Natural Sweeteners: Alternatives to Sugar and Artificial Sweeteners by JenniferM

Since cutting sugar from my diet, and since I am unsure about the safety of artificial sweeteners and therefore, don’t use them, I have had to find some more natural ways to sweeten beverages (such as tea) and baked goods. My favorite is honey for my tea, but baked goods require something that isn’t as strong in flavor. You’ll have to experiment and see which you like best.

Here are a few natural sweeteners that I have found:

Agave Syrup

Maple Syrup

Honey

Stevia

Organic Sugar - may not be considered completely clean, but is definitely less processed than white sugar.

I found a neat site that lists a whole bunch of natural sweeteners to choose from: Natural Sweeteners

If you’re watching your weight or trying to lose weight, watch the calorie content of some of the natural sweeteners. Even though they’re natural, they do come with calories. Although I am finding conflicting information about whether Stevia contains zero calories or is very low in calories, it’s probably the safest bet for those watching their weight or trying to lose.