Have you ever wished that you could appease your sweet tooth without the metabolic and caloric consequences? Sugar may taste delicious, but it can have a big impact on your diet, not to mention your health. Many people who are trying to improve their health will substitute artificial sweeteners for sugar, but if you don’t know what artificial sweeteners (aka alternative sweeteners) are, making this dietary switch might seem a bit intimidating. Here are a few helpful details that will explain the difference between artificial sweeteners and sugar.
Health Benefits
First of all, the health outcomes and benefits of using alternative sweeteners instead of sugar are worth noting. This is one of the biggest reasons why people make the switch to using alternative sweeteners. Alternative sweeteners can sometimes come from substances that occur naturally, and others are synthetically produced.
Some natural sweeteners can help give your foods a delicious taste without a negative impact on your health. These natural sweeteners include things like fruit juices, molasses, maple syrup, honey, and fruit nectars. Even these natural sweeteners can be processed and refined, so shop at a natural foods store to find the healthiest options. Alternative sweeteners can help you to control your weight or lose weight and can also reduce your risk of diabetes. You often don’t even realize that having normal sugar in your diet can put you at risk of weight gain, diabetes, heart disease, and more. So, using alternative sweeteners can be a great change to your diet.
Calorie Differences
One of the biggest benefits of using alternative sweeteners as opposed to sugar in your diet is that you’ll be able to reduce a lot of the calories included in your sweetened foods. Many alternative sweeteners have virtually zero calories! This is super helpful if you’re trying to diet and track your calories. You can add some alternative sweeteners to different foods without dramatically increasing the calories for the meal or dish. Sugar, on the other hand, is known to skyrocket the calories in foods and contribute to other negative health outcomes.
Recipes and Baking
When you’re baking, you’ll notice that alternative sweeteners don’t always produce the same outcome as normal sugar. Some sweeteners have an aftertaste, and most of them don’t provide the volume that normally comes from sugar. So, you might need to modify your recipes as you’re baking to get the same rise or taste that you usually do with sugar. Make sure to check the labels of your alternative sweeteners and do some research to find the best baking tips!
So, if you’re trying to make some healthier changes to your diet and lifestyle, remember that one good option can be to substitute the sugars in your food for alternative sweeteners. This can be a pretty easy change to make, especially if you’re in the habit of preparing your own food. The results will be so worth it. You’ll be able to lose weight and keep it off while reducing your risk of diabetes and other diseases. Best of all, you’ll be feeling better, healthier, and ready to tackle each coming day.
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