Clean Sugar Swaps

We’re all familiar with the devil on our shoulder that always insists that we put a little something sweet in what we eat. This could lead into a binge session of ice cream, chocolate or processed and packaged treats that in result will lead to a sugar hangover and cloud of guilt. Luckily there are plenty of ways to satisfy your craving without compromising a clean diet.

Here are several ways to add a little something sweet to your day without the guilt

• Raw honey: Raw honey is a little different than regular honey, it has a thicker consistency than the kind you buy in bottles. Raw honey out shines regular honey with its numerous benefits including enzymes, antioxidants, iron, potassium, and other elements that promote a healthy digestive tract. These benefits are lessened once honey is pasteurized and made into a thinner consistency.
• Ways to use it: add it to baked beans to add a little sweet to your savory, glazed carrots, smoothies, oatmeal, and yogurt.

2.) Stevia: Stevia is a liquid sweetener you can add to coffee or tea. What makes stevia such a great sweetener is that it contains an element that is more than 200 times as sweet as sugar, according to draxe.com. It is available in different forms such as packets, tablets, baking blends, and my personal preference, liquid drops for coffee and tea.

• Ways to use it: add drops of it to beverages such as tea, coffee, smoothies etc.

3.) Dates: Whether you are popping pieces of this tasty dried fruit as a sweet snack or adding it to food, it is a rich and guilt free food. According to draxe.com “dates are loaded with potassium, copper, iron, manganese, magnesium and vitamin B6. They are easily digested and help to metabolize proteins, fats and carbohydrates”. You can buy the dates as they are and add it to oatmeal, yogurt and smoothies or you can make date paste as a savory and sweet spread.

• Ways to use it: Eat alone, add to food, use as a spread with toast or a smoothie bowl or parfait.

Next time that sneaky sweet tooth creeps up on you, use these sugars swaps to combat your sugary cravings! These sugar replacements are great examples of satisfying your cravings without compromising to eating right. Try it out and enjoy!

“It’s a good day to have a good one!”

-Alena Purpero