It is no secret that I am a fan of sweets. When asked what my favorite food is I answer kale ….or cake. :)
One thing you will never catch in my sweets though is refined sugar. That stuff is toxic! Eating refined sugar is addictive, makes you fat, tired, depressed, age faster, makes your skin dull, weakens immunity and, when consumed in excess, causes all sorts of diseases…uh no thanks!
Instead, here as some of my favorite alternatives to processed sugar. Not only do these taste better than refined sugar but they also have valuable vitamins and nutrients that your body will love you for eating!
Organic coconut palm sugar - This sweetener is derived from fresh coconut tree sap. Once the sap from the flower buds is heated and the moisture is evaporated, you are left with a crystal form of palm sugar. (1) Palm sugar is so great because it can be used at a one to one ratio for regular sugar. Organic palm sugar is also full of nutrients that we need to look and feel our best. It is naturally high in amino acids, has 10,000 times more potassium, 20 times more magnesium and 20 times more iron than conventional sugar. (2) Converting to this type of sugar could also lower your risk of developing diabetes because it’s glycemic index is half of that compared to sugar. This type of sugar has a deeper taste than traditional bleached sugar, think more like brown sugar. Adding this to your recipes will add a richness that refined sugar never could. (3)
Date Sugar - So good! Date sugar is dehydrated dates which are ground into a powder. I love this option because it is raw and completely unprocessed and, as you may know, foods in their natural state have more vitamins and nutrients than in their cooked counterparts. This sugar is great as a toping on cakes and cookies. However it does not dissolve so it is best suited for a sweet garnish. (4)Food Babe’s Sweet Blend - This is my secret weapon to avoid unnecessary sugars and it’s great because it uses 100% whole organic ingredients. It’s simple and is as follows… Organic raw pitted dates, prunes, bananas, apple sauce or maple syrup blended together with either organic coconut oil or melted organic butter. After you have blended all the ingredients together all you have to do is add vanilla (or other flavorings) and your dry ingredients to make the most delicious sweet cookies or cakes.
Now, these processed sugar alternative options above are great, but it is important to remember that refined processed sugar can be a nasty addiction to kick. If you have been consuming large amounts of this stuff it is important to be mentally ready for what happens when you drop processed sugar from your life. A Suja Juice Fresh Start Program is a great way to help you eliminate your sugar addiction and kick the cravings.
Stay Sweet,
Food Babe & Suja Juice
SOURCES: 1. Gunnars, Kris. "Coconut Sugar - Healthy Sugar Alternative or a Big, Fat Lie?" Authority Nutrition. Authority Nutrition LLC, 17 Apr. 2013. Web. https://authoritynutrition.com/coconut-sugar/. 2. Bernard, Jessica. "Nutrition in Coconut Sugar." LIVESTRONG.COM. LIVESTRONG.COM, 23 May 2015. Web. https://www.livestrong.com/article/540370-nutrition-in-coconut-sugar/. 3. "Background on Carbohydrates & Sugars." FoodInsight.org. International Food Information Inc, 12 Apr. 2015. Web. https://www.foodinsight.org/Background_on_Carbohydrates_Sugars#sthash.l7IWWQfm.dpbs. 4. Koch, Jared. "The Sweet Life: 8 Top Sugar Alternatives." Wellness Today. Wellness Today, LLC, 13 Jan. 2013. Web. https://www.wellnesstoday.com/nutrition/sweet-life-8-top-sugar-alternatives.
