Sugar Alternatives and Substitutes: Keep the sweetness & increase the health
Baking projects are all the craze - and with so much time at home and kids excited to partake - our home has never seen so much action in the kitchen. I try and make cooking and baking as nutritiously dense and as healthy as possible. And that is always my hurtle with baking... there is just SO MUCH SUGAR! I make a point of substituting sugar out of our families baking recipes and using sugar alternatives. So I thought it was a perfect opportunity to share some alternatives with you, so you can try them for yourself:
1. Stevia: A natural sweetener extracted from the leaves of a South American shrub, this zero calorie extract is available in powder or liquid form for baking. Be careful to read labels because the extract strength may mean that a very small amount of stevia is required as compared to sugar quantities. It is also worth noting that the two compounds stevioside and rebaudioside A have different tastes so explore various products to find the one that appeals most to your taste buds.
2. Xylitol: Similar to stevia it does not raise blood sugar or insulin levels; however, this sugar alcohol does have 2.4 calories per gram which is about 40% fewer than sugar. It should be noted that this, like other sugar alcohols, xylitol can upset the stomach (gas and bloating) when eaten in larger quantities and and it is also toxic to dogs so be careful.
3. Erythritol: This is another sugar alcohol like xylitol but contains even fewer calories. Our bodies do not have enzymes to break it down so we excrete it unchanged in urine and it does not affect our insulin levels or glucose levels.
4. Yacon Syrup: Another South American plant extract, this syrup is extracted and thick and dark more like molasses. Yacon syrup contains 40–50% fructooligosaccharides, which are a special type of sugar molecule that the human body cannot digest. Yacon syrup contains 40–50% fructooligosaccharides, which are a type of sugar molecule that the human body cannot digest / absorb resulting in only about 1/3 the caloric intake of regular sugar. NOTE: High temperatures break down the structure so while you can not bake with it, you can experiment using it in dressings or even added to unheated sauces or icing or onto oatmeal and other things that remain at not too high a temperature
5. Munkfruit Extract: Unlike most fruits, the natural sugars in monk fruit aren’t responsible for its sweetness. Instead, it gets its intense sweetness from unique antioxidants called mogrosides. During processing, mogrosides are separated from the fresh-pressed juice so the monk fruit sweetener we buy does not contain fructose or glucose. Be aware though that because this extract may be 100–250 times sweeter than sugar, many manufacturers mix monk fruit sweetener with other natural products, such as inulin or erythritol, to reduce the intensity of the sweetness.
I use stevia and munkfruit extract at home depending on the recipe. Try out various sugar alternatives in your upcoming baking projects and see which work for you and your family.
Happy baking!!
Dr. Kristin Heins ND, RP
Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine
Registered Psychotherapist
Co-Author "Who Am I?" book series