In the past few years, sugar has eclipsed fat as the ultimate villain on the health scene. And it’s not without reason – as well as a long list health problems caused by high-sugar diets, the prevalence of this substance in almost everything we eat or drink is frightening. The average American consumes 126g of sugar every day – five times the recommended daily intake. And the stats aren’t much better for us in the UK or Australia, either.

We are firm believers in a healthy, balanced approach to nutrition, and we know that eliminating sugar altogether isn’t achievable for most people. Luckily, not all sugars are created equal. While you should still try and keep your daily intake to less than 25g per day, swapping out refined sugar for more natural sweeteners is a positive step in the right direction.

Here’s some of our favourite ‘better for you’ sugars:

Stevia – A herb originally from South America that has been used as a sweetener and medicinal herb in various cultures around the world for centuries.
Why we like it:  It is naturally very sweet – 100 to 200 times sweeter than sugar – but it doesn’t raise blood sugar levels like sugar and other artificial sweeteners do.
However… Stevia has the strange bitter aftertaste that many people don’t like and can make it not suitable in a lot of recipes.

Raw Honey – the unprocessed sweet liquid that honeybees produce from the concentrated nectar of flowers.
Why we like it: Honey is only about 30% glucose and less than 40%  fructose.There are about 20 other sugars in the mix, many of which are much more complex, and require more energy to break down. This means you end up accumulating fewer calories from it. Raw honey also contains varying small amounts of minerals like zinc and selenium, as well as some vitamins. It also has proven natural antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties
However… Any of the minerals and vitamins you might get from honey are destroyed with heat, which means these benefits become void if you’re using honey in your baking, or adding to hot cups of tea.

Coconut Sugar – made from the dried sap of coconut trees
Why we like it: Coconut sugar has a low-GI, with has much less blood-sugar-spiking fructose than most other sweeteners. It contains B vitamins, potassium, chloride, and other vitamins, minerals and enzymes that aid in slower absorption into the bloodstream.
However… Coconut sugar is very high in calories (same as regular sugar), and you’d have to eat a significant amount of it to benefit from any of the above nutrients.

Real maple sugar – made from the sugary sap of maple trees, used for many centuries in North America
Why we like it: a naturally sweet treat that is packed with more minerals than honey. Real maple also contains antioxidants that may even ward off cancer and heart disease.
However… Even though maple syrup does contain nutrients and antioxidants, it is also very high in sugar and has more calories than cane sugar.

Date Sugar –  finely chopped dried dates
Great because: An unrefined natural sweetener, with no processing whatsoever, allows for retention of dates’ natural fibre, tannins, flavonoids, vitamins and minerals.
However… Date sugar has a high-GI, and higher fructose percentage that other natural sweeteners. Overconsumption of fructose has been linked to liver problems and weight gain.