Curb down on Sugar - The Alternatives (India Network)

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Ok so we all know a Big Mac heads straight for the thighs, but less is said about that cheeky can of coke, a 'wholesome' cereal bar or even that bowl of 'slimming' cereal. Although excess fat leads to weight gain and obesity, sugar is proving to be just as big a player. And it's lurking pretty much in everything. Sugar has little nutritional value beyond providing energy, and there's a lot of energy in there - 400kcal per 100g. So when you're munching through a sugary snack, those calories easily build up without you necessarily feeling satisfied. In a mid-morning sitting a chocolate bar, can of pop and a bag of crisps can make up a pretty big chunk of your daily energy needs - and that's just a snack.
The FSA guidelines state no more than 10% of our energy intake should come from sugar. For your average person needing 2000 calories a day, this translates to no more than 50g sugar - just a Snickers and a bowl of Frosties add up to that. And therein lies the shocker - 75% of our intake comes from the pre-prepared foods we buy. So how do we cut down? The simple answer is avoiding processed foods, but there are also a good few things you can use to replace sugar without going cold turkey on sweetness. Replace your white or brown sugar with an unrefined, dehydrated sugar, like Sucanat or Rapadura.
Yes, it's still sugar but that one change still makes a difference by somewhat reducing the dramatic blood sugar effect, giving your body at least a few nutrients in the process, and avoiding the high temperature and chemical process used to create regular sugar. Food and drinks that have a lot of added sugars contain calories, but often have few other nutrients. To eat a healthy, balanced diet, we should eat these types of foods only occasionally, and get the majority of our calories from other kinds of foods such as starchy foods and fruits and vegetables. Learn more in a balanced diet. Here are some alternatives to curb on sugar in your diet.

Honey
Seen as the more natural choice for sweetening, honey's actually just as calorific as sugar. However, it tastes much sweeter, and its distinctive flavour and weight mean you'll probably use a little less. It's also less processed than sugar and contains compounds thought to act as antioxidants. Hindus believe it's one of the elixirs of immortality.

Erythritol
This sugar alcohol is practically a guilt-free sweet solution. (And the FDA says it's safe!) At 0.2 calories per gram, the white powder from a plant occurs naturally in many fruits. Plus, it doesn't lead to tooth decay and other not-so-sweet effects of sugar consumption. It's not quite as sweet as natural sugar, so try it in chocolate baked goods like brownies.

Stevia
This herb, originally from South America, is extremely sweet by nature but without any calories or sugar-like effects on the body, and you can use as little as a couple drops to sweeten a mug of tea or a few teaspoons in a dessert. It does have a somewhat bitter aftertaste, depending on the type you use. Unrefined foods are always best, and you can buy Stevia as a simple dried powder. Personally, we use this sometimes, but my husband only likes a particular brand of Stevia with absolutely no aftertaste (NuNaturals liquid). It is refined, but it works for us.

It was said by a wise man, eat healthy, stay healthy. You can find more tips to be healthy on the India Food Network. India Food Network also provides many delicious recipes to make cooking a fun and frolic habit.

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