Are natural sweeteners better than white sugar?
October 30, 2021
Written By: Nutrition Coach Mairead There's so much confusion around sugar! How much should I have? Is it addictive? How can I avoid it at all costs? Are some kinds better than others? Today we're going to answer that last question - are natural sweeteners better than white sugar?
To answer this question today, natural sweeteners are going to be those that do have calories but are often considered to be less processed than plain white sugar, such as honey, maple syrup, coconut sugar, brown sugar, etc.
We also know that there are naturally occurring sugars in fruits, starchy vegetables, dairy, and some grains. Most people following a normal healthy diet do not need to worry about these sugars that are naturally in foods. If you have any blood sugar issues, it can be worth discussing these with a dietitian if you have concerns.
Often, we choose natural sweeteners, like the ones listed above, as we believe they will be healthier for us - most of us just want to make the choice that's best for our health!
The reality is, that for the same amount of natural sweetener, you will be taking in a very similar amount of sugar and calories as you would with white sugar.
Often, people ask whether there isn't some extra nutrition they can get from sweeteners like maple syrup or coconut sugar. While there may be some trace amounts of minerals, you would have to eat huge amounts of syrup or sugars to actually take in a useful amount of minerals.
There are much more efficient food sources of these!
If you find that white sugar or processed sugary foods feel "addictive" to you, but natural sweeteners do not, this likely has more to do with the psychological impact of trying to restrict or limit them, and less with the actual food itself. You may be trying to eat as little white or processed sugar as possible, making you crave it more and feel more out of control around it, whereas you may be letting yourself use a natural sweetener with no thoughts of guilt. And there shouldn't be any guilt in any food choices!
The bottom line for most healthy people will be to choose the sweetener you like.
If you prefer a natural sweetener because it comes from a certain source or is processed differently, or just because you like the taste better in your coffee, that's great! But choosing sweeteners like maple syrup, honey, coconut sugar or brown sugar will have the same nutritional impact as white sugars.
Do you have a burning nutrition question you'd like answered? Let us know, and we might answer it in a future email!
Email mairead@degreefitnessseaforth.com
with your question, or to learn more about how you can book a Nutrition Consultation for more personalized advice!
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