natural sweetenerThe market is saturated with sugars, artificial sweeteners and numerous natural sugars. It can leave a person confused and a bit of a challenge to pick the right one for you, your family and your lifestyle. So, how do you chose one that is right for your diet and lifestyle?

The most important thing…

Avoid ALL artificial sweeteners. Numerous studies show these sweeteners are damaging to our bodies and have shown to cause cancer in rat testing. Even though these warnings are plastered all over medical journals, website and blogs, these harmful sweeteners still saturate the marketplace making artificial sweeteners a $1.5-billion-a-year market. Sad, but true. Also, as I stated in my sweeteners to avoid post, these hinder weight loss.

Can’t live with it… Can’t live without it!

If you find it nearly impossible to live without sweeteners, you are not alone. Nearly every processed and packaged food has some sort of sugar or artificial sugar listed on the ingredient panel. Sugar can be very addicting and it can act like a drug in our brains. Sugar leads to the release of powerful chemicals like serotonin, beta-endorphin and the reward chemical dopamine. It also can confuse the brain and makes us think we’re still hungry even after we’ve had plenty to eat. No wonder American’s can’t kick the sugar habit!

What’s best for YOU…

Although avoiding sugar is the healthiest choice, sometimes it’s very difficult to pass on some sweet stuff. I’m constantly asked about sweeteners, because frankly most of us can’t live without them. However, I am a healthy-lifestyle blogger, constantly helping our readers make the best choices, so I tend to lean on the conservative side. I believe we should always stay as close to nature whenever possible. Nothing processed is good for our bodies.

natural sweetenersEven though I am constantly suggesting and writing about healthy sweetener choices, I do understand that it can sometimes be hard to fit in my suggestions into your budget but some of the sugars on my favorite list are very affordable and worth every penny over unhealthy choices. I personally believe there are enough natural sweeteners to pick from that are not only healthy, but pretty sweet and delicious.

When I bake, I use Organic Coconut Sugar or Rapadura – Whole Cane Sugar. My family cannot taste the difference and it’s a healthy alternative over white table sugar or Splenda. When the grandkids come over, I add it to lemon juice for delicious lemonade. They have no idea and always tell me how good it is.

I also add Grade B maple syrup or coconut nectar to recipes, protein drinks and beverages such as cranberry juice/water.

If you drink coffee and really can’t handle stevia but enjoy Truvia or Swerve then that is better choice than white sugar or artificial sweeteners. But why not give one of our favorites a try?  You can find Organic Coconut Sugar in most supermarkets and I recently saw it at WalMart. Grab a bag and try it out!

At Little Choices Matter, we work hard to share information based on our experience and research and then let you decide if it’s right for you and your family. We hope “Sweet Week” has helped you in making the right choices for you and your healthy lifestyle.

Don’t miss these Sweet Week posts: 
Sweeteners to Avoid
Sugar Alcohols – To use or not to use
Marketplace Sweeteners – Common sweeteners commonly found on the market.
Our Favorites – Choose your sweetener wisely!

1 Comment

  1. Azuquita on September 28, 2013 at 8:18 pm

    I use Coconut Palm Sugar