Sweetening can be done not only with sugar but you can use several other kinds of suga substitutes for this purpose. At first it’s not easy to find out, which sweetener is the best for you but it’s not too difficult either. Many questions may arise concerning sugar substitutes: which causes weight gain, which one is the healthiest alternative etc.
With this blog article we would like to provide help for those who have already decided to change their lifestyle, and they want to lower the amount of sugar in food. In the following, we will provide an overview of the three most well-known and most popular natural sugar substitutes, including their main features and infomation regarding their usage.
Birch Sugar (Xilit or xylitol)
Xylitol is one of the best known sweeteners and sugar substitutes. Its biggest advantage is its low glycemic index and that it has no reported side effects. It also has antibacterial effect, so it can be used by patients suffering from candida. It delivers less energy than glucose, but it can cause gastrointestinal symptoms in large quantities (more than 10 g). Like other sugar alcohols, it is not harmful to the teeth, it does not cause tooth decay.
Erythritol
Besides xylitol (birch sugar), erythritol is the second most popula sugar substitute, which is made from wheat starch. One of the greatest advantages is that it is calorie- and carbohydrate-free and does not increase blood sugar level. It has a characteristic, a bit unpleasant side taste and it cannot be caramelized. Its sweetness is about 40-50% of the sugar. Warning: allergic reactions may occur during use.
Stevia
The most natural calorie- and carbohydrate-free sugar substitute. Steviol glycosides responsible for the intense sweet taste, and unlike aspartame, do not decompose even in case of cooking, baking and change of pH, so stevia can be the ultimate substitute for sugar. It is also a great help for dieters as it helps to get rid of excess pounds because stevia passes through the body mainly undigested and does not cause diarrhea. It is much sweeter than sugar and rich in antioxidants.
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