Would you like to avoid refined sugar when baking, cooking or sweetening drinks?
No problem, because there is a variety of (natural) alternatives that sweeten your life in the same way and are even healthier – but don’t forget SUGAR REMAINS SUGAR! Just because certain alternatives are healthier doesn’t mean you can consume them without hesitation. For more information on this, check out my 1:1 Nutrition Coaching. Reducing or eliminating sugar is one of the easiest ways to develop healthy and sustainable eating habits. So let’s go!
1. Ripe Bananas
I think during the lockdown phase we probably all came to enjoy a yummy tummy banana bread, right? Bananas give a perfect natural sweetness and are great for baking recipes. They can easily replace sugar and I use ripe bananas regularly in my recipes. Plus, I always have frozen ripe bananas in the freezer – perfect for smoothies or baking recipes when a ripe banana isn’t available. Bananas are also a great sugar alternative because they are very inexpensive compared to some of the following alternatives.
2. Dates
Ohhh dates – my second favorite sugar alternative after bananas. Not only that, they’re also a great candy substitute. Ever filled them with nut butter? Dates are my favorite to use in no bake recipes such as energy balls, cake bases, smoothies or I even like to use them in cookie recipes. They add an incredibly great sweetness with a slight aftertaste of caramel. Not only do they sweeten, but they also serve as a binder in recipes. I recommend Medjool dates as they are the sweetest. You’re also likely to find date syrup in the supermarket – but I have to say that I don’t find it anywhere near as good as whole dates.
3. Maple Syrup
Not only suitable for pancakes! Maple syrup is a wonderful sugar substitute for sweet (or savory) recipes. I love it with oatmeal or in recipes like homemade granola, oat cookies, etc. The special taste of maple syrup can spice up recipes quite nicely and provides a very special taste in combination with other ingredients.
4. Honey
Honey can not be missing from the list of sugar alternatives, of course. But it must be mentioned that not all honey is the same, because as far as the quality is concerned, there are huge differences that ultimately speak for whether it is a healthier sugar alternative or not. So keep an eye out for quality when buying honey. How about buying your next honey from a local beekeeper or how about you research a little bit before the purchase? In terms of application, it can be used similarly to maple syrup with the difference that honey is a bit firmer and can additionally bind ingredients better in baking recipes.
5. Applesauce
Similar to ripe bananas, applesauce can also be used as a sugar substitute, but also as an egg substitute, as it also binds. Here, however, you have to make sure that you buy applesauce without added sugar, because very many store-bought products contain added sugar – so annoying, isn’t it? That’s why I recommend when buying new products (if you can), always read the ingredients list. You could also just make applesauce yourself if you have the time. How to use it: I personally like applesauce mainly only in combination with oats, nuts and cinnamon, but rather less in recipes that contain cocoa or chocolate, for these combos I prefer the 1st sugar alternative.
Other Sugar Alternatives
In addition to my top 5, there are of course other alternatives to sugar that I will list below. I use the ones above most often, but occasionally also use some from this list:
- Rice syrup
- Agave nectar
- Sugar beet syrup
- Coconut sugar
- Sweetener
- Flavordrops
- Stevia
- Erythritol
- And many more
As you can see, there really is a wide variety of alternatives, so my recommendation is to try your way through and see which alternative makes it easier for you to give up conventional sugar – especially in terms of your goals.
Which sugar alternative is your favorite one?
Let me know which sugar alternative you use most often and also for which kind of recipes. Thrilled to hear from you!
Tell me!