What is a Natural Sweetener?

In order to understand why you can go here . But to make a long story short, this is all our body was designed for. White sugar is a processed poison, as are all synthetic sweeteners like aspartame etc., found in things like Nutra-Sweet.

Therefore, if you are going to consume a sweetener, it is best if it comes from the fruit, herb, or vegetable kingdom and be as raw/living as possible (not overheated, and not overly processed) for optimum health.

This is how you define a natural sweetener; one that has not been altered terribly from how it is found in nature and that actually comes from nature.

We need to begin to learn to move away from concentrated sweetening syrups however, because most of them must be processed somewhat to bring them to you, and whole fruits and even dried fruits are going to generally be better for you. (Though even many dried fruits and nuts are overly heated when they are dried or de-shelled, so do your research!) We also need to be aware of the effect that a sweetener or food has on the release of insulin in our bodies, as insulin constantly being released causes aging, weight gain, diabetes, and everything we are all trying to avoid.

Therefore, of the following alternative sweeteners below, I recommend stevia, lecuma powder, organic coconut palm sugar, yacon root, Lakanto, and dried fruit the most, then the most natural xylitol (made with birch) or birch sugar you can find, then maple syrup, and finally agave. I will tell you why in the description of each, as well as which ones are the best for keeping your insulin levels low ("low-glycemic").

Stevia Rebaudiana Herb

Japan currently consumes more stevia than any other country, with stevia accounting for 40% of the sweetener market.

(James May at healthy.net): Stevia is one of the most health restoring plants on earth. What whole leaf Stevia does both inside the body and on the skin is incredible. Native to Paraguay, it is a small green plant bearing leaves which have a delicious and refreshing taste that can be 30 times sweeter than sugar. Besides the intensely sweet glycosides (Steviosides, Rebaudiosides and a Dulcoside), various studies have found the leaf to contain proteins, fiber, carbohydrates, iron, phosphorus, calcium, potassium, sodium, magnesium, zinc, rutin (a flavonoid), true vitamin A, Vitamin C and an oil which contains 53 other constituents. Quality Stevia leaves and whole leaf concentrate are nutritious, natural dietary supplements offering numerous health benefits.

Stevia is the sweetener of the future. Because the human body does not metabolize the sweet glycosides (they pass right through the normal elimination channels) from the leaf or any of its processed forms, the body obtains no calories from Stevia. Processed forms of pure Stevia can be 70-400 times sweeter than sugar. The vast majority of reported health benefits, both from the research laboratory and consumer experience, comes from daily use of a water based whole leaf Stevia concentrate. Scientific research has indicated that Stevia effectively regulates blood sugar and brings it toward a normal balance. It is sold in some South American countries as an aid to people with diabetes.

If you have hypoglycemia however, you need to be careful with stevia at first in your healing process, because stevia lowers the blood sugar and hypoglycemic means your blood sugar is actually already too low. Though my physiologic understanding of the process is that one's pancreas has become overactive and releases so much insulin all at once after eating carbohydrates, that it actually works too well and lowers the blood sugar too low. So a major change in diet is needed, and eventually stevia may be enjoyed once your disease is more under control. Stevia may nourish and heal the pancreas as well according to some studies and hypoglycemics have reported varying results- interestingly enough- some have even stated online in hypoglycemic forums that they have no problem using raw, pure stevia, while the processed stevia however lowers their blood sugar too low. So experiment carefully and as always work along with a medical professional who can help monitor your results.

Studies have also indicated that Stevia tends to lower elevated blood pressure but does not seem to affect normal blood pressure. It also inhibits the growth and reproduction of some bacteria and other infectious organisms, including the bacteria that cause tooth decay and gum disease.

Raw Organic Coconut Sugar

This is somewhat new on the market and I am so happy to have discovered it. The ease of using white sugar, which we all used to enjoy, has now returned with this amazing product! What is even more fabulous is that is has an extremely low Glycemic Index (35, so no sugar crash), is full of nutrients- with a much higher nutrient content then any sweetener available, and is delicious, rich, and not too sweet. Easily replace white sugar with this great product.

This pure and simple cane sugar alternative is produced from the sweet juices of tropical coconut palm sugar blossoms. Traditional sugar farmers climb high into the canopy of swaying coconuts and harvest the sweet nectar by gently slicing the flower. Once collected, the nectars are kettle-boiled into a thick caramel and ground to a fine crystal. Coconut sugar has long been a staple for south East Asian culinary heritage and herbal medicine.

