13 Natural Sweeteners That Are Healthier Than Sugar - GoodRx (2024)

Granulated sugar is the most popular sweetener, and it is used in countless beverages, sauces, and baked treats. But sugar consumption is also associated with health issues such as unwanted weight gain and diabetes. It’s no surprise that sugar alternatives — especially natural sweeteners — are in high demand.

Although the term “natural” can mean several different things (more on this below), natural sweeteners typically have more health benefits than regular, white sugar.

What are the health benefits of natural sweeteners?

There are a few reasons that natural sweeteners may be healthier choice than regular sugar:

• Some are low-calorie or calorie-free, which can be helpful for people who want to lose weight.

• Most have a lower glycemic index, which helps reduce blood sugar spikes and provides the body with a lower and steadier sugar load.

• If the sweetener is a whole fruit, it can be a source of fiber.

• They can provide a depth of flavor that you don’t get with refined sugar.

The best choice of sweetener will depend on your personal tastes, your health, and what you’re using it for.

What are some popular sugar alternatives?

There are many commonly used sugar alternatives that are considered natural. We’ll discuss 13 of them below and explain their pros and cons.

But first, it’s important to note that there is no set or regulated definition of what “natural” means when it comes to sweeteners. So take this term with a pinch of salt (or sugar) when reading labels. For example, fruits like bananas and dates are natural. They are unprocessed whole foods that add sweetness. On the other hand, sweeteners like stevia, allulose, and xylitol, are all naturally occurring, but they are processed and don’t provide any nutrients.

1. Stevia

Stevia is extracted from the stevia plant, which is native to South America. Depending on what part of the plant is used, stevia can be 50 to 300 times sweeter than cane sugar.

Pros:

• It has zero calories and won’t spike blood sugar.

• Its consistency is similar to granulated sugar, so it works well as a sugar substitute in doughs and batters. It also comes in liquid form, which can dissolve easily in beverages.

• Because of its sweetness level, a little bit can go a long way.

Cons:

• Some people report digestive issues, such as bloating or gas.

• It has a slightly bitter aftertaste.

Many stevia products contain erythritol, a zero-calorie sugar alcohol that has recently been linked to a higher risk of heart-related events, like stroke and heart attack.

The study that found the link looked at blood samples of people at risk for heart disease as well as healthy individuals. But only eight samples came from healthy people — so more evidence is needed to say whether erythritol can increase everyone’s risk for heart-related events. However, these results show it is possible.

Until more research becomes available, it’s important to take these findings into consideration if you have risk factors like heart disease or diabetes. Some sweeteners and health foods containing erythritol are marketed as healthy options for people with diabetes, since erythritol doesn’t spike blood sugar as much as some other sweeteners.

If you are concerned, check the ingredient labels of sweeteners and choose ones without erythritol.

2. Monk fruit

Monk fruit, or luo han guo fruit, is another no-calorie natural sweetener. This fruit is native to China. It is extracted and dried into a powder that can be used as a sweetener. Monk fruit is about 250 times sweeter than sugar.

Pros:

• It doesn’t raise blood sugar levels.

• As with stevia, a small amount is all you need to sweeten foods and beverages.

Cons:

• Monk fruit is typically available as a powder, so it may not dissolve the way sugar does. But you can look for a liquid version if you want to use it to sweeten beverages.

• Like certain stevia products, some monk fruit sweeteners contain erythritol. If you’d rather avoid this sweetener, look for products without it.

3. Allulose

Allulose is a naturally occurring sugar derived from certain plant foods, like figs, raisins, and kiwis. It’s considered a rare sugar because it’s found in very small quantities. It’s added to many packaged and pantry foods.

Pros:

• It’s very low in calories, containing only about 10% of the calories found in regular sugar. And it’s about 70% as sweet as regular sugar.

• Taking allulose (7.5 g to 10 g) with regular sugar (50 g) may result in lower blood glucose and insulin levels compared to having regular sugar on its own.

Cons:

• At doses of around 30 g, some people reported digestive symptoms, including nausea, diarrhea, and stomach pain.

• It’s not well-researched, so the long-term effects are not fully understood.

4. Certain sugar alcohols

Sugar alcohols, or polyols, are carbohydrates with a similar chemical structure to sugar. They are 25 to 100 times sweeter than sugar and contain about half the calories. Only a few sugar alcohols — like xylitol, mannitol, and sorbitol — are naturally occurring in plant foods.

Pros:

• They’re very low in calories.

• The body can’t fully absorb them, so they can’t spike blood sugar levels as much as sugar does.

• Xylitol can help remineralize teeth. It is used to help prevent cavities and gingivitis.

