As uncomfortable as it might seem you are the one who is going to have to figure out the best approach for your situation. You can get guidance and ideas from articles like this one and from good dietitians but it is up to you to make the changes.

If you want to eat a higher quality diet or struggle with some level of sugar addiction one step in the right direction is to use on natural sugar alternatives. Now the truth is that this is a somewhat amorphous phrase and will probably mean different things to different folks.

For our post today we’ll assume that “natural sugar alternatives” refers to simpler, less refined versions of sugar from sources in nature. These are still sugars and contain some combination of fructose and glucose but the exact composition varies. Let’s get started!

Finding Natural Sugar Alternatives

If you want to still use some type of sweetener but are avoiding the refined table sugar, high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) and artificial sweeteners like aspartame that can be detrimental to health it can be a little confusing deciding what to use.

Here are some of the best bets when it comes to natural, table sugar and HFCS alternatives.

• Honey

• Maple syrup

• Stevia

• Fruit juice & fruit

Note: You can find more information on the various types of sugar and suggestions on which to use in small amounts and which to avoid at the Balanced Bites Sugars & Sweeteners PDF right here.

You will notice that the list above includes sweeteners that are very close to the state you find them in nature. Typically a whole foods type approach is the best way to reach optimal health and many people lose significant amounts of weight simply by eliminating all the processed foods from their life.

Honey

As you know honey is a delicious product of an unlikely set of workers: bees. Bees are important for plant pollination obviously but they also create one of the most natural, ready-to-eat sweeteners on Earth.

Honeycomb

Honey is a mix of dextrose and fructose (about 50% of each) and also contains some level of vitamins, antioxidants and minerals which can be beneficial (but which don’t necessarily need to be obtained from honey). As with many foods there is good honey and bad honey.

It is probably accurate to say that all honey harvested directly from bee hives is good unless it has been contaminated in some way.

It does vary in mineral content, color and flavor but it is certainly a fresh, natural food.

The trouble comes in when honey is refined for mass sale at supermarkets around the nation (and world). Not only can the heating and pressurized processing methods often used damage and destroy natural state of honey but they also offer chances to dilute the product and some honey is mixed with corn syrup or other thinners.

Going with raw honey from a beekeeper near you is the best way to get top of the line honey. While this might sound hard it often isn’t as difficult as it might seem. If you absolutely can’t find a local source of honey there are always great resources online. You’ll just need to do some research so you know where to order from a trusted source.

Maple Syrup

Syrup made from boiling maple sap is one of the most prized sweeteners around.

It isn’t really a good idea to dump a lot of it over a stack of gluten and carbohydrate heavy pancakes since you are doubling up on your sugar consumption that way but it is a sensible sweetener to use in small amounts at appropriate times.

Maple Syrup Color Varies From One Batch to Another

Sap from maple trees is collected in late winter when things are starting to warm and thaw.

After the tree sap is collected it gets boiled down carefully and the evaporation concentrates the sugars in the sap as well as the flavor (from minerals and so on).

Obviously maple syrup cannot be purchased raw since it is a boiled product by definition but you still need to make sure you get a quality product.

Maple syrup can be used lightly in smoothies, yogurt or occasionally on more healthy alternatives to conventional wheat products such as buckwheat or coconut flour pancakes.

Stevia

This herb is of South and Central American origin and is fairly popular for use as a sugar alternative.

A Stevia Plant

Some evidence suggests that stevia can actually help improve insulin sensitivity rather than blunt and damage the body’s insulin signalling and receiving mechanisms like refined sugar tends to do.

As with the other items on this list if you decide to use stevia make sure you use an unrefined and natural form otherwise you are essentially taking the same approach as using table sugar.

It’s “natural” but highly processed. Truvia is an example of a processed stevia product you are probably better off avoiding while green or liquid extract stevia should be a better choice.

Fruit Juice & Whole Fruit

Perhaps this sweetener should be at the top of the list since it is extremely easy to make for yourself and quite versatile. Of course fruit juice does NOT mean the cartons, cans or bottles in the supermarket that are only partially juice and often filled with corn syrup or sugar.

Fresh, homemade fruit juices can be a good option depending on what you intend to sweeten or you can use high quality, no sugar added juices. Whole fruit is also handy.

Bananas sweetened baked goods and smoothies exceptionally well and many types of berries like blueberries and raspberries are excellent in yogurt even after they have been frozen.

Be Careful With Natural Sugar Alternatives

Because these alternatives are “natural” it can be easy to assume you can eat as much as you like which isn’t really true unless your life goal is to eat as many sweet things as possible.

Many of us have other more important life goals however such as staying lean, fit and healthy. If you share those goals then it is a good idea to keep your sugar consumption from all sources in check and take it easy even when using sugar alternatives.

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Here you can see an Authors @ Google talk where he discusses the problems with sugar consumption.

Some folks have taken issue with how far Lustig has taken the negative message on sugar since it seems unlikely that the amounts of sugar found in fruits are harmful to humans apart from other excess sugar intake. This is actually a fairly small point given the high amounts of sugar that most Americans consume.

Another influential author in the area of nutrition and the role of fats and carbohydrates in our diets is Gary Taubes. You can read a piece in the NY Times by Taubes on sugar right here.