Are you someone who loves having your morning tea with a spoonful of sugar to relish it more? Or do you always pick up a canned juice or an aerated drink to quench your thirst instead of plain water, lemon juice, or buttermilk? Is your meal never complete without sweets or ice cream? If the answer to these questions is “yes”, then, on a daily basis, you're consuming a lot of sugar. Though sugar lifts our mood, too much of it adds to the calorie intake and leads to diabetes and even heart disease. In a new post on Instagram, nutritionist Nmami Agarwal told her followers about “a few healthier versions and sugar substitutes” that they can opt for and how to avoid added refined sugar.
Avoid adding refined sugar in your diet. Photo Credit: iStock
Nmami wrote in the caption, “Nutritional hack for clear skin”, and went on to tell her followers to “remove added sugar from the diet”. She added, “Remember, sugar in whole food is not an added sugar.”
According to Nmami Agarwal, whole foods include carrots, cranberries, and blueberries. She said that the sugar present in high fructose syrup, maple syrup, honey, fruit juices, breakfast cereals, candies, and processed foods is added sugar.
Watch the full video by Nmami Agarwal here:
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So, what can we use in place of refined sugar in our diet other than whole foods? Here are a few sugar alternatives that we can incorporate into our daily routine.
1. Organic Brown Sugar
Brown sugar is one such healthy option if you want to switch from refined white sugar. It is processed but made in a natural way to retain most of sugarcane's original nutrition. It has a caramel-like taste to it and is used to sweeten different hot beverages, as well as desserts and other baked goods.
2. Coconut or Palm Sugar
Coconut or palm sugar is another healthy natural sweetener. Extracted from the flower buds of the coconut palm tree, the sugar has a mild caramel taste, and can be easily used in a number of ways in regular cooking. Its low fructose content and low glycaemic index is also the reason why it's a favourite with health-conscious people.
Natural sugars like coconut sugar are the healthier varieties. Photo Credit: iStock
3. Date Sugar
Highly nutritious natural sweetener, date sugar can be a great addition to your diet. Made from dates, dried, and ground to a fine powder, it also helps is detoxing. While the taste can feel different to beginners, once you start regular intake, you wouldn't want to go back to the commercial white sugar sold in markets.
4. Jaggery
Gur or jaggery is one of the most inexpensive natural sweeteners out there. It is formed by boiling sugarcane until it hardens and then is chopped into fragments or blocks. It is easy to access and is available in granulated form for those who wish to use it in their beverages. Its iron content makes it a favourite among fitness enthusiasts.
5. Raw or unprocessed honey
Raw honey is the honey that exists in the beehive. It is an original sweet liquid that does not harm your health, as it is unheated, unpasteurised, and unprocessed.
Choose these substitutes to lead a healthy life. A bit of craving once in a while is fine, but don't overdo it. It is always best to consult a qualified doctor or nutritionist before making any major changes in your diet.
Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.