The Ultimate Guide To Alternative Sweeteners

Sugar is bittersweet — it tastes so good, but it can also be harmful to your health. The American Heart Association recommends that adults limit their consumption of added sugars to about 25 grams per day for women and 36 grams for men. Unfortunately, the standard American diet contains considerably more sugar than the recommended daily intake. Added sugar is hiding in seemingly every processed food, from yogurt and cereal to burgers and soda, not to mention the more obvious sources, like cookies, cakes, and ice cream. Eating excess amounts of sugar have been linked to weight gain, diabetes, heart disease, depression, skin issues, and even cancer (per Healthline).

Sugar goes by many names: evaporated cane juice, fructose, high-fructose corn syrup, and maltose, among others. But it can also come in many forms, and the way your digestive system processes them and how they affect your body differ. For example, refined white sugar and fruit sugar are not the same — naturally occurring sugar in whole fruits contains fiber and other elements that slow down the digestive process so that your body doesn't experience the blood sugar spike that typically comes with refined sugars (via The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center). 

However, some alternative sweeteners, like honey and agave nectar, fall somewhere in between naturally occurring sugar and refined sugar. So how can you tell the difference? Let's explore some of the many alternative sweeteners out there and how they work. 

Agave syrup, sometimes mistakenly referred to as agave nectar, comes from the agave plant, which is a cactus-looking succulent — the same plant that tequila comes from. The leaves contain sap (nectar) that is harvested and processed into syrup. Unfortunately, the production method involves high heat, which eliminates most of the potential health benefits this plant has to offer (via Healthline).

Agave syrup may be touted as a healthy alternative to refined sugar, which is likely due to its low glycemic index. Foods with a lower glycemic index have little effect on your blood sugar levels, whereas foods with a higher number tend to cause more extreme blood sugar spikes. This means that agave could be helpful for those managing diabetes. But a lot of factors, from how a food is cooked to what other types of foods are included in a meal, can make it complicated to calculate the body's glycemic response (via Oregon State University).  

However, agave syrup isn't necessarily in the health food category either. In fact, according to author and nutrition expert Nicole Avena, Ph.D., "Despite having a low [glycemic index] value, agave should be treated the same way you'd treat any other sugar — in moderation." This is because agave syrup has really high levels of fructose, which is tough for your body to process, per Real Simple. In terms of health, when comparing agave syrup to other alternative sugars, Healthline says natural sweeteners like stevia, erythritol, and xylitol are better for you.

Sugar alcohols are part of a group of polyols that include erythritol, xylitol, and maltitol. These types of sugar alternatives are actually classified as a carbohydrate, and they occur naturally in some fruits and vegetables. Because they are naturally occurring, they don't spike blood sugar levels like white refined sugar does and are a popular sugar substitute for those with diabetes. Sugar alcohols are also better for your teeth and don't cause as many cavities as regular sugar (via Healthline).

Most sugar alcohols are low in calories, which makes them a good option for weight management. The main concern with sugar alcohols is that sometimes they can cause digestive issues when eaten in large quantities, so it's best to monitor consumption. And beware: Xylitol is known to be toxic to dogs, so you'll want to keep any products that contain it — like some brands of sugarless gum — high out of reach from any pets in the house.

Saccharin is most commonly known under the brand name Sweet'N Low, which comes in those familiar pink paper packets. Saccharin is not naturally occurring. It was created unintentionally in a lab in the late 1800s and is produced using a chemical process that involves toluene or anthranilic acid. This fine, white powder is 300 to 500 times sweeter than table sugar and cannot be digested by the human body, which means it can be classified as calorie-free. Saccharin has a somewhat bitter aftertaste, which is often masked with additional ingredients (via Medical News Today). For example, Sweet'N Low actually is a mixture of granulated saccharin, dextrose, cream of tartar, and calcium silicate. 

Similar to aspartame, early research on saccharin consumption in lab animals suggested that there could be links to negative health effects. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that it was potentially carcinogenic in 1981 and required any product containing saccharin to have that information on its packaging. However, further studies have confirmed that it is safe to consume, and in 2000, the federal agency removed its requirement to label saccharin as a possible carcinogen. Regardless, this controversy and saccharin's sometimes bitter taste has moved it down on the list of most popular sugar alternatives. 

One sweetener comes from monk fruit, which is often called "lo han guo" or Swingle fruit and which grows mostly in southern China. The sweetener is made by deseeding the fruit, removing the skin, then pulverizing and filtering it. Oftentimes, a sugar alcohol like erythritol is added to turn the monk fruit sweetener into a white powder so that it looks similar to table sugar. 

Monk fruit is considered a zero-calorie sweetener because the taste comes from compounds called mogrosides that cannot be digested by the human body (via Food Insight). It has been deemed safe for consumption by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and other world health organizations. Monk fruit sweetener is often used as a substitute to white table sugar since it has no calories and does not seem to spike blood sugar levels, making it a great alternative for people with diabetes or those trying to manage their weight. However, according to Healthline, more human studies are needed to confirm the effectiveness of this sweetener. 

Maple syrup is a sweetener that comes from the sap of sugar maple trees. It's usually collected by tapping a hole into the tree and capturing the sap that comes out. It's then boiled and filtered to get that thick syrup. In America, maple syrup is sold in two different grades, Grade A and Grade B. Grade B is darker than Grade A, and often Grade A is split into three groups: light, medium, and dark amber. Darker syrups are collected later in the season and tend to have a stronger flavor than lighter ones (via Healthline). 

The glycemic index of maple syrup is slightly lower than table sugar, per Integris Health. And since it is naturally occurring, maple syrup also contains some minerals and antioxidants, including calcium, potassium, iron, zinc, and manganese. While maple syrup does have some benefits compared to refined sugar, it isn't an ideal alternative for diabetics or those trying to manage their weight — just one tablespoon of maple syrup contains about 52 calories and 12.1 grams of sugar. 

In addition, always be sure to check food labels. Some pancake syrups contain no maple syrup and are instead made from high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, and other artificial ingredients.

Jaggery is typically found in Africa and Asia, where it's sometimes referred to as gur. It's made by boiling juice from date palm, coconut palm, or sugarcane until it becomes concentrated and can be formed into blocks. Jaggery has recently gained a reputation of being a superfood, since it contains more vitamins and minerals than regular sugar. It's also believed to have potential health benefits — in fact, it has been used in Ayurvedic medicine in India for thousands of years (via Medical News Today).

Jaggery is thought to help support digestion, aid in detoxification, ease respiratory infections, reduce stress, and improve energy. Jaggery is also believed to have antioxidant and anticarcinogenic properties and may strengthen the immune system. It is high in magnesium, which is good for the nervous system, and it's a good sugar alternative for people with anemia because it's an iron-rich food. But jaggery does have a high glycemic index, meaning it will cause spikes in blood sugar, and is not recommended for diabetics as a substitute for sugar (via Healthify Me).