Sugar, which is an ingredient of many dishes, is very bad for our body. Fortunately on the market we can find a lot of its healthier substitutes. Let’s check which of them are worth having in your kitchen!
Erythritol visually resembles sugar as it is commonly known – it is white, crystalline and odourless. It is white, crystalline and odorless. Its taste qualities are the same as those of sucrose, i.e. table sugar. We can sweeten tea with it, use it as a substitute for standard sugar in all recipes. To get the same taste of dishes, it is worth adding a little more erythritol
Nutritionists consider it to be one of the healthiest sugar substitutes. Its main advantage is that its caloric content is significantly lower than table sugar. After consumption of erythritol, there is no unpleasant taste in the mouth, which often happens with other sweeteners
Erythritol is also not a food for bacteria that are found in the mouth and on the teeth. As a result, we do not have to worry about the possible development of caries. This substance can be successfully consumed even by diabetics. The glycemic index, which diabetics should pay the most attention to, in this case is zero. The World Health Organization (WHO) has recognized erythritol as a substance completely safe for humans
Xylitol, also known as birch sugar, is a semi-synthetic sweetener. It contains about 40% less kcal per 100 g than standard white sugar. Similarly to erythritol, it is recommended for diabetics. Xylitol’s antibacterial properties make it much easier for the body to absorb magnesium and calcium. Xylitol tastes a little sweeter than erythritol. It should be introduced to the menu skilfully, because not every body tolerates it well
A great advantage of maple syrup is that it contains many valuable nutrients, such as magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, B vitamins and others. So it is very healthy and great for our body. It is also less caloric than standard kitchen sugar, but it contains a fair amount of sucrose, so it should be consumed with caution. People with diabetes should not use it in their diet. The properties of maple syrup do not change even when exposed to high temperatures, so you can use it as a sweetener in dishes prepared in the oven
Health properties of honey were known and appreciated by our grandmothers and mothers. Every honey contains enzymes, pollen, waxes, mineral salts and B vitamins. The disadvantage of honey, however, is its high caloric content and high glycemic index. For this reason it is not recommended for diabetics. Honey can be consumed several times a week. It loses all its properties at temperatures higher than approx. 40 degrees Celsius. It is therefore worth considering whether it makes sense to sweeten hot tea with it
Molasses is a substance created as a by-product of the sugar production process. It is a dark brown syrup. Molasses contains components that are very valuable for our body, such as chromium, copper, zinc, potassium, B vitamins and others. Molasses contributes to lowering bad cholesterol in the blood. It also supports the digestive system. Molasses should not be used by diabetics, because its glycemic index is quite high. It can be used as a sweetener for tea or coffee, because it does not lose its properties even in high temperatures
Other substitutes that are also worth paying attention to are stevia, date syrup or tagatose. The sweeteners are many, they contain a lot of valuable and important nutrients for the body, so their use can be a very good decision, which will positively affect our body
