HEALTH
Virtuous sweetness – vegan sugar alternatives
vegan, sugar-free sweeteners
“Life is too short to live off nothing but crackers!” This sentence could be said in nearly any kitchen, because after all, life without the odd sweet treat wouldn’t be half as beautiful (culinarily, at least). In terms of taste, there are loads of delicious options on offer, but not all of them are healthy, and not every sweet addition manages not to leave an aftertaste of animal products.
That means: if you want to sweeten your everyday on a regular basis, you shouldn’t fall into the unhealthy sugar trap, because refined sugar products are poison not just for our teeth, but for our overall health. So how can we sweeten food without using sugar?
Wanting to be health-conscious and live sustainably in no way means you have to go without sweet treats. Here we’ll present some health alternatives to sugar which are not only guaranteed to be vegan – they’re also easier to digest than sugar, and 100% delicious!
These are the top 3 alternatives to sugar:
- Agave syrup
- Coconut blossom sugar
- Xucker or Xylitol
Let’s take a closer look at them…
Agave syrup
Whether you enjoy it on your muesli in the mornings, as a topping on fresh fruit, or as a special ingredient in a salad dressing, agave syrup is a sweet all-rounder which can be a worthy replacement for honey or sugar – and provides a great deal of its own flavor. The liquid sweetener is originally from Mexico. It is obtained from the agave plant, which is cultivated in South America and looks similar to aloe vera. Slightly more runny than honey, agave syrup is also a notch sweeter, which means a small amount is enough to have a great effect.
The Aztecs used and worshiped the agave plant. Nowadays, it is not only treated as a superfood, but is also known for being much healthier than refined sugar. Packed with natural nutrients while being low in calories and carbohydrates, agave syrup can be indulged in with a clear conscience!
Coconut blossom sugar
The coconut palm is a seemingly endless source of precious foods. By way of the superfruit coconut, it provides versatile gluten-free flour and a nutritious fat source which should not be missing from any vegan kitchen. What’s more, coconut blossoms also provide a natural sugar replacement, which is known as a particularly precious sweetener thanks to its low glycemic index.
When buying any ingredients obtained from coconuts, it’s important to make sure they’re sustainably sourced. Look out for ingredients that have been harvested without the tree being felled, and which have been grown in sustainable coconut plantations that protect the rainforest.
Xucker (product containing xylitol)
Conventional sugar is known for being extremely calorific. But for many people with a sweet tooth, going without sweet treats simply isn’t a satisfactory option. Luckily, there are alternatives such as Xucker. Xucker – which can be used in exactly the same way as refined sugar – is one of the most popular alternatives to sugar in Europe. It is obtained from purely natural raw ingredients, as the polyvalent alcohols xylitol and erythritol which go into it are obtained from plant fibers or cereal starch.
Have we whetted your appetite for more natural sweeteners? Health-conscious people with a sweet tooth could do worse than to use these, too:
- Maple syrup
- Thick apple syrup or pear syrup
- Banana syrup
- Date syrup
- Rice syrup
- Wonig (vegan honey alternative)
If you’ve gotten the taste for something sweet or are looking for more sweet vegan secrets, you’re sure to find something in the velivery shop.
