Sugars, sugar substitutes and sweeteners: natural and artificial

These are all the different types you find on the market:

Sugar: sucrose (table sugar), brown sugar, cane sugar, coconut sugar

Sugar alcohol: xylitol, erythritol

Artificial sweeteners: saccharin, aspartame, sucralose

Natural sugars: maple syrup, honey, agave syrup

Natural sweeteners: allulose, monk fruit, stevia, yacón syrup

We all know that to improve our well-being we should cut out sugar and that research is still debating about the health risks of artificial sweeteners. Natural sweeteners are plant-derived with no or few calories. As you consume regular sugars, your blood glucose levels rise, triggering the release of insulin, the hormone that helps cells absorb glucose for energy. Natural sweeteners don’t seem to increase blood sugar level. Some of these sweeteners may even lower glucose or insulin levels. All of this suggests that they’re better options for metabolic health than artificial sweeteners or regular sugar. Here’s what we know now about four of the most common natural sugar substitutes:

Stevia: zero calories, and the extract is up to 250 times sweeter than sucrose. Hundreds of studies have shown it to be safe. Some research suggests that stevia appears to have little effect on glucose and insulin responses and could even decrease appetite.

Allulose contains 0,4 calories per gram. It has been shown that allulose doesn’t cause a rise in blood glucose levels or insulin in healthy people. In people with diabetes or prediabetes, swapping allulose for sugar can help decrease glucose impact by nearly 10 percent. Allulose is 70% as sweet as cane sugar. For that reason, it is recommended to use 1 1/3 cup allulose to 1 cup of sugar in recipes.

Monk Fruit is a sub-tropical melon from Asia. Available as a liquid or powder, the sweetener has zero calories. It’s still not studied its impact on glucose levels. Calculate a 1:1 ratio for sugar in recipes.

Yacón Syrup (20 calories per tbsp) contains prebiotic called fructooligosaccharides (FOS). FOS may promote stronger immune function, more stable blood sugar levels, and better lipid metabolism. It’s best for using to sweeten liquids or for drizzling on foods in replacement of honey or maple syrup.