5 Sweet Alternatives for Processed Sugar

There’s no way around it: refined sugar creates deficiency in the body and offers nothing nutritionally.

Refined sugar is essentially nutrient-empty, calorie-dense and chemical-laden. It creates a peak in our energy followed by a crash. To be absorbed, white sugar actually draws minerals for our body. Minerals are key for lustrous hair, beautiful skin and high radiance factor -we need to add these to our bodies, not take them away!

Sugars are in the obvious culprits like biscuits, pastries and lollies, but they find their way sneakily into ‘everyday’ foods like sauces, spreads and crackers.

Don’t despair! Ditching the sugar does not mean ditching the sweet yumminess. There are many tasty sweeteners. And the good news? ..They offer nutrition and, can nourish your body.

The top 5 sweeteners that I use as part of a real food eating plan are:

1. Raw Honey

Nature’s top source of living enzymes. It is anti-fungal and anti-viral, a top longevity food and, quite honestly, liquid gold. Just be sure to buy RAW honey. Sadly, the honey off the supermarket shelf has been treated and heated and nutritionally amounts to, well… sweet nothing!!

2. Medjool Dates

Chewy, caramel-like morsels of yumminess. Dates are full of fibre and hold vitamin B5 and B6. They are great when mixed with nuts in raw tart bases.

3. Lucuma

Loaded with carbs, fibre, vitamins and minerals. This adds a subtle caramel flavour and creamier consistency to smoothies.

4. Mesquite

Another awesome addition in smoothies with a nutty flavour. Mesquite is low in GI and high in all-important minerals.

5. Stevia

Known as sweetleaf or sugarleaf, stevia comes from a plant and is low-carb and low sugar. Although stevia doesn’t offer a whole lot nutritionally, it does give the sweet taste minus the nasty effects of refined sugar (with extracts having 200 times the sweetness of sugar).

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Monica Caligiuri

Nutirtionist and Food Coach at Real Raw Wild

Monica is a Food Coach (The Australian Food Coach Institute), Raw Nutritionist (BodyMind Institute) and, author of 'Real, Raw &, Radiant -real food, raw food and super food guide'.She is passionate about energizing people’s lives through high quality nutrition and, specializes in 1 on 1 consultations that include a nutritional assessment and plan tailored to each person’s unique needs.