Stevia
Calorie count: 0kcal
Why it’s good for you: Made from the leaves of the stevia plant, stevia is an approved sugar substitute that has been found to help with weight control. It’s also got health benefits that sets it apart from the rest – it promises to reduce blood pressure and boasts antioxidant effects that may help to fight cancer.
This story was first published on Her World Plus.
Honey
Calorie count: 64kcal per tbsp
Why it’s good for you: Honey is full of nutrients – vitamins, minerals, amino acids, enzymes and polyphenols – that boost your immune system. It helps to ease gastrointestinal pain, dry cough, constipation and inflammation.
Agave syrup
Calorie count: 60kcal per tbsp
Why it’s good for you: Agave syrup or agave nectar is a thin golden liquid extracted from the blue agave plant. One benefit of this sweetener is that it has a low glycemic index (GI) of 15, meaning that it doesn’t cause your blood sugar levels to spike. Compared to honey which has a GI 0f 50, it’ll help you stave off your sugar cravings for longer. But make sure you go for the raw organic variety; if it’s highly processed, it’s no better than high-fructose corn syrup.
Medjool dates
Calorie count: 66kcal for 1 pitted date (24g)
Why it’s good for you: Dates are full of minerals like selenium, copper, potassium, and magnesium and vitamins. They are also high in dietary fibre and antioxidants. Dates can be chopped up and used as a sugar substitute in your baking or blended into smoothies. But they’re also very high in glucose and fructose, so munch in moderation.
Dried longan
Calorie count: 5kcal per fruit (1.7g)
Why it’s good for you: Full of vitamin A and C and bursting with antioxidants, dried longans make for nutritious additions to your drinks, sweet soups and even cake, as they are said to boost energy levels, improve blood circulation and even alleviate the symptoms of insomnia.
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