"Best" Sweetener?

cheshirechic

Hello fabulous fellow MFPers!

So, I'm trying to cut out sugar (as in pure sweetener stuff, and I'll eat fruit still because it has the proportion of other nutrients to sugar that nature, or genetic engineering, intended) and I've been doing pretty well with it with foods that aren't "supposed" to be sweet. The problem comes, however, with my love of greek yogurt and strawberry jam. I've been reading that even agave isn't that great for you, but I wanted to hear personal testimonies (and read any links to official data that any of you have).

So, what works best for your body? Raw sugar? Maple syrup? Honey? Agave?

Is there any chemical difference? I eat fruit, so would something with "natural" proportions like honey or maple syrup be best?

I guess it depends on my purpose, too, but all I know for now is that I want to cut out excess calories and keep my body as stable as possible. I don't have any diabetic issues or real health concerns.

Thanks!

cat3nv

I have low blood sugar, and I use agave. It does not raise my blood sugar too high and make it crash. I have trouble with oranges and other fruit. I do not use honey or sugar (I use a small amount of sugar in my coffee).

Everyone is different and metabolize sugar differently. Agave works for me. My favorite is the hazelnut.

RMinVA

Not sure why you are concerned about Greek yogurt since there are some available w/o added sugar. If you buy the right type, the only sugar present would be natural. You just have to read the label.

As for what's better? Raw sugar? Maple syrup? Honey? Agave? While most people would consider them "natural," they do not occur naturally in any food (like fruit or dairy), they are processed/refined, so they are actually an added sugar. So IMO there really isn't much of a difference as far as which one is better, it really comes down to personal preference.

I often mix my plain yogurt w/fruit and maybe a drizzle of any of the above. It just depends on what I have handy. I'm not a big fan of artificial sweeteners either, but I do occasionally use them. My exposure to them is very limited though.

cheshirechic

Perfect info; thanks!

Added: I eat plain greek yogurt; my fault. Shoulda clarified. :embarassed:

I'm basically looking for the best thing (as in, healthiest, doesn't cause sugar to spike, etc.) to add to something like the plain greek yogurt with fruit. I keep reading about sugar being horrible, but have recently seen some things (probably not credible sources, butttt...) that agave is just as bad.