Want to reduce the consumption of sugar or even switch to a natural sweetener, but do not know which is better to choose? As informs health info, the experts of the edition "Challenger" prepared a guide on the most popular natural sweeteners and explained the pros and cons of each of them.

"Give up the sweet! "," Do not let the white death ruin you! " "- do without these terrible slogans, because the news that sugar is not the most useful product in the diet of a modern man, does not surprise anyone.

Natural sweeteners are an ideal choice for those who consciously want to eliminate refined sugar from their lives, but are not ready to completely abandon the sweet taste of drinks and dishes. Below, we collected seven of the most popular sugar substitutes, which today offers a healthy food market.

Maple Syrup A cultured sweetener that is derived from condensed sugar maple juice - a plant symbol of Canada.

Pros: very tasty and fragrant, ideal for pancakes, waffles and other desserts. Rich in manganese, zinc and antioxidants, it retains its nutritional value even when heated.

Cons: Maple syrup - pleasure is not cheap, it is often falsified and tinted. Average caloric value (260 calories).

Agave Nectar Another "hello" from the western half of the world - golden agave nectar. It is made from the juice of a blue agave, from which another "fun" liquid is made - tequila.

Pluses: remarkably soluble in water, sweeter than sugar one and a half times, consumed more sparingly, pleasant to taste, has a low glycemic index. For agave nectar, Western food bloggers have come up with a bunch of recipes, so there will always be ideas on how best to use it.

Cons: high price. Contains 75-90% fructose, which is not very good for metabolism. Not all doctors allow him to have diabetes.

Syrup Jerusalem artichoke Golden sweet syrup, which is obtained from the tubers of Jerusalem artichoke.

Pros: delicate caramel flavor, it is convenient to add to drinks and desserts, like children and adults. Has a low glycemic index, suitable for diabetics. Contains inulin - a natural prebiotic, stimulating the growth of "friendly" intestinal microflora.

Cons: rather expensive, if you completely switch to it. The average calorie content is 267 calories, although this is less than that of ordinary sugar.

Stevia Fully natural sweetener. The stevia sweetener is produced from a South American plant known in our country as "honey grass". Dried grass is sweeter than sugar 10 times, and extract (stevioside), obtained from juice - as much 200-250 times.

Pros: zero calorie and glycemic index, suitable for diabetics, lowers blood pressure, strengthens nerves. Suitable for baking and drinks, sparingly consumed.

Minuses: a light "herbaceous" taste, which can simply "not fit" into your taste preferences. If you choose a more affordable option in the form of dried herbs, then it will have to be brewed. Stevia is not a source of energy.

Coconut sugar Rich in minerals, crystallized sugar, which is made from nectar of coconut palm flowers (yes, it does bloom!).

Pros: contains little fructose and a lot of potassium, zinc, calcium and vitamin C. Glycemic index is less than cane sugar and honey, suitable for diabetic nutrition. Ideal sweetener for cereals or morning flakes.

Cons: you need to be very careful during the purchase, as some manufacturers for the sake of economy can "dilute" it with cheaper reed. The maintenance of calories and carbohydrates is identical to white sugar. May not seem sweet enough for drinks.

Grape sugar A thick, transparent syrup without any taste, derived from condensed and filtered grape juice.

Pros: Moderately sweet, easy to use, does not change color and aroma of dishes. It is made without heat treatment. Suitable for baby food.

Cons: mainly composed of glucose, therefore contraindicated in diabetic patients. Caloric content is approximately equal to ordinary sugar. Does not give so sweet taste, which is expected of him - it is necessary to increase the portion of syrup, thereby increasing caloric content.

Xylitol Sweetener, which is complexly isolated from hardwood, cotton husk and corn.

Pros: does not raise the level of sugar in the blood (suitable for diabetics), does not harm the teeth, the caloric content is approximately equal to white sugar.

Cons: can induce indigestion. When manufacturing from corn, there is a risk of using GMO raw materials. It is not a completely natural sweetener, since the starting product undergoes a multi-stage processing.

Healthinfo. Ua.

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