a huge lover of sweets (maybe a little too much…hahaha)!! But I had the same questions about sugar. 

I used to think that all sugar was bad. When someone mentioned sugar, I would connect that food item with something to be cut out of my diet. Not because of anything my family had done. I got a birthday cake and ice cream like all of you!   But when I watched videos on YouTube, Twitter or Instagram, I was often told sugar needed to be kept out of my diet. 

As I did more research, I found that the issue is not with sugar, but with added sugars and total sugar that I eat. 

Natural sugar is not an ingredient to be feared if you know that it is a naturally occurring sugar. I have “sugar” most days, but it will usually come in the form of fruits like apples, bananas, and dates. And when I am baking, which I do most days…I find new ways to get that extra sweet kick without actually adding white sugar or brown sugar. Each time I eat a sweet, I want to make sure that it is adding healthful nutrients to my body and not wasting calories.

I want to give you 9 alternatives to refined sugar to add that extra kick of sweetness and maybe some extra health benefits without throwing in refined or processed sugar!!

1.Monk fruit

2. Stevia (organic preferred)

3. Xylitol 

4. Erythritol

5. Dates

6. Bananas

7. Raw Organic Local Honey

8. Organic Maple Syrup

9. Coconut Sugar

Tidbit 1: The last 3 refined sugar swaps are high total sugar calorie content, so use in small amounts.

Tidbit 2: When you are using a sugar alternative be careful to use the right ratio of sugar to the sugar alternative. If the recipe says 1 cup of sugar you will not need a full cup of the stevia, etc.

Tidbit 3: Anything overdone can be unhealthy. For instance, using too much Xylitol and Erythritol can cause an upset stomach.

Tidbit 4: Sugar-free sounds good, but usually in order for a food to be sugar-free, an artificial sugar has to be included. When you are buying “sugar-free” food make sure it is sweetened with natural sweeteners like Stevia and Monk Fruit.

*Disclaimer: these are just some of the benefits of the above food items. You can find other examples of “superfoods” and their benefits when doing research!  Always consult with a medical professional when significantly changing your diet.

XOXO 

JB!