19 Sugars & Sweeteners: Which Are Healthy?

7. Evaporated sugar cane juice
Evaporated sugar cane juice goes through less processing than refined sugar and has more nutrients found in sugar cane. It contains tiny amounts of vitamins and minerals.

8. Sugar cane juice
Sugar can juice is made from the same sugar cane stalks that are grown to make white sugar. Hand-powered presses or machine presses crush the sugarcane stalks and release the raw sugar cane juice. It is healthier than table sugar as it contains tiny amounts of vitamins and minerals and is raw if not processed at high temperatures.

9. Sucanat
Sucanat is made from sugar cane, usually organically grown, and minimally processed to obtain juice to make syrup (the molasses is not removed). The syrup is dehydrated and milled into a powder. It has potassium, vitamin A, calcium, iron, magnesium and small amounts of other vitamins and minerals.

10. Coconut sugar
Coconut sugar is made from the sap of coconut flowers by boiling it down to dry sugar blocks or a soft paste or a granulated form. Coconut sugar contains higher amount of nutrients compared to brown sugar as it has some amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, chlorine, magnesium, sulfur, and micro nutrients.

11. Palm sugar
Palm sugar is extracted from the sap of date palm trees and palmyra palms, which are said to be the best. It can also be extracted from sago and coconut palms. It is commonly used in Southeast Asia, where it is called jaggery or gur. It is high in amino acids, potassium, magnesium, zinc, and iron and has some vitamin B1, B2, B3, and B6. It also has an absorption rate slower than that of white sugar.

12. Honey
Honey is similar to table sugar. Pure raw honey (not heated above 100 degrees) contains small amounts of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, flavonoids and antioxidants. Some research suggests that honey helps in the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders. Honey is as rapidly assimilated in the bloodstream as refined sugar, so is not highly recommended.

13. Date sugar
Date sugar is not really a sugar as it is made from ground, dehydrated dates containing all the vitamins, minerals and fiber found in the fruit. Date sugar is rich in nutrients and is metabolized more slowly than sugar.

2 of 4

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Agnes S.

3:53PM PDT on Apr 30, 2013

Stevia, love it - also home made juice

April 30
send a green star

Julie F.

8:40AM PDT on Mar 16, 2013

thanks

March 16
send a green star

Michele W.

12:23PM PDT on May 16, 2012

Thank you

May 16
send a green star

Susanne J.

3:37PM PDT on May 15, 2012

I bought Stevia concentrated. But it is not very concentrated as it takes very many drops just to sweeten your coffe as much as you would do with just a spoonfull white sugar.
But this is Denmark and Stevia has just been allowed a few months ago.

May 15
send a green star

Marie W.

11:12PM PDT on May 14, 2012

Stevia and natural sugar.

May 14
send a green star

Linda S.

7:48AM PDT on Apr 10, 2012

I heard agave isn't as good as people thought. I did use stevia, but it made the tip of my tongue numb. Weird reaction. I have demerara sugar now.

April 10
send a green star

dan P.

12:32AM PDT on Apr 7, 2012

Stevia is an acquired taste..It takes a little to make anything sweet..I have used all of this except coconut sugar and barley sugar..never really used Equal, splenda (they come under frusctose?) by choice..just had to try..
Actually, Jaggery as they called in India is a by product of refining sugar which contains iron etc( Molasses) but Jaggery goes to processing too :( - so I buy organic jaggery processed w/out any chemicals..
Palm sugar I use regularly in tea and even coffee ..