Coconut Sugar is naturally low on the Glycemic Index (GI), which has benefits for weight control and improving glucose and lipid levels in people with diabetes (type 1 and type 2).

• Coconut Sugar is rated as a GI 35. By comparison, most commercial Honeys are GI 55 and Cane Sugars are GI 68.
• Coconut Sugar has a nutritional content far richer than all other commercially available sweeteners.
• Coconut Sugar is especially high in Potassium, Magnesium, Zinc and Iron and is a natural source of the vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6 and C.
• Coconut Sugar is a 100% Organic, unprocessed, unfiltered, and unbleached natural sweetener. And contains no preservatives.
• This coconut sugar is produced by smallholder farmers. 100% of the money from growing, harvesting and primary processing of this ingredient stays in the local community.
• Through market access and production training, smallholder sugar tappers have risen well above the poverty line and are able to earn an increase in personal income of close to 200%, while maintaining a competitive market price as a cane sugar alternative!
• The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the World Bank has reported that palm sweeteners like this coconut sugar are the single most sustainable sweetener in the world!
• Coconut Sugars are not produced from the same palm species as is used for the production of Palm Oil.
• Coconut Palms produce an average of 50-75% more sugar per acre than Sugar Cane and use less than 1/5th the nutrients for that production.
• Tropical palms are an ecologically beneficial tree crop that grows in diverse, wild-life supportive agro-ecosystems, restore damaged soils and require very little water.
• Coconut Palms are considered the “Tree of Life” by many traditional communities throughout the world as they provide over 100 smallholder accessible products from which to make livelihoods. The production of Coconut Sugar has the single highest potential for lifting these farmers into a better life while creating a net benefit to their surrounding environment.

Yacon Syrup and Powder

Yacon root is low-glycemic, natural, raw, low-calorie sweet liquid treat that is positively good for you. Use yacon root syrup as you would honey, agave, stevia, or maple syrup on foods, in recipes and to sweeten beverages. Fresh pressed from the yacon root, this syrup is a gift from nature that has been enjoyed for centuries in the Andean highlands of Peru.Yacon syrup has the following properties and benefits:

1. Regulates friendly intestinal flora, especially improves the growth of bifidobacterium 2. Reduces constipation 3. Helps to reduce the risk of developing colon cancer 4. Improves calcium and magnesium absorption, helping to strengthen the bones 5. Improves vitamin absorption, especiallly for B Vitamins 6. Helps manage cholesterol, triglycerides, and fat metabolism in general 7. Boosts the immune system in a similar way to aloe vera 8. Contain glyconutrients 9. Ideal for low-calorie and weight-loss diets 10. Ideal for low-sugar diets 11. Ideal for cancer-fighting diets 12. Non-cariogenic (does not cause cavities) 13. Contains superfood-level antioxidants 14. Standardized to 30% FOS (fructo-oligosaccharides) 15. Rich in antioxidants 16. Helps reduce symptoms of blood sugar disorders (hypoglycemia, diabetes type 2, etc.) Though packed with sweetness, the sugar in yacon is mainly fructooligosaccharide, which cannot be absorbed by the body. This means yacon is both naturally low-calorie and low in mono and disaccharides (less than 1 gram per serving of the sugars that rapidly elevate blood sugar levels). Yacon root syrup has little influence on the glucose tolerance curve and is dramatically less glycemic than honey, agave, or maple syrup.

Yacon is a distant relative of the sunflower with edible tubers and leaves. It is commonly grown and consumed from Columbia to northwest Argentina. Locally, the tuber is often chopped and added to salads, and are also consumed boiled or baked. Yacon roots contain important quantities of potassium and antioxidants.

Because of its sweet taste, yacon roots are eaten like fruit in South America. The yacon root is considered the world's richest natural source of FOS (Fructo-oligosaccharides). Most other roots and tubers store carbohydrates as starch a polymer chain of glucose. Yacon stores carbohydrate as FOS a polymer chain composed mainly of fructose. This FOS can be considered a subgroup of inulin because it has a similar molecular structure, but with shorter fructose chains.

