Filed under: Health, Healthy Eating, Eat This
One of the more frequent topics I get asked about is sweeteners. Sweet, it seems, is a very comforting flavour. It seems a cruel joke that sugar, the very essence of the sweet flavour, is so detrimental to our health; implicated in everything from obesity to tooth decay and many disorders in between. Artificial sweeteners are really no better as, although controversial, much of the science on them shows they are extremely toxic.
I’ve advocated for using raw honey and maple syrup in moderation in the past, but the fact is, they’re still sugar and are just as susceptible to abuse. Recent reports on agave point to the likelihood that it’s not a healthy sweetener at all, but is really on par with high fructose corn syrup. The jury is still out on this one, but I’ll be avoiding agave until a reliable answer comes.
So what is one to do? Are we doomed to never have a sweet indulgence that isn’t accompanied with a side of blood sugar spikes, not to mention a heaping portion of guilt? Stevia is a great sweetener, but it does have a different sweet flavour; almost artificial in character (even though it is completely natural). In some applications it’s fine, but some people find it hard to get used to.
Continue reading A Sweetener With Health Benefits: Best Sugar Substitute