Honey, berries, plants, and other natural sweeteners have long been essential to the human diet. Nonetheless, toward the start of the twentieth-century sucrose ordinarily known as refined sugar supplanted the other regular sugars and turned into the most famous improving specialist utilised particularly by the shoppers and food industry.
Some of the Natural Sweeteners are as Follows:
Honey: Honey is a natural sweetener that is made by bees from the nectar of flowers. It is a good source of antioxidants and has antibacterial properties. It is also rich in vitamins and minerals, including B vitamins, iron, zinc, and potassium. Honey's fructose also has positive effects on glycemic control, hormones that control glucose and appetite, body weight, and food intake.
Maple Syrup: Maple syrup is a natural sweetener made from the sap of maple trees. It is rich in antioxidants and has a lower glycemic index than refined sugar, meaning it does not cause a rapid spike in blood sugar levels. It is also a good source of minerals, including zinc, manganese, and calcium.
Also Read | is drinking milk at night ruining your health?
Molasses: Molasses is a thick, dark syrup that is a byproduct of the sugar-making process. It is rich in vitamins and minerals, including iron, calcium, and potassium. It has a distinct, slightly bitter flavour and is often used in baking.
Stevia: Stevia is a natural sweetener that is derived from the leaves of the stevia plant. It is a zero-calorie sweetener and has a much lower glycemic index than sugar, making it a good choice for people with diabetes or blood sugar concerns.
Dates: Dates are a type of fruit that is naturally sweet and have a chewy, slightly caramel-like flavour. They are a good source of fibre and are rich in vitamins and minerals, including potassium, magnesium, and B vitamins. They can be used to sweeten recipes in place of sugar, or you can simply eat them as a sweet snack.
McWhorter suggests that you choose the sweetener that you like best and limit your intake of added sugar to 10% of your total diet. "Sugar alternatives may have minor advantages, but are they significant enough to offset the amount consumed?" So, go for natural sweeteners instead of sugar for a healthy lifestyle.