Sugar is not the only sweetener on the planet.
There are other much healthier options to sweeten coffee or other drinks that are also even sweeter than harmful sugar .
Today, I present to you 4 natural sweeteners, all of them low in calories and full of benefits for your health because eliminating sugar from the diet is possible.
1. STEVIA O ESTEVIA
Stevia is a natural, calorie-free sweetener extracted from Stevia rebaudiana, a leafy green plant that grows mainly in Paraguay and Brazil.
This vegetable has a long history of use as a medicinal plant and as a powerful sweetener in many towns in South America, but its rise to popularity in the rest of the world has occurred very recently.
Back in the year 1931, the first research on stevia was carried out and around the 1970s , a Japanese company began to cultivate, produce and market stevia and stevia extract as a healthy alternative to other harmful sweeteners.
Since then, interest in stevia has not stopped growing and, to this day, many scientific studies have revealed a large part of the healthy properties of this natural sweetener (1).
The sweetness of stevia is due to its high content of steviol glycosides , present mostly in the leaves of the plant, and of which the most abundant are stevioside and rebaudioside A.
How can stevia be consumed?
Stevia can be purchased in its most natural form, stevia leaves, or as a powdered or liquid extract.
- Natural stevia leaves are 10-15 times sweeter than conventional sugar.
- Refined stevia extract , made primarily from stevioside, is 200 to 300 times sweeter than conventional sugar.
Main properties of stevia
1. Reduce tension
There is scientific evidence, both in animals and in humans, showing that the consumption of stevia extract (stevioside) helps to considerably reduce blood pressure in patients with hypertension (2).
No effects have been observed in people with normal or slightly elevated blood pressure levels.
2. It is ideal for diabetics
In addition to being calorie-free, stevia is the ideal sweetener for people with diabetes.
Despite its sweetness, it does not alter blood glucose, quite the contrary: it has been discovered that it can reduce the postprandial blood glucose level by up to 18%, that is, glucose after meals (3).
In addition, there are also indications that stevioside consumption increases insulin production and insulin sensitivity, which translates into an improvement in diabetes symptoms.
3. It is a powerful natural antioxidant
Stevia rebaudiana is a natural source of antioxidants with phenolic and flavonoid compounds that protect the body from oxidative stress caused by free radicals (4).
Said oxidative stress is one of the causes of aging and the appearance of various diseases, including cancer.
Does it have side effects?
Studies have found no adverse effects from stevia consumption, so its intake is safe for both adults and children, as well as for pregnant women.
More information about stevia in Stevia, a sweetener packed with properties .
2. ERYTHRITOL
Erythritol is a polyalcohol or sugar alcohol , that is, a chemical compound formed by mixing a sugar molecule with an alcohol molecule.
The sweetener erythritol is obtained from the fermentation of glucose with the yeast Moniliella pollinis or Trichosporonoides megachiliensis and contains only 0.24 calories per gram (5).
Naturally, erythritol is present in some fruits , mushrooms, fermented foods, beer and cheese, and as a sweetener it is added to various foods, mainly sugar-free diet products .
How can erythritol be consumed?
Erythritol is sold as a white crystallized powder and is 60-80% as sweet as conventional sugar.
Principal properties of erythritol
1. Does not alter blood glucose
Much like stevia, the use of erythritol as a sweetener has no negative effects on blood glucose levels.
Several studies in which erythritol has been administered to patients with diabetes have not recorded significant changes in blood glucose levels, nor in insulin (6).
Likewise, other biomarkers such as cholesterol or triglycerides have not been affected by the consumption of erythritol either.
2. Prevents cavities
Sugar is the main source of energy for pathogenic bacteria that live in the mouth, microorganisms responsible for tooth decay and the development of numerous oral infections.
However, these bacteria are not capable of using erythritol as fuel and it has been shown that the intake of candies sweetened with erythritol manages to reduce bacterial plaque and the production of acids by these microbes (7).
Does it have side effects?
Experts agree that erythritol consumption as a sweetener is safe for most people.
Despite being a polyalcohol , erythritol does not cause digestive problems since most of it is absorbed before reaching the colon and is expelled through the urine (8).
More information about erythritol in Is erythritol healthy?
3. XYLITOL
Xylitol is another polyalcohol or sugar alcohol , a chemical compound formed by mixing a sugar molecule with an alcohol molecule.
