Everyone loves the sweet stuff but it comes with its downfalls, from the risk of excessive weight gain to diabetes, heart diseases, and strokes. With such high risks and not many people knowing their recommended daily amounts these health risks can easily creep up on you, making it the reason why many people today are being more wary about their sugar intake. Thankfully, due to science and research new sugars that are non-calorific or are low in sugar content have come on the market! these new sweeteners seem to pose no threat, as the body does not register them as sugar and, therefore, won’t store them as fat, thereby, making them a great option for losing weight and lowering the risk that normal sugars would have on your body. Below are a few favorite sweeteners that are natural and have little to no calories, so you can indulge to your heart’s content!
Stevia
Stevia would be the safest option of non-caloric sugars as it is an extract from the natural Stevia plant, research also shows there to not be any adverse effects making it the go-to of sugars. the downside of Stevia is that it does have an aftertaste of earthiness that most consumers do not like.
Monk Fruit
Native to China, Monk fruit also known as ‘Luo Han Guo’ is a great non-calorie sweetener, it is 250 times sweeter than sucrose making it a better taste profile. The benefits of Monk fruit are that it is highly anti-inflammatory, it helps to soothe sore throats and remove phlegm though it has been researched to also be a benefit to cancer patients. the downside is that monk fruit tends to be mixed with other sweeteners which usually contain erythritol- a type of sugar alcohol that causes bloatedness and stomach pains, If your an IBS or hernia sufferer this may be an issue.
Xylitol & Erythritol
if your health-conscious Xylitol and Erythritol are two sugars to class on your marmite list! both are non-calorific alcohol sugars found in fruits and vegetables, though Xylitol is also created by our bodies, despite this, both Xylitol and Erythritol can cause a laxative effect or stomach upset, however, depending on your health needs they also have great benefits, for example, Erythritol causes less tooth decay than other sweeteners, and can also be digested by the body fully allowing for less digestive issues, whereas, Xylitol can help stabilize blood sugar levels in diabetic patients, though for the general public these two sugars are one to avoid as the risks outweigh their positives.
Maple syrup & Yacon syrup
Although Maple syrup and Yacon syrup are not non-caloric sweeteners they are a great alternative to table sugars due to their low Glycemic indexes and natural plant sources. Additionally, these sugars come with great profiles as they also offer the benefits of small amounts of minerals such as manganese and zinc. When purchasing it’s best to get maple syrup in its purest form, whereas for yacon in order to keep its GI down it is usually made as refined sugar, still both are great tasting alternative options to regular table sugar and or non-calorific sweeteners that have an unbearable taste profile.
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