Healthy living: experts explain how to replace white sugar with natural sweeteners

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently issued a new guideline that revokes the recommendation for the use of sweeteners for weight control. According to the agency, sugar-free sweeteners are not effective in reducing body fat in the long term and do not offer significant benefits in preventing noncommunicable diseases.

The entity based its decision on a systematic review of the available evidence, which highlighted the lack of positive results in the use of sweeteners to reduce body fat in adults and children.

Furthermore, the WHO highlighted that prolonged consumption of these substances can lead to undesirable effects, such as a higher risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and mortality in adults.

However, if sweeteners are no longer recommended, and the harmful effects of white sugar are already widely known, then what are the best options for sweetening foods? That’s what you’ll find out in this article.

Why reduce sugar intake?

Francesco Branca, WHO Director of Nutrition and Food Security, stressed the importance of considering other approaches to reducing sugar intake, including eating naturally sweet foods, such as fruit, or eating foods and drinks without added sugar.

Although the WHO recommendation discourages the use of artificial sweeteners, endocrinologist Gisele Lorenzoni highlights that these products are still recommended for patients with type 2 diabetes, pre-diabetes and type 1 diabetes, who cannot consume sugar.

She emphasizes that patients accustomed to using sweeteners for weight control do not need to stop using them or replace them with sugar. This is because the WHO’s intention is to discourage the consumption of artificial products and promote the consumption of foods in their natural form.

What are the negative effects of consuming sugar?

Gisele Lorenzoni warns about the negative effects of excessive consumption of white sugar, such as weight gain, increased risk of diabetes, the formation of fat in the liver, increased blood pressure and high levels of triglycerides.

She recommends avoiding sugar, even in its varieties considered healthier, such as brown sugar and coconut sugar. Instead, the doctor suggests replacing sugar with fruit or honey, which is considered a natural sugar.

Marcella Garcez, a nutritionist, suggests that those who are used to consuming sweeteners to control their weight should educate their palate to enjoy unsweetened foods and drinks. She also highlights that there are options with lower calorie concentrations that can replace sugar in special situations.

Is there a recommended limit?

The WHO recommends limiting the consumption of added sugar to 10% of total daily calories. For example, for a 2,000-calorie diet, the maximum consumption of added sugar would be 50 grams per day.

However, data from the Ministry of Health indicate that Brazilians consume, on average, 80 grams of sugar daily, well above the safe recommendations. It is important to note that these guidelines refer to added sugar, and not to sugars naturally present in foods such as fresh fruit and unsweetened dairy products.

Additionally, there are some options for replacing sugar. However, Dr. Marcella Garcez emphasizes that adding sweetness to drinks is a personal choice, and reducing or avoiding added sugars can have health benefits.

She recommends hydration with water and fresh, natural juices as a healthier alternative, as they contain the natural sugars of fruits, along with vitamins and minerals.

In the case of coffee, you can gradually reduce the amount of added sugar or sweetener until you get used to the original flavor of the drink, adding other ingredients such as cinnamon, cloves, vanilla and cardamom to add flavor.

Best options for sweetening food naturally

Coconut sugar

Obtained from the nectar of coconut flowers, coconut sugar has a sweet flavor, similar to brown sugar. Despite having the same caloric load as regular sugar (4 calories/g), it has a lower glycemic index and contains nutrients such as potassium, iron and zinc.

Raw sugar

Demerara sugar is obtained from the juice of whole sugar cane. Although it has a similar caloric concentration to white sugar, demerara sugar is less processed and contains minerals such as magnesium, calcium and potassium, which makes it a healthier option.

Honey

Honey is a natural sugar produced by bees from flower nectar. With a third fewer calories than traditional sugar (3 calories/g), it has a rich, sweet flavor. It also contains small amounts of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

Maple syrup

Extracted from the sap of the maple tree, maple syrup has a distinct flavor and is lower in calories than sugar (2.5 calories/g). It is often used as a topping for pancakes and waffles in some cultures.

When purchasing maple syrup, it is important to check that it is pure, as sugar or corn syrup is often added, which alters its composition and quality.

Agave

Agave is a liquid sugar derived from the plant of the same name. It has fewer calories than regular sugar (3 calories/g) and a sweet flavor with high sweetening power. However, it is important to use it in moderation, as it has a high fructose content.