Simply Sweet

Too much refined sugar is not good for you but while there are natural alternatives, just because they are natural does it mean they are good for you? We look at the natural substances that can allow you to have your sweetness, and eat it.

- Lisa Holmen

As we all know, sugar can be highly addictive and people often consume a lot more sugar than they think. Unfortunately, overconsumption of refined sugar has been associated with many serious diseases, including obesity, heart disease, diabetes and cancer. For those of you with a sweet tooth, it’s best to swap refined sugars with natural sugar alternatives. But just because they are natural, does it mean they are as healthy as they claim to be? We take a look at the best alternative sugar sources on the market if you need to add a bit of sweetness into your life.

Raw honey

One of the oldest sweeteners in the world and one of nature’s most popular superfoods, honey also doubles as a healing agent due to its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. It has an abundance of beneficial antioxidants including polyphenols and small amounts of vitamins and minerals including iron, zinc and potassium. Since raw honey is not processed or heated, the vitamins and minerals remain completely intact. Some studies have even found that honey can increase the level of “good” HDL cholesterol in the bloodstream. On the downside, honey breaks down in the body to glucose and fructose and so it has some of the health risks of sugar despite being marginally lower on the glycaemic index.