This Diwali Forget Sugar, Try These Healthy Sweeteners

Diwlai is almost here and preparations to make sweets might have also began at your homes. We all use sugar to add sweetness to our home-made sweets. But do you know how harmful it is. So, this diwali go healthy with these sugar substitutes.For those with a sweet tooth, it can be hard to stay away from harmful sugary treats - especially when it seems like there's no equally delicious alternative.

But whether it's comes from fruit, tree sap, or even more unusual sources such as brown rice, there are natural alternatives to refined sugar. Here are 5 best replacements of sugar-

# HONEY

Produced by bees using the nectar of flowers, honey is one of the most popular natural sweeteners, and has been used this way for centuries.Opt for raw honey which is lauded for its multiple health benefits including iron, zinc, potassium, calcium, vitamin B6, riboflavin and niacin, while also promoting the growth of healthy bacteria in the digestive tract.

# MAPLE SYRUP

The sap taken from maple trees is heat-treated, causing much of the water to evaporate, leaving the concentrated sticky syrup. While it is a lot less sweeter than honey, it retains its taste even in heat, which makes it great for incorporating into cooking. The syrup can be used in the same ratio as sugar, and according to research, ensuring it is in its pure form, contains over 54 antioxidants.

# DATE SUGAR

Created from dehydrated, ground dates, it goes through minimal processing and tastes slightly sweeter than white sugar and therefore less needs to be used. Crammed with fibre, vitamins, and with energy-boosting qualities, the slightly thicker consistency makes it great for use in baking.

# COCONUT PALM SUGAR

The latest coconut by-product to gain popularity, the sugar is made from heat-treating the sap from the flower buds of the coconut palm tree, until the liquid has evaporated. It comes in generally all forms, solid and liquid, but its preferred use is often in granule form, due to similarity to normal table sugar.

# FRUIT SUGAR

Crammed with vitamins, minerals and fibre, fruit is a simple alternative to pure refined sugar and is recommended for consumption five-times daily anyway.For a sweetener, fruit sugar looks like table sugar, but is much sweeter.