• Xylitol is available in powdered or granulated textures.

Cons:

• In general, sugar alcohols are linked to digestive issues.

• Some people report a bitter taste.

• It is toxic for dogs, so you’ll want to keep foods containing xylitol out of reach of pets.

5. Agave

Agave syrup comes from the sap of the agave plant, commonly grown in Mexico and other parts of Central America. It mainly contains fructose, a type of sugar found in fruits.

Pros:

• Naturally sweet, agave is also a good source of minerals, vitamins, and polyphenols.

• Agave syrup will not increase blood sugar levels as much as sugar does.

Cons:

• It does contain more calories per teaspoon than no-calorie sweeteners such as stevia, monk fruit, and sugar alcohols. Compared to these, agave causes a blood sugar spike.

• Agave has slightly more calories per teaspoon than sugar (20 calories vs. 16 calories). But agave is sweeter, so less of it is needed to sweeten foods.

• Harvesting agave comes with environmental concerns.

6. Honey

Honey is one of the oldest natural sweeteners and has been used for medicinal purposes since ancient times. On a chemical level, honey is essentially the same as sugar.

Pros:

• Honey won’t increase blood sugar quite as much as sugar.

• It contains trace amounts of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.

• It may be an effective treatment for colds.

• There are many varieties, each with a unique flavor.

Cons:

• Honey is sweeter than sugar and contains more calories (21 vs. 16).

• Compared to lower-calorie sweeteners, it causes a bigger blood sugar spike.

• It is high in FODMAPs (hard-to-digest carbohydrates), so people with IBS may not be able to digest it.

  See Also

  7 Clean Eating-Approved Sweeteners

• Its thicker texture might make it harder to dissolve in cold beverages.

7. Syrups

Syrups are thick liquid sweeteners often made from plants or fruits. Maple and date syrups are popular varieties. Maple syrup comes from the sap of a maple tree. Date syrup is made by soaking the fruit.

Pros:

• They can be used in many kinds of cooking. Maple and date syrup can both be used as a glaze or marinade or in baking.

• Both contain vitamins and minerals.

Cons:

• They have about the same amount of calories as sugar and will increase blood sugar by about the same amount.

8. Blackstrap molasses

Molasses is a thick, dark syrup made by processing sugarcane. Blackstrap molasses is especially thick and contains more nutrients than regular molasses or sugar.

Pros:

• It’s a good source of iron and B vitamins and is sometimes used as an alternative treatment for anemia.

• Its thick texture helps add moisture to baked goods. It can also be added to sauces and marinades for some sweetness.

Cons:

• Molasses is high in calories and slightly less sweet than sugar.

9. Jaggery

Typically used in Asia and Africa, jaggery is a sweetener made from the juices of sugarcane. It’s light brown in color and comes in solid and powdery forms.

Pros:

• Jaggery is an unrefined form of sugar, so it retains vitamins, minerals, and amino acids.

• It’s used in Ayurvedic medicine to help with cough, digestion issues, and other illnesses.

• Jaggery is slightly lower in calories and has about 70% of the sweetness of sugar.

• It can be used in baking.

Cons:

• Some products may be made with chemicals and additives.

• Jaggery may cause a higher blood sugar spike than regular sugar.

10. Coconut sugar

Coconut sugar is an unrefined sugar that is harvested from the sap of the coconut tree. It comes in liquid form, but it can also be dried into crystals.

Pros:

• Coconut sugar delivers a small amount of vitamin C, B vitamins, and potassium.

• It is commonly used in health foods and baking and has a similar texture to regular sugar.

• Some people prefer its flavor.

• It doesn’t raise blood sugar levels as much as regular sugar.

Cons:

• Coconut sugar is slightly higher in calories than sugar.

• Compared to low- or no-calorie sweeteners, it will cause a blood sugar spike.

11. Applesauce

Apple cooked into a puree makes applesauce. Not only is applesauce a lunchbox staple; it can also be used in place of sugar in baking.

Pros:

• Compared to sugar, applesauce is a low-calorie alternative.

• It contains fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

• Applesauce won’t increase blood sugar as much as regular sugar does.

Con:

• Some products are artificially sweetened. So check the label, or, better yet, try making your own.

12. Raisins, dates, and other dried fruits

Dried fruits — like raisins, dates, or cranberries — bring concentrated sweetness from drying, which makes them a nice addition to salads, yogurt, and oatmeal. You can mix them into cookies, muffins, and pancakes, too.

Pro:

• Dried fruit contains significantly fewer calories per gram than sugar and it packs in nutrients, including fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Some research suggests that raisins may have a favorable impact on blood sugar and insulin levels.

