Why are natural sweeteners healthier than sugar?

While sweet food was a rare commodity for our ancestors, today it is available in unlimited quantities at virtually every turn. However, as sugar is quite unhealthy, it is advisable to replace it with a healthier alternative - natural sweeteners.

How does sugar harm our health?

Sugar is made of 50% glucose, which raises blood sugar, and 50% fructose, which has an adverse effect on our liver, the organ responsible for metabolising and cleaning up waste substances in the body. Every day, by eating sugary treats, as well as other foods with hidden sugar, we consume 7 times more sugar than we did 100 years ago. Sugar that is too refined is quite detrimental to our health and general well-being, not only because it causes addictions and the build-up of unpleasant fatty deposits, but also because it causes various inflammations in the body, which is one of the main reasons why many ailments occur in the first place.

However, as sugar is quite unhealthy, it is advisable to replace it with a healthier alternative - natural sweeteners.

Its excessive use damages virtually all our organs and increases the chances of developing many medical conditions: stroke, heart attack, diabetes, arthritis, depression and the list goes on.

Why natural sweeteners?

Natural sweeteners are very useful when we want to reduce the intake of harmful sugars into the body. They are a healthy substitute for refined sugar (sucrose) and fructose syrup, which is used in the food industry as a cheaper sugar substitute. They are particularly appreciated by consumers because they are not processed, but are rich in nutrients, have a low glycaemic index and are non-addictive.

Many people choose to use other natural alternatives, which are not necessarily healthy. Some of the most popular sweeteners are honey, agave, coconut, maple or yacon syrup, but these alternatives can be quite high in calories and can raise blood sugar. In contrast, natural sweeteners such as stevia or erythritol are calorie-free and do not raise blood sugar levels.

• Stevia

An excellent calorie-free sweetener that is up to 300 times sweeter than white sugar, but unlike white sugar has a range of health benefits. It lowers blood pressure and blood sugar, and because it is calorie-free and has a glycaemic index of 0, it is also suitable for diabetics. The best quality sweeteners are made from stevia leaves, which provide the body with the optimum amount of fibre and antioxidants.

Stevia is extremely useful in sweetening hot and cold drinks, whether it is milk drinks, tea, coffee or a refreshing iced tea or smoothie. It can also be used to sweeten all dishes that normally use sugar, and is particularly popular in baking.

• Erythritol

A calorie-free sweetener found naturally in pears, grapes, watermelons and melons, as well as in fermented products such as wine and soy sauce. As erythritol is a sugar alcohol, it does not affect blood sugar and is therefore suitable for diabetics. Its only drawback is that in excessive amounts it can cause digestive problems in some people, but fortunately these cases are few and far between.