Natural Sweeteners: Which One Should You Use?
By: Elizabeth Ward, MS, RD
Q: The amount of different types of natural sweeteners available overwhelms me. If I make something with agave, stevia, evaporated cane juice, or the like, will it be better for my kids than if I made that food or dessert with sucrose (aka "table sugar")?
A: Maybe. It’s reasonable to assume that less-refined sweeteners supply more nutrition than highly-refined table sugar. In some cases, they do, but not by much.
Regular molasses and pure maple syrup provide small amounts of vitamins and minerals, making them slightly better choices than white sugar (sucrose, or table sugar) and corn syrup, which lack nutrients, other than the carbohydrates they provide. Blackstrap molasses, which is strong-tasting, is the only sweetener with significant levels of nutrients, including calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium, selenium, and manganese.
Dark honey contains more antioxidants to protect cells. Research suggests that honey enhances the growth and activity of the good bacteria found in fermented dairy products (e.g. yogurt), which may offer health benefits, such as aiding digestion and supporting the immune system.
While molasses, maple syrup, and honey offer nutritional advantages, they, like table sugar, contain simple carbohydrates, which are quickly metabolized, regardless of the source. The real issue is the total amount of sugar children consume, not the type. To be honest, I have never made foods or desserts with any sweetener other than white or brown sugar, honey, molasses, or corn syrup. My kids are allowed reasonable portions of sweet foods every day, and because the amount of sugar they get is relatively small, I have never pursued options to table sugar.
But if you’re concerned about sugar in your child’s diet, here are some interesting alternatives that may be of interest, mainly because they are many times sweeter than sugar, so you can use less of them.
Stevia
It's produced from the leaves of the Stevia rebaudiana plant. It’s 250 to 300 times sweeter than sugar. In December 2008, stevia, a calorie-free sweetener was granted GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) status by the Food and Drug Administration. That means it’s deemed safe and needs no additional safety testing. Stevia is available in individual packets under the brand name Truvia.
Stevia sounds like the answer to sugar – you can bake with it – but consumer groups have their doubts. The Center for Science in the Public Interest is concerned about animal and lab tests suggesting high doses of stevia may result in mutations that might lead to cancer. However, stevia has been used in countries including Japan, South America, Australia, and New Zealand for many years without apparent problems.
Agave
Agave juice, or syrup, is also called agave nectar. Agave is made from a plant native to Mexico. The leaves produce a substance that resembles honey but is sweeter and not as thick. Agave nectar contains the natural fiber inulin, which slows down blood sugar response to dietary sugar, and may be why agave doesn’t raise blood sugar levels as much as sugar and other natural sweeteners. Agave nectar does have calories -- about 20 calories per teaspoon, which is four more calories than white sugar. However, since it’s sweeter than sugar, you can use less. Keep in mind that agave can be costly: An 8.5-ounce bottle can cost as much as $10.
Elizabeth Ward, MS, RD, is a Kaboose.com medical advisor and the author of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Feeding Your Baby andToddler (Alpha, 2005).
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