Healthy sugar replacements you need to try

July 31, 2017

Dates

Dates offer an overwhelming natural sweetness. Replacing refined sugar and artificial sweeteners with this delicious fruit will not only reduce inflammation caused by sugar, but also increase the nutrient content of your diet! They contain potassium, magnesium, and fiber that can aid in proper digestion. Consuming dates can also aid in heart health, energy production, and muscle contraction.

In the Kitchen: Add one date to a veggie smoothie for a sweet kick; make a date paste to spread on whole grain toast; or try the recipe below:

Avocado Date Zoodles

Ingredients:

2 zucchinis
1 tsp olive oil
½ can chickpeas
5 dates, chopped
½ avocado
2 oz plain Greek yogurt
1 cloves garlic minced
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp honey

Directions:

1.     Rinse and make zucchini noodles using a vegetable spiralizer
2.     Puree avocado, yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, and honey in food processor or blender
3.     Place zoodles and chickpeas in skillet with oil and cooking until broken down (about 4 minutes)
4.     Pour avocado dressing and dates over zoodles and heat for 2 minutes before serving.

Honey

Honey has been used as a healthy sweetener for ages and is known for its antioxidant content. Antioxidants can help fend off illness and protect from damage-causing free radicals. Although honey is a healthier sweetener choice, it is still mostly comprised of sugar and water so use it in moderation and choose darker, local varieties for more health benefits!

In the Kitchen: If you’re needing a little sweetness in your tea or coffee, add a teaspoon of local honey. Looking a delicious appetizer? Top granny smith apple slices with Gouda cheese and drizzle with honey!

Stevia

Stevia is a globally utilized, zero-calorie, natural sweetener deriving from the South American stevia plant. Stevia can help reduce daily sugar consumption and has been recognized as generally safe (GRAS) by the FDA. Stevia is much sweeter than sugar, so keep in mind that a little goes a long way. Many different Stevia varieties exist but my two favorite are the raw plant leaves or SweetLeaf Stevia packets.

In the Kitchen: Replace sugar with stevia using the conversion of ¼ teaspoon of stevia to 1 tablespoon of sugar; steep stevia leaves in herbal teas to sweeten; substitute stevia for simple syrup to make your cocktails skinny!

Fruit

Never underestimate the natural sweetness of fruit! Not only can it satiate your sweet tooth, but fruit also contains many nutrients and health benefits, like fiber, vitamins and antioxidants. Before you reach for a sweet treat, try reaching for fresh fruit first.

In the Kitchen: Make your own fruit preserves instead of conventional jams; use fruit purees instead of syrups; or make banana “nice” cream for dessert! Try this recipe:

Mint Banana “Nice” Cream

2 frozen bananas
¼ cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
¼ avocado
¼ cup spinach
1 tsp peppermint extract

Blend all ingredients together. Enjoy!