Veronika Charvátová MSc guides us through a maze of vegan sugar substitutes to find the healthiest ways to add sweetness to your life.
Most of us love a sweet taste – we have evolved to like it.
Natural sweetness comes from sugar, which is a source of energy.
During our evolution, people didn’t always have an abundance of food and when they found something sweet, it meant a valuable source of energy and signal to the brain to search for more.
That was then, but now there is too much sugar everywhere and we have the opposite problem – how to enjoy the taste but not overload on it.
In this article:
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Even on a plant-based diet, sugary snacks can be hard to avoid - or resist. Photo © jordan via Adobe Stock
What are the different types of sugar?
Sugar has earned a reputation for being unhealthy, but there’s not just one type of sugar available.
It’s ideal to try to eat less sugar, but eliminating it completely isn’t always an option.
Get to know the difference between sugar types, to help you make the best choices when it can’t be avoided.
Sucrose aka sugar
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Sugar beet is one of the main sources of sucrose, the simple sugar also derived from sugar cane. Photo © mescioglu via Adobe Stock
Sucrose, commonly known as table sugar, is a simple sugar made up of glucose and fructose and usually extracted from sugar cane or sugar beet.
When you eat sucrose, the enzymes in your gut split the molecule into glucose and fructose and they then each follow their own absorption route – glucose increases your blood sugar levels, provides energy to cells and excess may be eventually stored as fat.
Fructose, on the other hand, is processed in the liver and may also be turned into fat, so it follows that eating more than just small amounts of sugar can cause weight gain.
Note: golden syrup is pure sugar syrup and nutritionally is no different to table sugar.
Molasses (black treacle)
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Molasses are technically a by-product of sucrose, and are sometimes used in animal feed as well as for human food and rum production. Photo © Gabriela Bertolini via Adobe Stock
Before sugar cane becomes sugar, it goes through several stages of processing – one of which produces a thick, syrupy liquid that still contains many of the plant’s natural vitamins and minerals – molasses.
It contains a lot of sugar, but is also rich in iron, magnesium, potassium and manganese.
If you like the taste of molasses, it’s certainly a healthier option than sugar.
Brown, cane and muscovado sugar
While raw cane sugar varieties are a little less processed, regular brown sugar is very similar in composition to white sugar. Photo © igorp17 via Adobe Stock
Brown sugar – unless it states specifically what it is – is usually just white sugar with a little molasses added to give it a darker colour.
Raw cane sugar and its many varieties (such as muscovado, turbinado or demerara) are somewhat healthier as they retain small amounts of natural vitamins and minerals.
Best sugar substitutes
If you prefer to avoid sugar, the following options may present themselves as an alternative, but they’re not all healthier.
Here are the good, the bad, and the ugly in the world of sweeteners and sugar substitutes.
1. Agave syrup
Agave syrup, often considered a vegan honey alternative, is derived from the agave plant which also forms the base for tequila. Photo © eskay lim via Adobe Stock
Agave syrup consists mainly of fructose, which is absorbed more slowly than glucose and doesn’t cause blood sugar spikes.1
However, that’s about the only benefit. Despite ‘natural’ claims, it’s still a very processed product with minimal amounts of nutrients.
2. Maple syrup
Maple syrup is made from the sap of maple trees, and is graded based on colour and taste. Photo © Eric Dale Creative via Adobe Stock
While maple syrup is mostly sucrose, it’s also surprisingly rich in riboflavin (vitamin B2), the mineral manganese and contains some antioxidants.
However, thanks to its high sugar content, it is only slightly healthier than regular sugar.
3. Rice syrup
While it's considered an alternative to refined sugar, rice syrup is much higher on the glycemic index, meaning it's more likely to spike your blood sugar levels. Photo © liscia1 via Adobe Stock
Rice syrup is made from rice starch and is clear.
It is broken down in the body into glucose – pure sugar – and is not a healthy alternative.
Don’t say goodbye to desserts for good. Try one of these refined sugar-free healthy vegan dessert recipes
4. Date syrup
Dates are heated in water, blended, strained, and evaporated to create date syrup, or nectar. Photo © Vika via Adobe Stock
This is mainly composed of fructose, but also contains fibre, some B vitamins, plant-based protein, iron, calcium, magnesium, potassium and antioxidants.
This is a healthier alternative to other syrups, but too much of it can also contribute to weight gain.
