Warnings about eating too much sugar have been around for years, but many of us find it hard to satisfy our sweet tooth without it. But now, a slew of potentially healthier and more natural sweeteners like coconut sugar, agave nectar, and date sugar are making waves. But are they any better for you? Consumer Reports finds out.
Stroll down the baking aisle at the grocery store, and alongside staples like your standard flour and sugar, you’ll likely find a variety of different sweeteners claiming to be healthier and natural alternatives to white table sugar.
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Sugars that are truly natural and unprocessed come from whole fruits and vegetables and are intact within the food. Sugars that are added to food, like cane sugar, brown rice syrup, and coconut sugar, are processed to some degree.
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Coconut sugar, for example, is made from the sap of coconut palm trees. It contains some vitamins and antioxidants, but not in significant amounts.
Agave nectar contains vitamins C and B, but to really benefit from these nutrients, you’d need to eat a lot more than is recommended.
And while some of these sugars have a lower glycemic index than table sugar, that doesn’t mean they are better for you.
The glycemic index, or GI, measures how quickly a food or an ingredient (like sugar) raises blood sugar levels. But once one of these low GI sugars is added to a food, its affect on blood sugar levels can vary depending on how it’s prepared and what it is eaten with.
Turbinado sugar, often referred to as “raw sugar,” is nutritionally almost identical to white sugar.
So, what are these sugars best used for? Using them in place of regular sugar can add different flavors and textures to food and drinks.
Coconut sugar works well in beverages and baked goods, adding a slight coconut flavor. Agave nectar, with its honey-like consistency, is ideal for sweetening drinks. Turbinado sugar, with its larger crystals, is perfect for sprinkling on top of cookies for a crunchy texture.
No matter which of these alternative sugars you choose, the key is moderation. Experts recommend women consume no more than 25 grams of added sugars per day and men no more than 36 grams.