Twinkies, cinnamon buns, candy bars and lollipops. Americans love their sweets, to the point of excess. According to the American Dietetic Association, Americans eat 150 pounds of sugar a year, much of it from junk food. These substitutes for refined sugar will aid you in eliminating refined sugar in your diet, without denying yourself something sweet.
Agave Nectar/Syrup - Sweeter than honey, agave nectar is a combination of fructose and glucose sugars. This Mexican-born plant is popular in both hot and cold drinks; although agave syrup is viscous, it blends quickly.
Applesauce - The use of unsweetened applesauce and orange juice in baking cookies, cakes and muffins decreases the amount of sugar needed in recipes but still provides a sweet treat.
Honey - Both honey and agave lack the bitter taste of artificial sweeteners, an added bonus to a healthier substitute. Some types of honey, like red clover honey or orange blossom honey are considered low glycemic; they dissolve more slowly into the bloodstream, creating less of a blood glucose spike.
Stevia - Because stevia is thirty times sweeter than sugar it must be used in moderation. Stevia might not be found in your local supermarket; rather artificial sweeteners are the norm at the store down the street. In December 2008 the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) declared stevia appropriate for human consumption in artificial sweeteners - the herb has been used in its natural state outside the US for centuries. Although it was approved, groups such as The Center for Science in the Public Interest believe that more testing should have been done before approval. The Center cited studies in which lab rats suffered from reproductive abnormalities when given the artificial sweetener (not the herb itself). A quick trip to a health or specialty store should turn up this sugar alternative in its natural plant-based form.
Xylitol - Xylitol, a substance derived from birch sugar, is now used in sugar substitutes. Consumption of large quantities of the substance may cause indigestion and stomach discomfort. If possible, stick to a more natural sugar substitute such as agave nectar or honey.
Substitution Ratios
Use 3/4 cup of agave nectar for every cup of sugar the recipe calls for. For each cup of sugar used in a recipe, reduce the amount of honey needed by 1/2 to 3/4 cup of sugar. To decrease the acidity in honey, use ½ teaspoon of baking soda. Since baked goods brown quicker when honey is used, reduce the heat required by twenty-five degrees. One teaspoon of powdered or liquid stevia will stand in for a whole cup of sugar. A ¼ teaspoon of stevia can replace a teaspoon of sugar-substitute 6 to 9 drops of liquid stevia for the same amount of sugar. The xylitol to sugar ratio is pretty simple - 1:1, the same rate applies to applesauce.
