Top Six Natural Sweeteners - The MindBodyFood Institute

We all know that sugar is bad for you and contributes to various health issues. So here are 6 of our favourite natural sweeteners that are full of vitamins, minerals, enzymes and amino acids that will contribute to your nutritional health without compromising on taste. Simply pick one according to your preference!

1. Coconut Sugar

As the coconut tree is a palm, this means that coconut sugar is a type of palm sugar. It is made from the sap of cut flower buds off the coconut palm, and is a traditional sweetener that’s been used for thousands of years in the South and South-East Asia. Due to its extraction process it has a very high heat resistance and won’t melt easily over the stove. Thankfully, it can come in granular form (has a hint of caramel) or liquid (syrup nectar, which has more of a fruity flavour). The granules are delicious sprinkled over hot chia pudding or quinoa porridge.

2. Rapadura Sugar

Also known as panela and jaggery, this sugar is a traditional uncentrifuged juice pressed from whole cane sugar, which is then evaporated without separating the molasses. This way the minerals stay intact. Like coconut sugar, it also comes in a granular or liquid form. After you’ve smelt and tasted coconut sugar, you may take an instant dislike to rapadura in comparison. It really comes down to individual preference as they both act very similarly. You can use coconut and rapadura sugar interchangeably. Coconut sugar is less sweet of the two.

3. Raw Honey

Raw in this instance means that the honey hasn’t been exposed to high temperatures (over 45 degrees), leaving the healthy enzymes intact. Many cultures believe raw honey to hold medicinal qualities. Honey is excellent mixed with nut butter (raw fudge), cacao (healthy icing) or smoothies and desserts.

4. Maple Syrup

MS is made from the sap of tapped maple trees, which is also then evaporated to make a concentrated syrup or a granulated sugar.

Pure Maple syrup is a good source of zinc and manganese, and although a far better option than white sugar or honey is best combined with other natural sweeteners to enhance the flavour without using a large amount. It’s a fantastic sweetener in cheesecakes and slice bases to combine ingredients, meaning you don’t need to use as much. It’s even suitable to use in raw chocolate (especially raw chocolate pie!) although I don’t tend to use it in chocolate as my first preference unless I’m using coconut oil in place of cacao butter.

5. Fruit

Unprocessed, natural and full of fibre. Real, live and fresh fruits are best – especially straight off the tree. Hands down beats any juice unless it’s straight from the blender, which includes the fibre. Bananas, apples, blueberries, pears, cranberries and goji berries are colourful, tasty and delicious. I like to use mashed banana in my chia puddings, and freeze them for smoothies and “ice-creams”. Dried paw-paw and pineapple are the only two fruits I healinclude into homemade muesli with nuts and seeds.

6. Medjool Dates

Medjool dates contain a long list of vitamins and a bountiful amount of minerals: calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, zinc, copper, and manganese. They are sweet, sticky and the perfect substitute for sugar in raw protein balls, brownies, cheesecake bases and smoothies.

So there you have it! 6 healthy, delicious and more nutritious forms of natural sugar that are perfect substitutes and replacements to refined, processed and “poisonous” sugars.

Featured image by Sophie N. on Unsplash.

Author:
Viki Thondley

Viki Thondley-Moore is an Integrative Holistic Counsellor, Brain-Based Coach, Clinical Hypnotherapist, Mind-Body Somatic Practitioner, Wellness Coach, Meditation Teacher, Educator and Disordered Eating Specialist. Viki is founder of MindBodyFood and Founder/Director of the MindBodyFood Institute.