The Best Sugar Alternatives that are Actually Good for You

Sugar has been demonized for quite some time now and in large part for good reason – it’s filled with empty calories and wreaks havoc on your hormones / metabolism. Too much of it can contribute to a host of co-morbidities like heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

That said, if you incorporate it sparingly… a cube in your coffee, or a small cookie once a day, the world won’t end. However, when we are cooking or baking and a recipe calls for a sweetener you are likely going to get way more sugar than is good for you and for no good reason.

There are plenty of foods that add sweetness, which also have health benefits and lower glycemic indexes (they convert to glucose more slowly than refined sugar) making them far healthier choices.

Here are the top alternatives from The Fitness App’s dietitians to choose from that can be added to everything from baked goods to smoothies, yogurt parfaits, and even tea or coffee.

1. Blackstrap molasses
Blackstrap molasses contains the a host of valuable vitamins and minerals like vitamin B6, manganese, copper, magnesium, potassium, iron and selenium. Molasses also has a more moderate glycemic index of 55.

2. Raw unpasteurized honey
The key with honey is to make sure and purchase high quality that’s minimally heated, raw, and fresh. Honey is still high on the GI, but it does offer a host of health benefits. It’s loaded with polyphenol antioxidants to help reduce oxidative stress. It has small amounts of micronutrients like calcium, magnesium, manganese, niacin, pantothenic acid, phosphorous, potassium, riboflavin, and zinc. Honey is also known for its antibacterial and antifungal properties which make it excellent for fighting off infections and improving gut health.

3. Monk fruit sweetener
Real monk fruit is actually lower in calories than table sugar, it’s far lower on the glycemic index so it doesn’t impact blood sugar negatively, or cause cavities. With that said, it’s often mixed with other things like stevia or sugar alcohol which is ok, but make sure it isn’t blended with other sweeteners like aspartame, saccharin, or sucralose as those are known to have negative impacts on our health overall. 

4. Applesauce or other fruit purees
This one isn’t as versatile as the other options as you can’t put it in your coffee, but it’s by far one of the best alternatives. It’s loaded with a fiber called pectin which not only helps to regulate blood sugar, but is great for gut health. Apples also have antioxidants, vitanins and minerals that are great for cardiovascular health like potassium, vitamin A, vitamin C, Quercetin, vitamin b6 and more.

5. Maple Syrup
This one is still high on the glycemic index, however it does contain some minerals like calcium, potassium, iron, zinc, and manganese. Plus, it contains polyphenols like lignans and coumarins that may have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits.