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In my article on how to get off sugar, the recommended first step is to replace all refined sweeteners with natural sweeteners.
Which natural sweeteners are best? Which ones are optimal for those with blood sugar problems?
In this latest video filmed for the Weston A. Price Foundation, I catalog the list of wholesome sweeteners and discuss which ones to avoid and which ones to use and for what purpose.
Sweet Doesn’t Have to Be Unhealthy!
Sugar is simultaneously demonized and revered in our culture. Most people are hopelessly addicted even if they don’t know it. The key isn’t to abandon all things sweet, but to embrace our need for sweet in a non-addictive way.
Which wholesome sweeteners to use in moderation? Clues come from our healthy, chronic disease free ancestors!
The video below will give you some good starting ideas. If you need more information, there are numerous articles about both natural sweeteners and alternative sweeteners on this blog that dig deep into each one individually discussing both pros and cons.
- Maple syrup
- Monk fruit
- Stevia
- Coconut sugar
- Xylitol
- Malted barley
- Swerve
- Erythritol
- Rice syrup
- Agave
- Yacon syrup
- Turbinado sugar
- Honey
Video on Natural Sweeteners
Be sure to check out my Resources page for places to source quality, wholesome sweeteners – even the hard to find, low glycemic ones mentioned in the video.
For a complete transcript of this video lesson in any language, click here.
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
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What is the skinny on “Just Like Sugar” products that are quite new? I personally only heard of it today. I like to order rapadura in bulk also but we use raw honey and maple syrup too.
Thank you for the video, but I am still confused re: turbinado vs. sucanat. I have been using
Trad** Jo** Organic Turbinado Raw Cane Sugar. The ingredients listed are only organic evaporated cane juice. Is this the type of product that is processed and to be avoided?
Turbinado has been processed with some of the molasses removed. If you compare it to sucanat which has had nothing removed, they look and taste quite different.
I have not been able to find the difference between “evaporated cane juice” and “dehydrated cane juice”. Is there a difference?
Hi Nicole,
Did you get to find out the difference?
Living where I do, I do not have some of the choices that you in North America do. I do the best we can with what we have! I have been on quest to find sucanat type sugar but have probably just ended up with the processed stuff you mentioned. I do have access to some exotic choices like Kitul Teacle from Sri Lanka and Date Honey Topping (just dates) from Saudi Arabia and jaggery (not sure what kind) from India. The jaggery and date honey tooping are a bit tricky to use because of taste a texture. Jaggery comes in big chunks that need to be shredded, producing a sticky mass of sweetness. Any suggestions?? Currently I substitute the treacle for maple syrup.
Check out iherb.com. It ships internationally and has very low shipping rates.
There you can find different kinds of coconut sugar, rapadura (Rapunzel brand), maple sugar and syrup.
@Kate:: Regarding your earlier post asking about stevia leaf…This is how I first used stevia, bought as dried leaves in Thailand. I would make a pot of ginger tea in one of those big things like they have on buffet tables or something…maybe a half gallon? In to that pot, I would use fresh ginger and only a few stevia leaves and it was plenty sweet!!
Should this: http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/coconut_palm_sugar.htm influence our thinking about the coconut sugar, or is it just their own little scare tactic?
There are ways to harvest coconut sugar sustainably which this article does not cover. I wrote a post awhile back called Coconut Sugar: Healthy Alternative to Agave that covers this.
Hi Sarah,
Do you have any tips on picking truly raw honey? I’ve been buying one labeled raw, but just found out that they heat the honey to 140 degrees during processing. Much like the “raw” cheese issue you wrote about. So frustrating! How do I pick a truly raw honey??? Some honey is solid at room temp–is that a better bet than the liquid ones?
Talking to the beekeeper directly helps to get the true story. Try to find honey that is labeled “unheated” and “unfiltered” as raw is not always reliable as you have discovered.
Hi Sarah,
All this sugar business is so confusing! I was just reading recently that perhaps coconut sugar is not a great option since it contains a high level of fructose.
So with all these alternatives to sugar, how is one to know which is the best? I don’t do a lot of baking, every now and then I make crepes/pancakes and have been using agave syrup which I now have come to realise is BAD! So threw that one out oops! Would you recommend using Grade B maple syrup instead in the pancakes? Also I do make smoothies all the time so what would the best sweetener to use for that?
Thanks 🙂
The fructose in coconut sugar is not like the fructose in HFCS or other processed forms of fructose like in agave. Natural fructose is L-fructose which is the primary fructose molecule in fruit or honey and coconut sugar. Processed fructose (the one to avoid) is D-fructose which is a reverse isomer with reverse polarity to the small amounts of natural D-fructose found in fruits. The unnatural form of D-fructose in agave and HFCS primarily raises triglyceride levels and increases adipose (fat) tissue. Natural L-fructose does not do this.
Are you sure that the D and L aren’t actually switched around?
I don’t use any sweetener in my smoothies. I think they are sweet enough.
Thanks again for another great video Sarah. I encourage our local WAPF members to watch them and use your very helpful website too! Keep up the good work!
As far as sweeteners go, I’d suggest people trying to get off them and save them for special occasions. If people want to reduce them in their diets but find they are addicted then read Eat Fat Lose Fat. If you are traditionally nourished, eat lots of the right fats, you can eliminate the cravings. I have a kitchen full of those good sweeteners and some not so good and rarely find myself ever using them, as I have no craving. Fortunately, they have a very long shelf life!