My friends and relatives often ask me about healthy forms of sugar that they can use in place of table sugar used in recipes. Below you will find a list of sugars you may want to eliminate from your diet in order to feel healthier and look better. Many times you will need to be a “food detective” and check out packaged goodies for these ingredients. Be warned that all the forms of sugar below can cause inflammation, headaches and additional symptoms of sugar addiction.
- Brown Sugar
- Confectioners or Powdered Sugar
- Corn Syrups (which can also contain GMO’s)
- Dextrose or Glucose
- High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS which can also contain GMO’s)
- Lactose (found in dairy products)
- Levulose or Fructose (fruit sugars)
- Sorbitol, Mannitol, Malitol, Xylitol (you may be thinking, “I thought these were healthy sugars”, they are not, and cause symptoms to occur)
- Sucrose or Table Sugar
- Honey (actual this can be healthy if it is in raw, unprocessed form – you can find raw honey in health food stores)
- Raw Sugar
- Turbinado Sugar
Check out these Healthier sweeteners that you can use in place of the ingredients listed above:
- Brown Rice Syrup
- Dates (make sure to soak 2 hours to overnight to soften then put in food processor or vitamix)
- Blackstrap Molasses
- Maple Syrup
- Raw Honey (see reference above)
Of course the best way to take care of a sugar craving is to incorporate naturally sweet foods into your diet. Check out the following Root Vegetables and Fruits to take the edge of your “sweet tooth”.
- Butternut Squash
- Acorn Squash
- Sweet Potatoes
- Beets
- Carrots
- Berries
- Apples
- Pears
- Oranges
- Mango
For more information on how you can improve your health, check out the Lisa’s Lentils Website at www.lisas-lentils.com!
