Bake your cake and eat it too! Natural Sugar Alternatives to Tame Your Sweet Tooth
I love cakes. I really do. My obsession for them is able to surpass even Homer’s love for donuts! Well, a cake lover can dream… Having too much of anything is never a good thing – my doctor never skips to find a way to remind me of that when I go for a check up. In addition, refined sugar is known to be the cause of several chronic diseases, including obesity, heart failure and rapid tooth decay. Although I cannot imagine a word that will replace sugar in my book, luckily, I can replace it as a substance in my food by turning to those great natural sugar alternatives – and so should you.
What are Natural Sugar Alternatives?
Natural sugar alternatives are a group of carbohydrates that are used to replace refined sugar. They do not wreak havoc on your health, yet they give out the same sugary taste. There are dozens on the market today, but I will go through only the tastiest and most popular ones:
Stevia
Stevia originates from South American continent and it is 300 times more potent than sugar. Native Indians have used it as a sweetener for many centuries before it was discovered by the conquistadors. Stevia has no calories and is the most popular sugar alternative on the market. It is most suitable for diabetics – the best sugar alternative they can imagine, completely harmless regarding blood sugar levels. There are many sugar-free cake recipes, but my favourite is the black beans & Stevia Healthy Chocolate Cake.
Xylitol
Just like Stevia, xylitol has fewer calories, looks and tastes like normal sugar and does not raise blood sugar levels. There are certain chewing gum brands that have already chosen xylitol as their sweetening ingredient, which is great for people who are well-informed and don’t want to have anything to do with sugar anymore. As a chemical substance, xylitol is categorized as a sugar alcohol, which has the power to satisfy the taste buds inside the mouth. You can find Xylitol in many fruits and veggies and that is why is classified as a natural sugar alternative.
Maple Syrup
Already a household item for many people, maple syrup can replace sugar in most cakes because it reduces the volume of other liquids in the cake. Giving you a more creamy feel, regardless of all other ingredients you may choose for your cake ,with maple syrup you are sure to make it better. It has all the qualities of a natural sweetener, excluding all the bad effects of natural sugar and giving you a good substitute for your cakes to taste yummier!
Conclusion
People say that 2016 is the year of changes, and my advice to you is to take a better care of your health, starting with ditching sugar and turning to natural sugar alternatives instead.
