All Natural Sugar Substitutes List

Everyone loves the sweet taste of sugar, but the extra calories and the metabolic effects leave some consumers looking for sugar substitutes. For years, consumers relied on sugar substitutes, such as saccharine, aspartame and sucralose, but in recent years a trend has emerged toward all-natural sugar substitutes, especially after Drs. Soffritti and Lim published studies in the European Journal of Oncology and the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention that claimed processed sugar substitutes caused cancer or brain damage.

Stevia

• Derived from the leaf of the stevia plant, stevia is available as a liquid syrup or as a crystalline white powder. Consumers can find stevia at health food stores, organic markets and in processed brand-name products. South American native tribes have been using the stevia leaf for centuries. Although it is 300 times sweeter than table sugar, it has virtually no effect on blood glucose levels, which makes it an attractive option for diabetics or people on low-carbohydrate diets.

Agave

• Nectar from the agave plant is another good natural sugar substitute. Available as a liquid and sold in health food stores, agave nectar is sweeter than sugar. Like stevia, agave does not affect blood glucose levels; unlike stevia, it does pack a calorie punch: agave actually has more calories than sugar. Nutritionists suggest that because it is sweeter than sugar dieters will use less of it.

Single-Blossom Honey

• Another natural sugar substitute is honey that comes from a single flower blossom, such as orange blossom honey or red clover honey. Like agave, single-blossom honey does not affect blood sugar levels, but it is high in calories and carbohydrates. Consumers counting calories or maintaining a low-carbohydrate diet will want to use single-blossom honey sparingly, if at all. Single-blossom honey is available at health food stores, organic markets, farmers' markets, supermarkets and grocery stores.

Xylitol

• Xylitol is categorized as a natural sugar substitute since it comes from natural sources, and the body produces sugar alcohols like xylitol naturally when it synthesizes sugars. Xylitol is sometimes referred to as birch sugar because manufacturers extract it from birch trees as well as berries, mushrooms and corn. However, xylitol is not available as an additive like stevia, honey or agave. Food manufacturers and processors add xylitol to foods like chewing gum, mints and some baked goods. Like stevia, agave and honey, xylitol has little or no effect on blood sugar levels; its only downside is that excess amounts of it will cause an upset stomach.