It’s well known that most of us in the developed world are full-on sugar addicts. Americans currently consume a whopping 150-170 pounds of sugar a year, more than three times the amount recommended by the USDA. And that’s just white sugar – it’s even more when you add hidden sugars corn syrup, glucose and fructose. The worst thing is: you may not even know you’re eating sugar. It’s hidden in all kinds of foods you'd never guess, including peanut butter, salad dressing, pickles, soup, and sometimes even in baby food!
Eating too sweet has some unsavoury consequences: apart from obesity and diabetes, sugar is now linked to Crohn’s disease, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, depression, tooth decay, hormonal disruption, elevated triglyceride levels (which can lead to heart disease), and even cancer. It’s also been noted by psychiatrists that sugar acts like an addictive drug on the brain. High fructose corn syrup is the worst offender, and it’s hidden in a lot of common foods from breads and cereals to sushi.
Some may substitute maple syrup, agave nectar or honey thinking it’s better than sugar, but in terms of their glycemic index (GI), they’re really not much better. Even worse, many dieters turn to aspartame, saccharin, Splenda, Truvia or Purvia – but you should know that these have all been linked to cancer and tumors. Luckily, there are some good, healthy sugar substitutes, though, including these:
1. Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups
Love Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups? These are a perfect substitute, but of course, contain no E numbers, saturated fats or, of course, sugar.
Get the recipe here.
2. Lemon Almond Cake
This is a simple, classic cake that everyone will love – and surely no one will guess that it’s sugar free! It’s got a subtle lemon zest, and could easily be topped with blueberries or raspberries in summer. As an added bonus: it’s gluten free, too.
Get the recipe here.
3. Cardamon & Buckwheat No-bake Bars
Sometimes a delicate flavour can add a slight sweetness to a recipe that reduces the need for an excess of sicky syrup or dates. Cardamon is one of those spices that can work some serious sugar-free magic. There’s a smidgen of rice malt syrup used in this recipe to help the ingredients stick together, but the simple flavours and textures combine to make these satisfying and sweetish without being a sugar overload.
Get the recipe here
4. Black Bean Brownies
How delish do these look? There are so many incredible vegan brownie recipes these days, it’s a wonder anyone ever eats the buttery, sugary kind any more! These are so tasty, you'd never believe they were ultra-healthy, too.
Get the recipe here
5. Guiltless Banana Ice Cream
It wouldn’t be a treat list without ice cream! This recipe is super simple – you can jazz it up by adding your favourite low GI toppings, like berries, nuts or seeds.
Get the recipe here.
6. Nutty Banana Chocolate Fudge
I suspect everyone will like this nutty fudge recipe – even those with a major sweet tooth. It tastes sweet and chocolate like but is packed with healthy ingredients and good fats making it supremely more virtuous than a number of other fudges and desserts.
Get the recipe here
7. Berry & Avocado Smoothie
Smoothies can be either pretty high in sugar depending on the amount of fruit and sugar substitutes you put in them. Filling out your smoothie or a creamy component like avocado or natural yoghurt can help you keep them tasty and lower on the sugar side of things and this recipe does exactly that.
Get the recipe here
8. Harvest Breakfast Cookies
Finally something paleo enthusiasts and vegans can agree on: these incredible cookies, which are nice and sweet thanks to pumpkin puree, dates, and banana.
Get the recipe here.
9. Dark Chocolate Avocado Truffles
Some days, only chocolate will do. It’s good to have some options and even though these truffles have a little sugar, their GI is extremely low in comparison to say, a Lindt truffle ball. They also pack in the nutrition and healthy fat from avocado and are super-fun to make.
Get the recipe here
10. Sticky Toffee Pudding Cake
Craving caramel? This British classic comes to you from the Sugar Free Childhood blog. Based on spelt flour, it’s especially delicious with another British classic: a cup of (soya-milky) tea!
Get the recipe here.
11. Chia Seed Pudding
Want a breakfast idea that will kick start a happy, healthy day? This chai breakfast pudding will do just the trick. Full of antioxidants, vitamins, essential fatty acids and an exotic blend of chai spices, this pudding will fill you up right until lunch time.
Get the recipe here.
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