How to Choose Healthy Sugar Substitutes
Talk with your doctor., Use honey., Sweeten with stevia., Consider using sugar alcohols., Look for agave nectar., Pay attention to artificial sweetener labels., Watch for high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS)., Use neotame., Pay attention to advantame...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Talk with your doctor.
Ask your doctor to recommend a sweetener based on your particular health condition.
In general, natural sweeteners are safer and offer more nutrients than artificial sweeteners.
You'll still need to limit your sugar and sweetener intake, regardless of the substitute you choose.Remember there really is no "healthy" sugar.
Your doctor may recommend that you eat naturally sweet foods instead of adding artificial sweeteners to food.
For example, you might pick dark chocolate or fresh fruits instead of a beverage sweetened with aspartame. -
Step 2: Use honey.
Honey is a natural sweetener that has 21 calories per teaspoon (or 3 calories per gram).
It can be used in baking and cooking.
If you're looking for a safe sweetener, honey has no known safety concerns, although you shouldn't give it to children under the age of 1 due to the of the risk of infant botulism.Honey is frequently used in medicine to treat many conditions, heal wounds, and for its antibacterial properties., Stevia is an herb that comes from the plant Stevia rebaudiana.
It's approximately 60 times sweeter than table sugar.
Stevia has no calories and no nutrients.
Because of this, it's often used to help lose weight although studies are needed to support this.There are no proven side effects associated with stevia.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) both consider stevia to be safe.If you notice an aftertaste, stevia can be combined with sugar to hide its bitter aftertaste., Sugar alcohols (sorbitol, xylitol and mannitol) are naturally found in foods.
They contain 10 calories per teaspoon, but are also only half as sweet as table sugar.
Because they aren't linked to tooth disease or obesity, dentists often recommend sugar alcohols.
Since they are a sweetener, you should still try to cut back on them.Sugar alcohols are not as easily broken down by the body as table sugar.
They can cause gas, bloating, and diarrhea.
Xylitol is extremely toxic to dogs and cats.
Make sure your pets do not ingest xylitol or anything containing the sweetener.
If you suspect they have ingested it, immediately call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) at (888) 426-4435. , This comes from the agave plant, a type of cactus.
It's similar in taste, texture, and appearance to honey and has 20 calories per teaspoon.
Agave nectar is sweeter than table sugar and contains fructose, which is usually found in fruit.
Be aware that agave nectar is associated with health problems.
It may increase blood lipid levels, reduce insulin sensitivity, and increase the risk of diabetes when eaten in large amounts., Most artificial sweeteners have not been tested thoroughly and products often contain several types of sweetener.
This can make it hard to figure out how much sweetener you're actually eating.
Read the nutrition information and ingredients list to make an informed decision.
Learn about a variety of sweeteners so that you can recognize them in everyday products.Ignore advertising that calls a sweetener "natural." Since artificial sweeteners often come from a natural source (like herbs or sugar), they might be labeled "natural" even though they're very processed.
Studies show that some artificial sweeteners are safe in limited quantities, even for pregnant women., HFCS is cornstarch that has been turned into fructose.
While it only contains 17 calories per teaspoon, it has been associated with obesity, heart disease and prediabetes, in several well-controlled studies.Read labels for HFCS.
Since it is an inexpensive sweetener, it is used in many products, so be in the habit of reading labels.
The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) recommends cutting back on HFCS.The American Heart Association recommends that most women get no more than 100 calories (about 6 teaspoons or 25 g) of added sugar daily and men get no more than 150 calories (9 teaspoons or
37.5 g)., Neotame is a new sweetener that has zero calories and zero nutrients.
It's 7,000 to 10,000 times sweeter than table sugar and has not been linked to any health problems.
It is one of the only artificial sweeteners listed by The Center for Science in the Public Interest as safe.Neotame is not used in many products, possibly because it is more expensive than other artificial sweeteners. , Advantame is a new sweetener that is similar to aspartame and vanillin (an artificial flavoring).
It is 100 times sweeter than aspartame.
The FDA and European Food Safety Authority have approved advantame to be used in a variety of products.Because studies are ongoing, pay attention to any health reports about advantame that are released., Aspartame is a popular sweetener with zero calories and zero nutrients that's frequently found in diet foods and sodas.
While there has been some speculation that aspartame might be a carcinogen, the FDA has found that this is not true and it is safe to consume.Do not consume aspartame if you have phenylketonuria, which is a genetic disorder., Sucralose (brand name Splenda®) is a chemical sweetener.
It's frequently used in foods because it has no calories and is resistant to heat.
It has studied extensively and more than 110 safety studies were reviewed by FDA before it was approved as safe.Since sucralose is found in many foods (ice cream, breads, baked goods, soft drinks), it's easy to eat large amounts.
Limit the amount of sucralose you give to small children, since they can easily get more sucralose than the FDA recommends., This sweetener (Sweet and Low®, Sweet Twin®, Sweet'N Low®, and Necta Sweet®) with zero calories and zero nutrients is not as widely used as in the past because it's largely been replaced by aspartame and better tasting artificial sweeteners.
Saccharin was once believed to be a carcinogen, but further research and human trials have proven it to be safe for human consumption.The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) still recommends avoiding saccharin. , This sweetener (Sunett® and Sweet One®) has no calories and no nutrients.
It's 200 times sweeter than sugar.
It is heat-stable so may be found in baked goods and many other products.
It is not approved to use with poultry or meat.While acesulfame potassium has no calories, research doesn't show that it helps with blood sugar or weight management. -
Step 3: Sweeten with stevia.
-
Step 4: Consider using sugar alcohols.
-
Step 5: Look for agave nectar.
