Over 250 Hidden names for sugar 🤯 - here’s the 5 best alternatives
“The more we've learned about the dangers of sugar over the years, the more it's clear that it's a toxin, a poison, a killer.”
-Gary Taubes - Case Against Sugar
Too much sugar causes:
Trouble with blood sugars - and Insulin resistance
Increased weight gain
Metabolic disorders (heart disease, stroke, diabetes)
Fatty liver disease
Increased inflammation
Autoimmune disease
One BIG problem is that most people don't know how much sugar is actually okay to eat every day.
I want to provide more clarity on that.
The fact of the matter is:
Above a certain level, Sugar is a toxin
Today I want to give you the 5 BEST sugar alternatives, but first:
What symptoms can “sugar toxicity” cause?
How to identify hidden names of sugars you want to avoid
How much sugar is too much before it gets toxic - in grams, a real number
Then, we will look at the best sugar alternatives
Talking about “hidden sugars” reminds me of this quick story about my son.
You see, he loves bugs.
He often collects them in containers.
And to my wife’s dismay, he puts them in kitchen containers and leaves them on the kitchen counter 🐞.
He literally had a garden spider with a body that was larger than a quarter...
With its egg sack intact, and put it in the smallest kitchen container we have.
I have no idea how he actually got it in there.
He brought it into the kitchen and if he moved it around, you could actually hear its body “thud” against the container.
Yeah, my wife did NOT love it.
With that thought, let's fast forward to about 2 weeks later.
My son had absent-mindedly left a bucket (with the lid on), sitting on the kitchen counter.
My wife and I were cleaning up a bit that afternoon as we do.
But when she goes to pick up the bucket - he yelled from down the hallway:
“You might want to be careful with that!”
The look on my wife’s face was awesome! And terrifying 😨
She immediately thought back to that giant spider.
Honestly, that’s what I want to say to say to people at the grocery store when I see what they have in their carts!
“You might want to be careful with that!”
That’s the warning I would give about too much sugar.
The big problem is, food companies try to hide it everywhere!
When sugars are high, inflammation goes up, and the body is toxic . . . Period.
Oh, and here are some of the top symptoms of how that toxicity shows itself in the body...
Nausea
Mood swings & Irritability
Sweet cravings
Lack of energy
Acne
Headache
Weight Gain
Brain Fog
And more!
All things we definitely don't want.
Identifying those different names for sugar in all the products we consume can be tough....
According to this article by the Hypoglycemia Support Foundation:
There are over 250 names for sugar in the Added Sugar Repository
That means that in the production of food, there are more than 250 different names for added sugar.
Names that companies are able to use in the production process!
That’s insane.
For packaged foods - it’s closer to 50-60 names of sugar that you might see on product labels.
Here are a few things to remember:
If the name looks super scientific and made up - odds are that it is. Stick to ingredients you recognize as best you can.
Highly processed foods are worse, and best to avoid. Fewer ingredients are better.
Look for things that end in "-ose": like glucose, sucrose, etc...
Pay attention to "syrup": things like corn syrup, rice syrup, or even agave syrup. And avoid them.
I know it's tough to avoid it all, but do the best you can.
Even if you can learn to recognize and avoid some of them, that's progress!
Most people have trouble knowing their total sugar intake.
Remember that every source matters in the total number.
That includes:
Added sugars on the packaging of foods (read the label)
Sugar from fruit counts (know your servings)
Juice and other drinks are a big one
Coffee creamers
ALL sources of sugar COUNT!
Here are the best alternatives if you need to add some sweetness to your life!
1. Pure raw honey is awesome
It contains amino acids, electrolytes, antioxidants, and antimicrobial compounds, which can support your overall health.
Honey also helps reduce allergy symptoms.
It is used as a natural medicine to help heal wounds, and is the one that we use the most in our house!
2. Stevia
If you have blood sugar issues, struggle with weight, or have diabetes, then stevia may be the best sweetener for you.
Stevia is a no calorie, all-natural sweetener that comes from a leaf of a flowering plant. Make sure you get the green leaf stevia.
It's important to make sure that the product doesn’t also contain maltodextrin.
Maltodextrin is higher on the glycemic index than sugar. Maltitol, agave nectar, and functional fibers should also be avoided.
3. Dates are great
They are high in fiber, potassium, minerals, and vitamins.
The fiber in dates actually slows down sugar absorption in your body.
4. Coconut sugar
Organic, unrefined, coconut palm sugar is great for baking because it has the equal comparison of 1 cup to 1 cup of regular sugar in a lot of recipes.
It’s full of potassium, electrolytes, nutrients, and has a lower glycemic index.
5. 100% organic, Grade B, maple syrup
Is another great sweetener to use in recipes.
My wife is Canadian, and she also approves!
Side Note: There is talk about xylitol, but it should really be avoided. And can be highly toxic to animals *Note to pet owners
As for how much sugar to aim for on a daily basis:
For Women = 25 grams
For Men = 35 grams
And that's it.
Anything above that and your body identifies as a toxin.
Depending on your personal health journey, this might vary.
Remember, health is never "one-size-fits-all"
But that’s the starting point.
You know, going back to the story about my son, there was nothing harmful in that bucket.
He loves all bugs and wanted to be careful not to hurt some moth eggs that he had found.
And the thing with sugar is, it’s perfectly fine in moderation and you shouldn’t be afraid of it either.
You CAN celebrate and it’s not about eliminating it all together.
It’s having too much sugar on a daily basis that leads to the symptoms and advanced disease we want to avoid.
Here, we are all about creating healthy habits.
So, don't throw out your whole diet plan at once.
Pick one thing you could do better at and start there.
Until next time!