Known as wood sugar or birch sugar, xylitol is obtained primarily from birch bark or the plant fiber xylan .
Xylitol is also naturally present in certain fruits and vegetables and as a sweetener it is added to various foods, mainly sugar-free diet products and toothpastes.
How can xylitol be consumed?
Xylitol is sold as a crystalline white powder and has a sweetness almost equal to that of conventional sugar, but its advantage is that it has 40% fewer calories.
Main properties of xylitol
1. Prevents cavities
One of the main uses of xylitol is as a sweetener for sugar-free chewing gums, as well as providing sweetness, its consumption has been shown to be incredibly beneficial for health.
Extensive research has confirmed that chewing gum with xylitol decreases the number of malignant oral bacteria by 30-80% and reduces cavities by 30-85% (9).
2. Protects against childhood otitis
Unfortunately, many breastfeeding and school-age children suffer from otitis, a painful inflammation of the ear that can even cause fever.
According to the results of the studies, the intake of xylitol in the form of syrup or chewing gum reduces the occurrence of this infection by up to 40% (10).
3. It is ideal for diabetics
The composition and characteristics of xylitol make it a completely safe substance for diabetics.
It has a glycemic index of 7, does not alter blood glucose and insulin levels and does not increase insulin resistance (11).
Does it have side effects?
Most people who consume xylitol products do not experience major side effects, although excessive intake can cause certain digestive problems .
However, people with irritable bowel syndrome or intolerance to FODMAPs should avoid consuming xylitol.
More information about xylitol in 6 properties of xylitol, a perfect substitute for sugar .
4. YACON SYRUP
Yacon syrup is a low-calorie sweetener extracted from the roots of the yacon plant , Smallanthus sonchifolius by its scientific name.
It is a tuber native to the Andes Mountains, in South America, and for years it has been used as a medicinal plant due to its therapeutic properties (12).
Thanks to its high content of fructooligosaccharides and inulin , two types of indigestible carbohydrates with prebiotic effects, yacon syrup is presented as a sweetener with multiple health benefits.
How can you consume yacon syrup?
Yacon syrup, as its name suggests, is marketed in the form of syrup, a viscous, dark-colored liquid similar to molasses.
Contains a third of the calories of conventional sugar.
Main properties of yacon syrup
1. Acts as a prebiotic
The fructooligosaccharides present in yacon syrup act as prebiotics, that is, as indigestible fibers that reach the colon intact (13).
There, they serve as food for the benign bacteria that make up the intestinal flora, which contributes to their development and proliferation and to greater protection against other pathogenic microorganisms.
Having a balanced flora is synonymous with good health and various studies have associated an imbalance in the intestinal flora with numerous diseases such as diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular diseases, colorectal cancer, etc. (14).
2. Fight constipation
Fructooligosaccharides are a type of soluble fiber, which have been shown to improve constipation symptoms.
It appears that yacon syrup consumption may decrease transit time through the digestive tract and increase stool frequency (15).
Does it have side effects?
Moderate intake of yacon syrup is generally well tolerated by most people.
However, the abuse of this sweetener can cause certain intestinal problems , since a large amount of fiber in the intestine contributes to the formation of gases and favors diarrhea and other digestive disorders.
(1) http://www.scielo.org.pe/scielo.php?pid=S2077-99172014000300006&script=sci_arttext
(2) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2014988/
(3) http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/19476337.2013.830150
(4) http://jurnal.ugm.ac.id/jfps/article/download/2347/2108
(5) http://ec.europa.eu/food/fs/sc/scf/out175_en.pdf
(6) http://www.tria.gr/images/usrImage/0166387001445497636..pdf
(7) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24095985?dopt=Abstract
(8) http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=924264
(9) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3434645/
(10) http://www.iapo.org.br/manuals/03-10.pdf
(11) http://archive.diabetes.ca/files/SugarAlcohols–Wolever–CJDDecember2002.pdf
(12) http://www.infoandina.org/sites/default/files/publication/files/R2006082304.pdf
(13) http://www.upb.edu/sites/default/files/7LopezN7.pdf
(14) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3983973/
(15) http://www.karger.com/Article/Abstract/155214
University Professional in the area of Human Resources, Postgraduate in Occupational Health and Hygiene of the Work Environment, 14 years of experience in the area of health. Interested in topics of Psychology, Occupational Health, and General Medicine.