Alternative Sweetners

Think about it...What is a good way to cure your sweet tooth without sugar?

Believe it or not when you quit consuming sugar in your diet, the easier it becomes to say no to it. When it comes to consuming carbs or sugar, my struggle isn't with the pasta's or the bread. My REAL struggle is with not being able to eat sweets. However, when you cut carbs from your diet the cravings do go away to a certain extent.

So, me being a big sweets person and now sticking to a ketogenic diet the search has been on to find good substitutes for sugar. I was looking to find a way to cure my sweet tooth without having to pay for it later. I wanted the cake and to eat it too! My first attempt at sweets was with a cheesecake chocolate chip bar and it actually turned out fantastic with around 5 net carbs per bar. I used a substitute called Erythritol and it was my first time using it and it has been my favorite alternative sweetener thus far.

Erythritol is a sugar alcohol that is very low on the glycemic index. Check out an earlier post about the glycemic index. It is very sweet and usually can be used 1:1 in recipes. It actually scores a 1 on the glycemic index which is amazing.

Stevia Extract is my second favorite. Although it does have a slight after taste, I love using it in my coffee in the morning. It has a glycemic index score of 0, so it will not cause a spike in your blood sugar or insulin levels.

Xylitol is another sugar alcohol that can be used. This one has a little higher score of 12 but still works great as an alternative sweetener. This one I have yet to try, so I can't comment on the taste.

Some people complain of digestive discomfort with some of these alternative sweeteners, but usually it is if you contain too much at one sitting. You will have to find the one that works best with your stomach. Personally, I haven't had any issues with Erythritol or the stevia.

One other substitute that isn't a sugar alcohol is Monk Fruit Sugar. This can be used directly in place of sugar. It is also a 0 on the glycemic index, so there won't be any spikes in sugar levels or insulin. I have used this in coffee and baking; however, I don't think it's that sweet. It is just a tad bit dull for my taste.

Coconut Sugar is meh...unfortunately. It has been marketed as a great alternative and the bag has been slapped with "low glycemic" and "non GMO" but the truth is it's basically 50% table sugar. It's glycemic index score is around 35. This one doesn't have an after taste because it's really close to eating normal sugar. Don't get me wrong it is better than pure cane sugar but there are better options.

I hope this information finds you well and helps you to make better decisions about your health.

Look forward for a future blog about the amazing almond flour! Great for low sugar baking! Any questions feel free to contact Dr. Joel Lardi at Lardi Complete Chiropractic in Orland Park at 708-873-0069.