Description

There are two broad categories for natural sweeteners, one that contains calories and the other that does not. The most common natural sweeteners are honey, stevia, maple syrup, molasses, coconut palm sugar. Some healthy natural sweeteners are like Stevia , erythritol, xylitol,yacon syrup, maple syrup, molasses etc. Stevia is one of the most common low-calorie natural sweeteners. It is extracted from a plant called stevia rebaudiana. Various sweet compounds are found in stevia leaves, the main ones are stevioside and rebaudioside, and both are way sweeter than sugar. Erythritol is also another low-calorie sweetener. It is a sugar alcohol, which is naturally present in certain fruits. The best part of it is that it does not spike blood sugar or the insulin level and does not have any effects on blood lipids like cholesterol and triglycerides.Xylitol happens to be another sugar alcohol with a sweetness similar to sugar.  And it appears to have ample health benefits like dental health such as reducing the risk of cavity and dental decay.Yacon syrup is also a unique sweetener. It is harvested from the yacon plant that is native to the Andes in South America. This sweetener naturally helps in weight loss. Maple syrup happens to be a thick, sugary liquid, which is made by cooking down the sap of maple trees. It has a considerable amount of minerals like calcium, potassium, iron, zinc, and manganese.Molasses is also a sweet, brown liquid with a thick, syrup-like consistency. It is generally prepared from boiling down sugar cane or sugar beet juice.