Trying to cut your sugar intake but have a bit of a sweet tooth?
Thankfully, there are many sugar alternatives you can find on the market today to help lower your blood pressure and go natural this summer.
Wellness expert Kyle Buchanan recently joined The Morning Show to break down the best and the worst sugar alternatives for you.
Buchanan says the miracle berry, which contains a taste-modifying protein called miraculin, binds taste receptors to make all sour and bitter foods taste sweet.
“It’s like magic but it only lasts for 30 to 60 minutes,” he says.
A more well-known alternative is coconut sugar, which comes from the sap of palm trees.
Coconut sugar contains more minerals and B vitamins compared to regular sugar and has a lower glycemic index — the rate at which a food raises your blood sugar.
Buchanan says it still does affect your blood sugar, however, so keep that in mind when you’re adding it to your drinks or baking.
Date sugar, a natural sweetener made from finely chopped dried dates, is a great alternative because it contains all the fibre, vitamins and minerals found in the fruit, he adds. And though it’s good for baking, Buchanan says one drawback is that it doesn’t mix well in liquids.
For the many people who use stevia, some benefits of the sweetener are the anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory properties, as well as being zero calories.
But some people do experience a bitter aftertaste, Buchanan says. He recommends purchasing the unprocessed product rather than the refined version, which is a lot sweeter.
Lastly, xylitol, a natural sweetener found in corn, oats, berries and birch bark, is an alternative that doesn’t cause a spike in blood sugar and is good for your oral health.
“It can cause gas and bloating,” Buchanan warns.
Additionally, it’s extremely toxic for dogs, so make sure to keep it far away from your pets if you do use it as a sugar alternative, he adds.
For more information on sugar alternatives, watch the full video above.