Alternative ways you can satisfy that sweet tooth
Sugar alternatives can come with ‘added’ health benefits. Here, Lisa Simon, a dietitian in Cardiff for the NHS and Plant-Based Health Professionals uK, assesses four, which we then rated.
TROO SYRUP
227g, £4.99, hollandandbarrett.com THIS syrup is pure inulin, a gut- friendly fibre extracted from chicory root. It’s a prebiotic, which helps feed the gut’s ‘ good’ bacteria, important for immunity and regulating metabolism and hormones, including insulin for blood sugar levels.
Inulin has a glycaemic index (GI) of 0, so it won’t cause blood sugar levels to spike. With less than half the calories of sugar, one 12 g serving will also provide 7.9 g of fibre — a quarter of your daily needs. It is significantly less sweet than honey or sugar, so you may end up eating more, increasing your calorie intake. It may trigger bloating, flatulence and diarrhoea in some people. 6/10
GROOVY FOOD COCONUT SUGAR
500g, £4, tesco.com MADE from coconut palm sap, and with a natural caramel flavour, gram per gram, coconut sugar has the same calories as regular sugar and a similar GI. However, it undergoes minimal processing, so it retains some minerals, such as calcium, magnesium, zinc, gut-friendly fibre and antioxidants. But, to get a useful amount of any of these nutrients you’d have to eat a large amount of it.
4/10
BONRAW SILVERBIRCH
275g, £3.20, waitrose.com THIS sugar substitute contains xylitol, which is extracted from the woody fibres of silver birch trees. With half the calories of sugar, xylitol has a GI of 7, compared with sugar’s 65, so it will have much less impact on blood glucose levels. There’s limited evidence that xylitol can prevent tooth decay by reducing the level of bacteria in the mouth. On the downside, it can cause gastrointestinal symptoms such as bloating and diarrhoea in some people. 6/10
NKD LIVING 100% ERYTHRITOL
1kg. £7.99, amazon.co.uk ERYTHRITOL is a type of carbohydrate called a sugar alcohol found naturally in some plants and fruit. With zero calories, this has a GI of 0. Around 90 per cent of erythritol is absorbed in the small intestine and into the bloodstream before it reaches the colon, so there is less chance of gastrointestinal sideeffects. It has been shown to be more effective than xylitol at reducing the development and incidence of dental caries. Studies have suggested it may have protective antioxidant properties and help reduce the risk of vascular damage caused by persistent high blood glucose levels — but more research is needed.