Tests were conducted at the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos in Peru in July 2004 to test how yacon syrup affected blood glucose levels. The participants were 60 non-diabetic men and women between the ages of 20 and 60. Each group fasted for at least eight hours before ingesting the different sweeteners. Three groups were given different samples of yacon, one group was given bee's honey, another group was given maple syrup, and the last was given anhydrous glucose. The group ingesting yacon syrup had hardly any difference from before and after. The results showed that yacon had very little effect on glucose levels, while the other sweeteners showed a significant rise in glucose levels and a slow decline back to normal. More on How Yacon Syrup Works:Yacon syrup contains approximately 30% FOS and low proportions of simple sugars (e.g., glucose, fructose, and sucrose). The human body has no enzyme to hydrolyze FOS, so (even though it tastes sweet) it passes through the digestive tract unmetabolized, providing few calories. Yacon also acts as a prebiotic. The undigested portion of yacon serves as food for "friendly" bacteria, such as Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus species, in the small intestines and the colon. Clinical studies have shown that administering FOS can increase the number of these friendly bacteria in the colon while simultaneously reducing the population of harmful bacteria. Other benefits noted with FOS supplementation include increased production of beneficial short-chain fatty acids such as butyrate, increased absorption of calcium and magnesium, and improved elimination of toxic compounds. Preclinical studies indicate an increase in bone density after consumption of FOS. In addition, the beneficial effects of FOS on the presence of Bifidobacterium suggest an improved absorption of vitamins, such as those in the B complex.

RAW Agave

Nevertheless, Agave is still highly processed and it actually does raise the blood sugar, unlike what advertising about this syrup will try and tell you. Therefore, I do not reccommend it to diabetics. Also, the agave is extremely high in fructose, which is why they can get away with sayng it is "low-glycemic." However, corn syrup is also pure frucotse, so in reality, agave syrup proabably isn't a whole lot better for us then corn-syrup. Use it sparingly and only if it doesn't make you feel bad. I had already been raw for 5 years when this sweetener came to market. I tried it and it felt really "wrong" in my body, so I instantly knew it was not a truly healthy thing.

The agave (uh-gah-vay) plant has been long been cultivated in hilly, semi-arid soils of Mexico. Its fleshy leaves cover the pineapple-shaped heart of the plant. This is where the sweet sticky juice is contained. It is best known for its use in making tequila.Raw agave syrup or nectar is about 93% fruit sugar and contains no sucrose, it is in its natural form.In recipes use about 25% less of this raw agave nectar than you would other sweeteners also reduce the liquid in the recipe by as much as 1/3. The glycemic index of agave nectar is low. As a food exchange, a 1 teaspoon serving of raw organic agave nectar equals a free food. 2 servings or 2 teaspoons equals 1/2 carbohydrate exchange. Agave's glycemic index is supposedly 11.

Xylitol from birch trees and other sources

The Finnish name for it, "koivusokeri", or "birch sugar", derives from the fact that the best way to make xylitol industrially is from birch, by chopping up and rendering down the structural fibre of the wood, xylan. Chemically speaking, xylitol is not actually a sugar, but a sugar alcohol. It differs from other sweeteners such as sorbitol, fructose and glucose because the xylitol molecule has five, instead of six, carbon atoms. Most bacterias in mouth are unable to make use of such sugars. This is one reason why xylitol helps prevent caries.

Xylitol is much sweeter than sorbitol, for instance. Assessed in terms of calories, its sweetening power is the same as that of sucrose. It is also similar to sucrose in its technical and nutritive properties. Xylitol is an important supplement in the preventation of dental caries, and everyone interested in healthy teeth should be familiar with its properties and effects.When you take xylitol, the acid attack that would otherwise last for over half an hour, is stopped. Because the bacteria in the mouth causing caries are unable to ferment xylitol in their metabolism, their growth is reduced. The number of acid-producing lactobacilli and streptococci may fall as much as 90%. No acid is formed because the pH of saliva and plaque does not fall. After taking xylitol, the bacteria do not adsorb well on the surface of the teeth and the amount of plaque decreases.

Research has shown that the use of xylitol also helps correct incipient damage to the enamel. Saliva in itself protects the mouth and teeth.

Our bodies produce up to 15 grams of xylitol from other food sources using established energy pathways. Xylitol is not a strange or artificial substance, but a normal part of everyday metabolism, however, store-bought xylitol is probably almost artificial because so much of it is so processed.

"Lakanto" Luo Han Guo Fruit + Fermented Erythritol

Lakanto is a mixture of Non-GMO erythritol and the super sweet extract of the luo han guo fruit.

Erythritol is another sugar alcohol like xylitol. It is naturally found in grapes, pears, mushrooms, soysauce, cheese, wine and beer, so it and has been part of the human diet for thousands of years.

Erythritol is different and much better than other sugar alcohols like Xylitol because it is FERMENTED. It is made by fermenting the sugar in corn.

Many people have trouble with foods sweetened with sugar alcohols. Diarrhea and gas and bloating are frequent complaints. But Lakanto does not cause diarrhea, gas and bloating. We believe it may be because Lakanto is made by fermentation while the other sugar alcohols are made from hydrogenation.

