Top 5 natural sweeteners trending in India

The sense of taste gives information about the food quality and its nature, and of all the basic taste qualities, sweetness is the most universally liked.

Humans have sweet tooth and the word is “sugar” which fulfill that craving.

If you’ve ever speculated, if natural sweeteners are better than other forms of sugar, the answer is absolutely ‘YES’.

Well Said- Tough times don’t last, tough people, do!

During this tough phase of COVID, people have already altered their physical activity which has gradually increased daily intake of food while sitting at home. On the other hand, most of the people are taking conscious efforts to reduce oily food in diet but Sugar is the main element that we all are overlooking and neglecting.

Also now that, many people have devoted this time in baking while at home. Now here sugar is again an element which has been overused profoundly.

However, it’s yet not too late to get things in order.

That is why practicing Sugar-Distancing along with Social-Distancing is very important.

There are many source of natural sweeteners named as Honey, Dates, Coconut Sugar, Palm Sugar, Jaggery, Maple Syrup, Molasses, Agave Nectar, Chicory Root Fibers, Monk Fruit, Stevia etc.

Below are some Top 5 natural sweeteners in India-

1. Honey

It is the only insect created food (liquid) with therapeutic, medicinal, nutritional and cosmetic value. It is the natural sweetener for healthy immunity system. Bees produces Honey from the nectar of flowers. Its sweetness comes from monosachrides fructose and glucose. Honey is rich in Vitamin B6, Riboflavin, Calcium, Copper & Iron which help to fight with various health problems like Insomnia, Indigestion, Coughs, Cold, Headache, Anemia etc. It has countless medicinal properties which helps to fight against infections caused by viruses, bacteria and fungi.

2. Coconut Sugar

It is known with various names as coco sugar, coconut palm sugar, coco sap sugar or coconut blossom sugar.

Coconut sugar is the crystallized nectar of the coconut tree blossom, further made by boiling the flower’s sap till it gets thickens & solidifies. It is mainly composed of sucrose (around 70%) followed by glucose and fructose. It has been used as a natural sweetener in South-East Asia for centuries, particularly in the Philippines and Indonesia, and now it is one of the top 5 natural sweeteners in India.

One can use coconut sugar the same way as the regular sugar by adding it in your tea or coffee or baking and cooking.
Coconut Sugar has incredible health benefits. It contains over 16 amino acids out of 20 and four different B Vitamins. It has great source of iron, potassium, magnesium and zinc. The GI index value of coconut is only 30-35, which is considered very low in comparison of white table sugar. Due to the low GI value of coconut sugar, it helps to regulate the sugar level in the body and satisfy the sweet tooth without compromising the health.

3. Stevia

An herb, which is been introduced in India as one of the flavor enhancer and sweetener in food and beverages as a substitute of sugar. A white powder which is extracted from the dry stevia shrub leaves is almost 200-300 times sweeter than sugar.

It is one of the 100% natural sweetener which has zero calorie without any side effects. It is way better than regular sugar. In the current scenario replacing sugar with Stevia will help to decrease risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes and obesity. Since stevia has no fermented carbohydrates which will not harm dental health and thus it does not cause tooth decay.

4. Palm Sugar

As the name says Palm Sugar, comes from the palm trees. This natural sweetener is made from sap which is collected by making slits from the palm tree stem. Sap which was collected is then boiled until it gets thickened. The almost similar sweetener can be made from coconut palms also which is named as Coconut palm sugar. The only difference is, coconut palm sugar is obtained from the flower buds of the coconut palm whereas the Palm Sugar is obtained directly from the tree itself.

It is considered as one of the healthier alternative in all other sweeteners as its production involves less processing with no chemicals. Contains high level of plant based vitamins and minerals.

Since it is a good source of potassium, phosphorus, zinc, Iron and copper, it has amazing health benefits. It maintains electrolyte balance in the body further promotes musculoskeletal health. Regular use of palm sugar will boost energy level and will increase metabolism.

It is rich flavor and can be used in all the traditional sweet recipes that call for white sugar. Additionally it is used for remedies like herbal ginger tea which helps to improve digestion.

5. Jaggery

It is also known as Gur, made by boiling concentrated and raw sugarcane juice. It helps to improve metabolism & purifies blood. Jaggery is widely used in various food products in the form of sweetener. It is healthier as compared to refined sugar as it is rich in minerals & phytochemicals.

Jaggery is rich in iron and minerals which helps in the prevention of anemia and helps body to fight against infections. It is also proven that jaggery is highly beneficial for beauty treatment. Smooth functioning of digestive system in the body will reflect after the regular use of jaggery.

It also has some side effects if consuming jaggery in the high amount for longer duration. It may lead to weight gain and sugar level in the body.

Conclusion

It is always a healthier option to intake Natural Sweeteners in your diet. It is surely an attractive alternative of sugar because they virtually add less calories to your diet. Also, one needs only a fraction of natural sweetener as compared with the amount of sugar which we normally use for sweetness.

Sugarous is one of the best company in India for it’s 100% natural and pure organic products like Coconut sugar, Palm Sugar, Kimia Dates, Kalmi Dates, Dried Apricots etc. Health concerns over the consumption of refined sugar has increased day by day and our focus is to aware and provide natural sweeteners to every corner.

Stay Healthy! Stay Safe!