Make a sweet choice for a healthier living!

Refined sugar is what we use to satiate our daily need for a sweetener. Sugar is basically a chain of soluble carbohydrates that acts as a source of energy for the human body once it is broken down by the body into glucose. Sugar can be of three different kinds- monosaccharide, disaccharide and polysaccharide. Of these three types, the monosaccharide is most easily broken down as it consists of a simple chain of carbohydrates. Disaccharides are slightly more complex but the third kind, that is, the polysaccharides are the most complex and are not easily broken down metabolically. These are the most harmful kind of sugar.

Refined sugar consumption in large quantities has several health effects that need to be countered. The problems that may be faced due to sugar consumption are:

• Obesity - Sugar if not properly broken down in the body into glucose or other forms and utilized may take the form of unsaturated carbohydrates. This leads to formation of fat globules in the body causing weight gain and obesity.
• Diabetes - High sucrose levels in the blood may cause the blood glucose level to increase. This may trigger diabetes in people.
• Tooth decay - Sugar is known to erode the tooth enamel and cause cavities in the teeth if proper oral care is not taken after consuming sweet food.
• Addiction - Sugar is known to be addictive. Many people may eat sweets or sugar which can become an addictive habit, just like any drug use.

Natural Sweeteners to Replace Refined Sugar:

There are a number of healthier alternatives available for sugar which are natural and health friendly.

1. Sugarcane Sweeteners - There are a number of natural sweeteners that are available in the market that are derived from the sugarcane plant. Sugar too is processed from the sugarcane juice. However, there are certain other alternatives as well that are derived from the sugarcane plant. We have the blackstrap molasses that is an excellent source of vitamins and rich in iron, calcium, magnesium and potassium. Then we have jiggery, secant and turbinado sugar as some other alternatives that are derived from sugarcane plants.
2. Maple Syrup - Maple syrup is another natural sweetener. It is used widely as a sweetening agent all over the world and its use can be more varied. It is thick sticky syrup that is made by boiling the sap that is collected from the maple trees. It is healthy and a great alternative to sugar. It even has a distinct taste of its own, adding to the flavors of the dish it is added to.
3. Malt Syrup - Malt syrup is derived from barley and it is a healthy and natural sweetener that you can freely use in place of sugar.
4. Date Sugar - Derived from the date fruit, the date sugar has all the properties of the fruit in it. It is a healthy natural sweetening agent and can replace the sugar in your kitchen easily.

These are few of the natural sweeteners that you may choose to use in order to avoid the bad effects that sugar has on your health. However, it goes without fail that everything when taken in measure is a treasure. It is always advised to consume any of these in moderate amounts.

Terry Barlowe is known as fact-finding author who write for remedymart.com, A secure and reliable online pharmacy store for herbal medications where you can also Online Pharmacy for