Healthier Sugar Alternatives
When people refer to sugar, they think of or refer to white granulated table sugar.
And people will often assume or mistakenly think that if they use a sugar alternative – such as honey or agave nectar- they are making a healthier choice or something more “natural.”
But are any of these healthier alternatives to white sugar?
First, white granulated sugar is natural. Sugar cane and sugar beets are plant foods and are processed like many foods to become the product most of us recognize. And they are already white.
All sugars, no matter their form here, are plant-based, vegan foods.
Since sugar is a carbohydrate and carbohydrates come from plants (and milk from animals), these sugars come from plants.
And, despite what people think, they are all processed (except for honey) – meaning that most of what we get in the end does not resemble what they initially looked like before processing. And most cases, honey is still processed since most people are not getting the full honeycomb when they buy honey – though they can get it this way. However, even with a portion of the honeycomb still intact, it is still cut out from the beehive.
Is one healthier than the other? Not really. They are all 100% carbohydrates, and the ones that have additional nutrients are not measurable or significant amounts in the amount that most reasonable humans would consume.
Here is the rundown of the various sugar and their Nutrition Facts.
Are any of these healthier options or are the all the same with different names?
Sugar – White Granulated Table Sugar
What is white granulated table sugar? It is the product of the processing of sugar cane or sugar beets (not the same as the red-purple beets, but a different plant). It is natural, and it is plant food.
In general, you won’t know if the sugar comes from sugar cane or sugar beets unless you contact the sugar distributor/company directly.
Nutrition Facts: 1 tablespoon is 46 calories, 12 grams of carbohydrates, and no fat, protein, or fiber, and other vitamins and minerals are negligible.
Honey
What is honey? Most people know that bees make honey in a collection of nectar from various plants. Of all these multiple sugars, it is the one in its most natural state and the least “processed.” However, this does not make it healthier. It is still sugar – and higher in calories than white granulated sugar.
It is used in various ways, including added to tea or a peanut butter sandwich, and helps ease a sore throat.
Despite common lore, local honey does not help with seasonal allergies but is not harmful.
Nutrition Facts: 1 tablespoon is 64 calories, 17 grams of carbohydrates, no fat, protein, or fiber with 1 mg calcium and 11 mg potassium.
Agave Nectar
What is agave or agave nectar? It is a syrup derived from the agave plant found in Mexico. Agave is the same plant used to make tequila. Some people use it in place of sugar in baking. However, it is not a healthier alternative. Agave nectar is still sugar.
Nutrition Facts: 1 tablespoon is 60 calories, 16 grams of carbohydrates, no fat, protein, or fiber with other vitamins and minerals negligible.
Maple Syrup
What is maple syrup? Simply it is the sap from maple trees. It goes through additional processing since what comes from the trees is not the same product we get in the bottles. There are other steps involved.
Most people use maple syrup as a topping for breakfast foods like pancakes, waffles, and French toast.
Nutrition Facts: 1 tablespoon is 52 calories, 13 grams of carbohydrates, no fat, protein, or fiber with 13 mg calcium and 41 mg potassium.
Turbinado Sugar
What is turbinado sugar? It is still sugar, but it is not raw sugar. It is refined but has some of the molasses still in there.
It is used for various purposes, including baking, in coffee or tea, and in any other place where you may use sugar. It is not a healthier option than white granulated sugar, just different.
Nutrition Facts: 1 tablespoon is 52 calories, 14 grams of carbohydrates, no fat, protein, or fiber with other vitamins and minerals negligible.
Brown Sugar
What is brown sugar? It is white granulated sugar with molasses from sugar cane added. How much molasses is added will give either light brown sugar or dark brown sugar.
Adding molasses gives brown sugar a slightly different flavor than white granulated sugar.
Packed or unpacked only makes a difference because a packed amount will have more sugar overall. For example, one cup of packed brown sugar is about 7.8 oz, and one cup of unpacked is 5.1 oz.
Nutrition Facts: 1 tablespoon unpacked is 34 calories, 9 grams of carbohydrates, no fat, protein, or fiber, with 8 mg calcium and 31 mg potassium.
Molasses (not blackstrap)
What is molasses? Molasses is a refined product from sugar beet or sugar cane (though only molasses from sugar cane is used for brown sugar). Of all the sweeteners, this has the most nutrients (calcium and potassium) but is still high in calories compared to white granulated sugar.
It has its unique flavor and is most often used in baking.
Nutrition Facts: 1 tablespoon is 58 calories, 15 grams of carbohydrates, no fat, protein, or fiber, with 41 mg calcium and 293 mg potassium.
Powdered/Confectioners’ Sugar
What is powdered sugar? It is ground white granulated sugar with a small amount of cornstarch or potato starch added to keep it from clumping together (anti-caking agent). Caster sugar is slightly different since it does not have the addition of a starch, but it is a finely ground white granulated sugar.
Most people use powdered sugar for frosting/icing for baked goods and as decoration for baked goods, and caster sugar in mixed drinks/cocktails.
Sifted or unsifted makes a difference because sifted will have less volume per cup than unsifted. For example, sifted is about 3.5 oz compared to 4.2 oz unsifted powdered sugar in one cup.
Nutrition Facts: 1 tablespoon un-sifted is 31 calories, 8 grams carbohydrates, no fat, protein, or fiber with and other vitamins and minerals negligible.
Next in the series: what are the different names of added sugars