The Erythritol in Lakanto is:
     
Specially fermented from non-GMO corn so that you know it's safe.      
Naturally low calorie because your body excretes about 90% of it.

The 10% that remains in your system turns into harmless gases and short chain fatty acids in your large intestine. (NO, Lakanto will NOT cause embarrassing flatulence.)

Erythritol is sweet, but when used alone in a product does not taste like sugar.Only when it was combined with the sweet-tasting and medicinal fruit luo han guo...in a unique patented process...was Saraya able to create an amazing replica of sugar. The exotic luo han guo fruit grows high in the Chinese mountains, in the Guangxi province.

People in China have used it for years as a sweetener and folk remedy for coughs, fevers, phlegm, and digestive distress. The extract of the luo han guo fruit is 300 times sweeter than sugar, with virtually no calories, and is one of the key "secrets" that makes Lakanto one of THE ideal natural sweeteners!

The Chinese have been using luo han guo fruit as a sweetener and natural remedy for years. They dry the fruit, which has a sweet toffee or caramel-like flavor,and use it in teas to ease fever, coughing and phlegm. They even use the tea for digestive troubles.

In fact, the Chinese call luo han guo the "longevity fruit," because the people who live where it is cultivated often reach the ripe old age of 100!

Scientists have studied luo han guo and its health benefits extensively, and they've found that this rare fruit has amazing health properties.

Studies have shown that mogrosides (compounds found in the extract of luo hanguo) have these properties:
     
Anti-carcinogenic      
Regulate blood sugar      
Able to prevent and decrease oxidative stress related to diabetes      
Prevent tooth decay      
Anti-inflammatory      
Inhibit tumor growth      
Antioxidant      
Antihistiminic

The luo han guo fruit is naturally sweet. In fact, the special extract is 300 times sweeter than sucrose!

Because luo han guo extract is sweet without affecting blood sugar, it is perfect for a healthy sugar substitute.

Luo han guo extract in Body Ecology's Lakanto product has:

     
Zero calories. Your body does not break down the unique chemical components of the fruit like other simple sugars and carbohydrates.      
Zero glycemic index. Because your body metabolizes luo han guo differently, your blood glucose and insulin levels do not rise like they do with other sugars.      
Zero additives. Lakanto is made of the natural extract of the luo han guo fruit and erythritol.

Together, the extract of luo han guo and erythritol make one of the best healthy natural sweetener discoveries of the century ...

Lecuma Fruit Powder (tastes like maple syrup)

Other Dried Fruit

You may also soak organic figs, apricots, and manukka raisins (the only raisins from wild, seeded grapes) in vitamin C water to kill the molds and soften, drain, put in food processor, and add this sugary paste to dehydrated pie crusts and cookies. All of these sugars your body will recognize, you will not feel the need to over eat, will not spike your blood sugar out of control(hyperglycemia to hypoglycemia), will not cause you to gain excess weight, and all have some kind of medicinal effect as a bonus!

Maple Syrup

Maple Syrup use is vegan and definitely a "green" choice, as the syrup trees are never cut down, preserving forests. Unlike cane sugar, where the industry uses bone char to filter the sugar, maple syrup can be certified vegan.

Maple syrup might be a smarter choice than agave, although it has a higher glycemic index than Agave, of 55, which is pretty high. What makes it better than agave though is that it is high in manganese, zinc, and potassium as compared to agave.

Some studies have also shown great benefits on the body from the Antioxidant Polyphenols in Maple Syrup, which may help overcome any of the negative effects of the high amount of sugar it contains.

All of this is partly why Sacred Chocolate Founder Sacred Steve uses Maple Syrup instead of Agave in his fine raw chocolate candy. For Sacred Steve's great article on Maple versus Agave, go here.

It would be nice if someday we could have raw maple syrup, as I'm sure it is a possibility.

Raw Honey

When I first went raw I was not fully vegan, and honey was promoted as a major health benefit of the raw lifestyle, so at first I consumed excellent, high-qualtiy raw honey. It really was the best ever. Unfortunately, it is also one of the highest glycemic things you could possibly eat, and eventually, in order to finally get rid of candida, I had to give it up for good. Then I stayed away from it completely when I chose to be fully vegan for ethical reasons. I don't miss honey at all now and stay away from it for both health and ethical reasons.

Remember that the word "raw" is just a marketing term that means absolutely nothing, so always make sure to research whether the product you are buying is actually unprocessed and/or not heated above 115 degrees.

We sure live in sweet fortunate times!