Con:

• Watch out for added sugar by reading package labels.

13. Bananas, apples, and other whole fruits

Fruits are nature’s candy. You can use them as a sweetener in foods like plain yogurt, pancakes, and baked goods. They also blend nicely into smoothies and juices.

Pros:

• Along with their sweetness and flavor, fruits pack in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

• If you use a whole fruit, you’ll also benefit from a healthy fiber load. The fiber content can help curb blood sugar spikes compared to regular sugar.

• By sweetening foods with whole fruit, you’re skipping added sugar.

• Whole fruits are an important part of a healthy diet.

Cons:

• Compared to low- or no-calorie sugar alternatives, sweeter fruits will raise blood sugar and add calories.

Which natural sweeteners have the lowest glycemic index?

People who are watching their blood sugar levels might be familiar with the glycemic index. Theglycemic index ranks foods based on how they affect blood sugar levels.

No-calorie or non-nutritive sweeteners like stevia or monk fruit have a glycemic index of 0, since they have no effect on blood sugar levels. A high-glycemic sweetener — like pure glucose, valued at 100 — would increase blood sugar levels dramatically. Regular sugar, or sucrose, has a glycemic index value of 65.

Out of the above list, agave has the lowest glycemic value. Here are how other natural sweeteners rank:

What are the best natural sweeteners to use in baking?

When it comes to baking, you can try a variety of different sweeteners. Here are some tips on how to use various sweeteners in baking:

• Stevia: Find out how much to use by looking up a sugar equivalent chart, or check to see if a substitution chart is printed on the package. Since stevia products can be much sweeter than white sugar, you’ll usually use less in recipes.

• Fruit purees: Mashed banana, chopped dates, or applesauce can often be used to replace sugar in recipes.Some people decrease the amount of sugar by half then add the same amount of fruit puree. So if the recipe calls for a cup of sugar, you can try using half a cup of sugar and half a cup of fruit puree. Some prefer a 1:1 swap (replacing all the sugar in a recipe with the same amount of puree).

• Dried fruit: You can decrease the sugar in a recipe by at least one-fourth and replace the missing sugar with the same amount of dried cranberries, raisins, or dates. Again, you can reduce the sugar by even more if you like.

• Regular sugar: You can reduce the amount of sugar in many recipes by anywhere from 25% to 33% and still enjoy tasty, sweet treats. Better yet, swap out regular sugar for an unrefined option, such as honey, maple syrup, or coconut sugar.

You might want to try a few different options in your favorite recipes to see what works best. You can also find baking mixes that combine different sweeteners.

Which natural sweetener should you avoid?

The sweeteners mentioned above are safe for most people. So unless you have a health condition — such as diabetes or heart disease — that may rule out using certain natural sweeteners, you don’t need to avoid any particular ones.

That said, sweeteners should be used in moderation. Even though sweeteners like honey, blackstrap molasses, and maple syrup are natural, they are high in sugar and still count as added sugars. So if you are trying to cut back on your sugar, make sure to limit your calories from sweeteners to less than 10% of your total calories for the day.

What factors should you consider when picking a natural sweetener?

The sweetener you choose will depend on your health goals, how you are using the sweetener, and your personal preferences. Talk to your healthcare provider or a dietitian if you have any questions about what is right for you.

Your health goals

Maybe you’re trying to limit your sugar or calorie intake, or maybe you’re looking for teeth-friendly sweeteners. In that case, a sugar alcohol may be worth considering, since some of them may help prevent tooth decay. For a natural sweetener that packs in fiber, fruit may be your best bet.

Where you are using natural sweeteners

If you’re sweetening a beverage like tea or coffee, you’ll probably want something that dissolves easily. Good choices include stevia, agave, or a sugar alcohol like xylitol or maltitol.

You might even consider not adding a sweetener to coffee, teas, or smoothies, and add milk or a plant-based milk substitute instead. After all, milk contains lactose, which is a natural sugar, and many plant-based milks also have some natural sweetness. Unlike low- or no-calorie sweeteners, dairy or alternative milks provide healthy fats as well as vitamins and minerals.

For cooking or baking, you may have more flexibility in what types of natural sweeteners you can use. Fruit purees, honey, and syrups will enhance the flavor of your food in a way that most processed natural sweeteners will not.

Your personal preference

Many people find that stevia and sugar alcohols have a bitter or unpleasant after taste. You might have to try a few sugar alternatives to find one you like. If you find that you prefer the more traditional natural sweeteners — like honey, molasses, or maple syrup — that is OK. Just be sure to use them in small amounts.