Natural Sweeteners

Everyone likes something sweet every once in a while but when you are trying to eat clean, what can you have? Well....there are a lot of different options out there. There are several that are low in calories, low in fructose and taste sweet. The important thing to remember is to stay away from processed sweeteners. Refined sugar is not good for you. It can be hard to quit it, but it is worth it.

One of my favorite natural sweeteners is Agave nectar. I even use it as a syrup! I add it to some of my shakes and have used it in place of sugar in recipes. There are other nectars as well that are good options. Another good option is Stevia. You can buy this in packets or in a bag. Studies have even shown it to lower blood pressure and blood sugar levels. Both of these are sold in most grocery stores near the sugar and syrups.

Other sweeteners that health conscious people often use include coconut sugar, molasses, honey and maple syrup. These are better options than refined sugar, but should still be used sparingly since the quality is still very similar to sugar. That's not to say they are bad....I still use all of these in limited quantities...but the key is to use these sparingly.

Pay attention to what you are putting in your body!