5. Chicory root syrup
Fresh chicory root is used to make a healthy sugar alternative, while the roasted roots can be made to make a coffee substitute - a versatile plant! Photo © Madeleine Steinbach via Adobe Stock
This syrup seems too good to be true!
It’s sweet, but two-thirds of its weight is the fibre inulin and less than five per cent are sugars, so it’s low-calorie and doesn’t raise blood sugar levels.
We can’t digest inulin, but it’s used by the good bacteria in your gut2 and, while this is a good thing, too much can cause bloating and people with IBS may need to test it to see if they can tolerate it.
Also called inulin syrup, it is great with granola, drinks or pancakes. Stick to small amounts and you should be fine.
6. Stevia
Stevia is a natural sweetener commonly found in supermarkets. It may be one of the better options for vegan sugar substitutes. Photo © Luis Echeverri Urrea via Adobe Stock
Stevia is a plant with leaves that contain steviol glycosides, which taste very sweet, but contain no calories.
Stevia leaf extracts are 200 to 300 times sweeter than sugar and extensive tests have shown that they are safe.3
On the downside, stevia can have a bitter aftertaste and it is best mixed with other sweeteners.
7. Xylitol
Xylitol is commonly found in chewing gum and sugar-free sweets, so enjoy them in moderation and keep them away from your dog! Photo © Maik Dörfert via Adobe Stock
Extracted from birch trees, it is low-calorie and doesn’t promote tooth decay.
Only a little is absorbed and your liver converts this into glucose.
Be warned – it has a laxative effect in larger amounts.
Beware of giving anything containing xylitol to your dog as it is highly toxic for them and can cause seizures and liver failure!
8. Artificial sweeteners
Artificial sweeteners are formulated to be much sweeter than sugar, meaning a lot less is needed for the same effect. Often these provide minimal calories and minimal nutrients. Photo © kittisak via Adobe Stock
- Sorbitol –a low-calorie sweetener derived from glucose. It produces a mouthcooling sensation so it’s often used in toothpaste. It is safe, but too much of it can cause bloating and diarrhoea.
- Erythriol – this is a sugar alcohol that has zero calories and is not used by your body – it is simply excreted in urine. Again, too much may cause bloating and have a laxative effect.
- Maltitol –a sugar derivative with half the sugar calories. It doesn’t promote tooth decay and as it’s absorbed more slowly than sugar, it doesn’t cause blood sugar highs, which makes it a popular sweetener. But it can have a laxative effect in anything other than small amounts and can cause diarrhoea and severe flatulence!
- Sucralose – derived from sucrose (sugar) and is completely calorie-free. Your body absorbs only some of it, which enters the bloodstream and is excreted in urine. Scientifically it’s safe, but some people say that it is a migraine trigger.
- Acesulfame K (E950) and aspartame – just a brief mention as they’re not the healthiest options. They are officially safe, but some people report health issues from consuming them.
Sugar-free products and diet drinks often contain artificial sweeteners, meaning they aren't necessarily a healthy alternative. Photo © Celso Pupo via Adobe Stock
So, which sugar substitute is the healthiest?
As is so often the case, variety and moderation is key here and there’s no single sugar substitute that’s ideal to consume in large amounts.
Stevia is a relatively healthy option, but to avoid its aftertaste it’s best to mix it with date or chicory syrup.
These two syrups are also great for drinks or drizzling over vegan pancakes or porridge.
Molasses is a good sweetener for biscuits, while xylitol can sweeten small treats and desserts.
Hot drinks are the trickiest to sweeten the healthy way, but small amounts of cane sugar won’t ruin your health.
Need a little sweetness in your life? Learn how a bit of chocolate can be healthy
Featured photo © manuta via Adobe Stock
References:
- Sun SZ, Empie MW. 2012, Fructose metabolism in humans – what isotopic tracer studies tell us. Nutr Metab (Lond). Accessed via ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3533803
- Kolida S, Tuohy K, Gibson GR. 2002, Prebiotic effects of inulin and oligofructose. British Journal of Nutrition. Accessed via: cambridge.org/core/journals/british-journal-of-nutrition/article/prebiotic-effects-of-inulin-and-oligofructose
- Ashwell M. 2015, Stevia, Nature’s Zero-Calorie Sustainable Sweetener: A New Player in the Fight Against Obesity. Nutr Today. Accessed via: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4890837
