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Many people are turning away from refined table sugar and high-fructose corn syrup,looking for more healthful options. They may be making wider changes, such as following aketo diet, which can help some people avoid unnecessary calories and lose weight.Also, people with conditions such as diabetes must be aware of the types of sweetenersthat they use, as many affect blood sugar.While natural sweeteners can be a better alternative to refined sugars, some are lesshealthful than many people believe. Anyone considering switching sweeteners for healthreasons may benefit from discussing options with a dietician or doctor.SteviaStevia rebaudiana is a plant in the sunflower family and is native to parts of SouthAmerica, and it can make stevia leaf extract. The leaves contain two primary compounds— one is extremely sweet, while the other is very bitter.Manufacturers extract the sweet compounds from the plant to produce stevia. Thesecompounds can be up to 300 times as sweet as table sugar, and stevia extracts are naturallycalorie free, making the sweetener a popular choice.However, some people feel that stevia is not truly “natural” because of the amount ofprocessing required to produce the white, powdery stevia product in many stores. A personcan purchase stevia leaves and leaf powder, though these may contain bitter as well assweet compounds, and they are less widely available.Monk fruitMonk fruit, native to southern China, is another alternative sweetener. The fruitcontains compounds called mogrosides, which can be 150–200 times as sweet as sugar,according to the International Food Information Council Foundation.However, although they are sweet, these compounds do not raise blood sugar in the sameway that other sweeteners do. Monk fruit powder and extracts also contain no calories or carbohydrates.Yacon syrupYacon syrup is sticky nectar harvested from the yacon plant, which is also native toparts of South America. The syrup is dark brown and resembles molasses.Yacon syrup contains calories. However, it is high in soluble fibers calledfructooligosaccharides, which have just half the calories of regular sugar, as a review inthe journal BMC MedicineTrusted Source notes.
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