-
Step 6: Pay attention to artificial sweetener labels.
-
Step 7: Watch for high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS).
-
Step 8: Use neotame.
-
Step 9: Pay attention to advantame.
-
Step 10: Watch for aspartame.
-
Step 11: Look for sucralose.
-
Step 12: Watch for saccharin.
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Step 13: Consider acesulfame potassium.
Detailed Guide
Ask your doctor to recommend a sweetener based on your particular health condition.
In general, natural sweeteners are safer and offer more nutrients than artificial sweeteners.
You'll still need to limit your sugar and sweetener intake, regardless of the substitute you choose.Remember there really is no "healthy" sugar.
Your doctor may recommend that you eat naturally sweet foods instead of adding artificial sweeteners to food.
For example, you might pick dark chocolate or fresh fruits instead of a beverage sweetened with aspartame.
Honey is a natural sweetener that has 21 calories per teaspoon (or 3 calories per gram).
It can be used in baking and cooking.
If you're looking for a safe sweetener, honey has no known safety concerns, although you shouldn't give it to children under the age of 1 due to the of the risk of infant botulism.Honey is frequently used in medicine to treat many conditions, heal wounds, and for its antibacterial properties., Stevia is an herb that comes from the plant Stevia rebaudiana.
It's approximately 60 times sweeter than table sugar.
Stevia has no calories and no nutrients.
Because of this, it's often used to help lose weight although studies are needed to support this.There are no proven side effects associated with stevia.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) both consider stevia to be safe.If you notice an aftertaste, stevia can be combined with sugar to hide its bitter aftertaste., Sugar alcohols (sorbitol, xylitol and mannitol) are naturally found in foods.
They contain 10 calories per teaspoon, but are also only half as sweet as table sugar.
Because they aren't linked to tooth disease or obesity, dentists often recommend sugar alcohols.
Since they are a sweetener, you should still try to cut back on them.Sugar alcohols are not as easily broken down by the body as table sugar.
They can cause gas, bloating, and diarrhea.
Xylitol is extremely toxic to dogs and cats.
Make sure your pets do not ingest xylitol or anything containing the sweetener.
If you suspect they have ingested it, immediately call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) at (888) 426-4435. , This comes from the agave plant, a type of cactus.
It's similar in taste, texture, and appearance to honey and has 20 calories per teaspoon.
Agave nectar is sweeter than table sugar and contains fructose, which is usually found in fruit.
Be aware that agave nectar is associated with health problems.
It may increase blood lipid levels, reduce insulin sensitivity, and increase the risk of diabetes when eaten in large amounts., Most artificial sweeteners have not been tested thoroughly and products often contain several types of sweetener.
This can make it hard to figure out how much sweetener you're actually eating.
Read the nutrition information and ingredients list to make an informed decision.
Learn about a variety of sweeteners so that you can recognize them in everyday products.Ignore advertising that calls a sweetener "natural." Since artificial sweeteners often come from a natural source (like herbs or sugar), they might be labeled "natural" even though they're very processed.
Studies show that some artificial sweeteners are safe in limited quantities, even for pregnant women., HFCS is cornstarch that has been turned into fructose.
While it only contains 17 calories per teaspoon, it has been associated with obesity, heart disease and prediabetes, in several well-controlled studies.Read labels for HFCS.
Since it is an inexpensive sweetener, it is used in many products, so be in the habit of reading labels.
The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) recommends cutting back on HFCS.The American Heart Association recommends that most women get no more than 100 calories (about 6 teaspoons or 25 g) of added sugar daily and men get no more than 150 calories (9 teaspoons or
37.5 g)., Neotame is a new sweetener that has zero calories and zero nutrients.
It's 7,000 to 10,000 times sweeter than table sugar and has not been linked to any health problems.
It is one of the only artificial sweeteners listed by The Center for Science in the Public Interest as safe.Neotame is not used in many products, possibly because it is more expensive than other artificial sweeteners. , Advantame is a new sweetener that is similar to aspartame and vanillin (an artificial flavoring).
It is 100 times sweeter than aspartame.
The FDA and European Food Safety Authority have approved advantame to be used in a variety of products.Because studies are ongoing, pay attention to any health reports about advantame that are released., Aspartame is a popular sweetener with zero calories and zero nutrients that's frequently found in diet foods and sodas.
While there has been some speculation that aspartame might be a carcinogen, the FDA has found that this is not true and it is safe to consume.Do not consume aspartame if you have phenylketonuria, which is a genetic disorder., Sucralose (brand name Splenda®) is a chemical sweetener.
It's frequently used in foods because it has no calories and is resistant to heat.
It has studied extensively and more than 110 safety studies were reviewed by FDA before it was approved as safe.Since sucralose is found in many foods (ice cream, breads, baked goods, soft drinks), it's easy to eat large amounts.
Limit the amount of sucralose you give to small children, since they can easily get more sucralose than the FDA recommends., This sweetener (Sweet and Low®, Sweet Twin®, Sweet'N Low®, and Necta Sweet®) with zero calories and zero nutrients is not as widely used as in the past because it's largely been replaced by aspartame and better tasting artificial sweeteners.
Saccharin was once believed to be a carcinogen, but further research and human trials have proven it to be safe for human consumption.The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) still recommends avoiding saccharin. , This sweetener (Sunett® and Sweet One®) has no calories and no nutrients.
It's 200 times sweeter than sugar.
It is heat-stable so may be found in baked goods and many other products.
It is not approved to use with poultry or meat.While acesulfame potassium has no calories, research doesn't show that it helps with blood sugar or weight management.
About the Author
Isabella Reynolds
Specializes in breaking down complex practical skills topics into simple steps.
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