Sugar is currently essential for our day-to-day routines. To be sure, sugar is available in sweets or certain exquisite dishes. However, did you have at least some idea that other regular substances could supplant sugar? Honey, agave, stevia… this is what to replace sugar with! Made essentially out of sucrose, the sweet kind of sugar is separated from sugar beets or sugar sticks. Yet, if the sugar permits it to carry a credible taste to its dishes, this fixing isn’t suggested for individuals with diabetes.
Table of Contents
What Are The Different Types Of Sugars?
Before discovering what to replace sugar with, here is a quick overview of the main ones currently sold.
White Sugar
White sugar is the most refined and used. High in calories, it is incorporated into many recipes, especially desserts.
Icing Sugar
Icing sugar is crushed sugar reduced to an extra fine powder. This sugar is incorporated into sweet recipes.
Whole Sugar
This cane sugar has not undergone any transformation. Unlike white, It is not refined and has kept all its minerals. At the same time, sugar is also more fragrant and is distinguished by its brown color.
Brown Cane Sugar
Also known as brown sugar, brown cane sugar is refined and fragrant but contains low minerals and vitamins. This sugar is often used to caramelize preparations or to make crumble-type desserts.
Blond Sugar
Blond sugar is refined cane sugar with a neutral taste. If the five sugars presented above are the most used in cooking, others, such as brown beet sugar (or bourgeoisie), rapadura, natural cane sugar and molasses, a thick syrup, can also be integrated into recipes.
Also Read: Calorie Calculator: How Many Calories Per Day Do I Need?
What Can I Substitute For Sugar?
Natural Sweeteners
Here is the first alternative to replace sugar: natural sweeteners. Ideal for making sugar-free desserts and sweets, natural sweeteners are an exciting solution for people with diabetes who want to treat themselves. If natural sweeteners are attractive, chemical sweeteners should be avoided, especially aspartame!
Maple Syrup
Natural sweetener maple syrup has a solid sweetening power and a low glycemic index (75 g of maple syrup is equivalent to 100 g of sugar). It is also common in calories (about 250 kcal per 100 g), which makes it an ingredient of choice for people with diabetes and those wishing to keep the line. Maple syrup has a mild flavor and is ideal for sweetening pancakes, cakes, and yogurts…
Agave Syrup
What can I substitute for sugar? By agave syrup, another neutral-tasting natural sweetener. Its sweetening power is three times greater than conventional sugar’s, but its glycemic index is low. On the other hand, agave syrup is caloric, but its carbohydrates are good for your health. This syrup can be consumed hot or cold in desserts by people with diabetes and those with cholesterol. To make a dessert with agave syrup, know that 75 g is equivalent to 100 g of sugar.
Honey
Honey is another solution to replace sugar. Composed of fructose and glucose, honey contains a high content of carbohydrates and nutrients. It is a nourishing ingredient that promotes the feeling of satiety. If honey is an excellent alternative to sugar, it is unsuitable for vegans because it comes from the work of bees. Of all the honey available, acacia honey has a more delicate taste. Also, for 100 g of sugar, you must add 50 g of love to your recipe.
Powdered Fructose
You can use powdered fructose if you want to replace sugar in your recipes. This ingredient corresponds to the natural sugar contained in fruits or honey. It is sweeter than conventional sugar but has a low glycemic index. People with diabetes can therefore consume powdered fructose. To use powdered fructose in dishes, know that 80 g is equivalent to 100 g of sugar.
Stevia
Stevia is one more fixing that individuals with diabetes can consume. This plant can be integrated into both hot and cold recipes. Stevia has a persistent licorice flavor and solid improving power: it takes around 10 g of stevia to supplant 100 g of sugar. One more distinction of this plant: it contains neither carbs nor calories. In this manner, it is ideal as a feature of a thinning diet and does not affect glucose.
Malt
Malt contains maltose and comes from sprouting and drying barley. Its flavor is sweet, but this sweetener is high in fructose. It is, therefore, not recommended for people with diabetes.
Also Read: Grape Jam: The Recipe, Even Without Sugar