Ditch the Chemicals. Make It Naturally Sweet. 10 Natural Sweeteners: Their Source & Nutrition

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1. White Sugar:
   • Made from: Sugarcane or sugar beets undergo a refining process, which removes molasses and leaves behind pure sucrose crystals.
   • Nutritional content: 49 calories per tablespoon. Pure white sugar contains only calories with no significant nutrients, vitamins, or minerals.
2. Molasses:
   • Made from: A byproduct of the sugar refining process, molasses is the thick, brown syrup remaining after sugar crystals are removed.
   • Nutritional content: 60 calories per tablespoon. Molasses is relatively high in iron, calcium, magnesium, and potassium. It also contains antioxidants and some B vitamins.
3. Agave:
   • Made from: Extracted from the agave plant, typically the blue agave plant.
   • Nutritional content: 63 calories per tablespoon. Agave syrup is primarily composed of fructose and glucose. It’s sweeter than table sugar and often touted as a healthier alternative, although it’s still high in calories and can raise blood sugar levels.
   • Try this Pure, Organic, Raw Agave for drinks, hot cereals and baked goods https://amzn.to/3y9zA8I
4. Brown Rice Syrup:
   • Made from: Fermented brown rice that is cooked and then treated with enzymes to break down the starches into sugars.
   • Nutritional content: Contains an average 65 calories per tablespoon. Brown rice syrup contains some minerals like magnesium, manganese, and zinc. It’s less sweet than white sugar and higher in complex carbohydrates.
   • If you are interested, we recommend this organic brown rice syrup for baking and drink sweetening https://amzn.to/4apCeVy
5. Brown Sugar:
   • Made from: Typically white sugar mixed with molasses to give it a brown color and a slightly different flavor.
   • Nutritional content: 35 calories per tablespoon. Brown sugar contains small amounts of calcium, potassium, iron, and magnesium due to the presence of molasses. However, it’s still high in calories and sugars.
6. Date Sugar:
   • Made from: Dried dates ground into a powder or made into a syrup.
   • Nutritional content: 11 calories per tablespoon. Date sugar retains some of the nutrients found in dates, including fiber, potassium, magnesium, and various vitamins. It’s less processed than white sugar but still high in natural sugars.
   • We like this organic date sugar powder by Date Lady https://amzn.to/4be6G5Z or this syrup https://amzn.to/3wn1cqB
7. Jaggery:
   • Made from: Concentrated sugarcane juice or palm sap boiled and then cooled and solidified. It is less processed and refined when compared to white sugar.
   • Nutritional content: 63 calories per tablespoon. Jaggery contains small amounts of vitamins and minerals such as iron, magnesium, and potassium. It’s less refined than white sugar and often retains some molasses, giving it a richer flavor.
   • This is our pick for organic, non GMO 1lb jaggery powder https://amzn.to/3wyZhPO
8. Honey:
   • Made from: Produced by bees from the nectar of flowers.
   • Nutritional content: 64 calories per tablespoon. Honey contains small amounts of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. It also has antimicrobial properties. However, it’s high in calories and natural sugars, primarily fructose and glucose.
   • Use: Because of its content, honey may be difficult to digest for people with IBS. Also, it takes longer then sugar to dissolve in cold liquids.
9. Maple Syrup:
   Made from: Made from the sap of a maple tree.
   Nutritional content: 52 calories per tablespoon. It contains manganese and some trace amounts of calcium, iron, zinc and copper.
10. Monk Fruit:
    • Made from: Extracted from the monk fruit, a small melon-like fruit native to southern China and northern Thailand.
    • Nutritional content: Monk fruit extract contains zero calories and is much sweeter than sugar. It doesn’t raise blood sugar levels and is often used as a sugar substitute for those managing diabetes or watching their calorie intake. Some monk fruit products contain erythritol, others do not. check ingredient list if you would like to avoid erythritol.
    • Use: This sweetener is usually sold in powder form which does not easily dissolve in liquids. If you are wanting to sweeten your drinks, look for Monk Fruit in liquid form.
    • We recommend this organic, erythritol-free, pure monk fruit (5 oz) https://amzn.to/3WE45hb

Of course, all sweeteners should be consumed in small amounts. Some sweeteners have more calories per tablespoon, but require a smaller amount to achieve the desired sweetness. When choosing a sweetener, consider factors such as availability, taste preference, nutritional content, and how your body responds to different sugars.