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Did you know that the average American eats an average of 142 pounds of sugar per year? Keeping this in mind makes it easy to understand why diabetes has become such an epidemic. Living with pre-diabetes and diabetes is a delicate issue and much care has to be taken to change lifestyle choices and consume sugars that have little to no effect on the blood sugar level to avoid aggravating the condition. The great news is there are a decent variety of natural sweeteners that do not aggravate blood sugar, and in some cases actually prevent tooth decay or repair tooth enamel. Within the natural sweetener world some substitutes have a lower glycemic index than refined sugar, such as agave nectar or birch syrup, but still may not be suitable for pre-diabetics or diabetics. The best course of action is to use sweeteners that have no effect on the blood sugar. Here’s a list of four sweeteners you can try that fit that criteria:
- Stevia. Not so long ago this leafy herb was completely unheard of. Now you can find it in most grocery stores in powdered or liquid form. Stevia has no calories, will not spike blood sugar levels, and its’ extract is considered 100-300 times sweeter than white sugar.
- Birch Sugar or Xylitol. This sugar substitute is a naturally occurring alcohol made from tree fibers and occurs naturally in fruits and mushrooms. Xylitol is sweet to the taste like sugar but it does not cause tooth decay. In fact, it actually reduces levels of decay-causing bacteria in saliva.
- Chicory Root. This natural sweetener is the root of a perennial herb, and has no calories. Not only will consuming chicory not spike your blood sugar levels; it decreases levels of LDL cholesterol in the bloodstream, contains vitamin C a powerful antioxidant, supports detoxification of the body via the liver and kidneys, and serves as a prebiotic which feeds and promotes growth of good bacteria in the gut.
- Erythritol. This sugar alcohol is made by fermenting the natural sugar found in corn. It has no calories, will not raise blood sugar, and no carcinogenic properties. In addition erythritol is very easy to digest and is considered an antioxidant, which helps the body to fight freed radicals and reduce the signs of aging.
Sugar alcohols should not be confused with artificial sweeteners. Part of their structure resembles sugar and the other looks like an alcohol. They are used are sugar substitutes because they do not cause tooth decay, feed candida or fungal infections, and convert to glucose more slowly in the body and do not require much insulin to metabolize. When consuming sugar alcohols some people may experience uncomfortable symptoms like gas, bloating or diarrhea, so it’s important to not consume in excess. Hopefully these options give you a few places to begin finding the best sugar substitute for you. If you do not have diabetes or any related conditions, there are many other natural sweeteners you can try including indulging on good, plain old fruit. If you or anyone you know is dealing with diabetes I also highly recommend you watch “Simply Raw: Reversing Diabetes in 30 Days,” for inspiration. It’s a documentary that chronicles the treatment and reversal of diabetes over the span of 30 days using a 100% organic raw vegan diet. –XoXo Raw Girl
For more on diabetes check out this past post: Natural Cures: Bitter Melon for Diabetes