“Get accustomed to the natural sweetness of whole foods. Natural, unprocessed foods are biologically sweet, and once you train your taste buds to enjoy the natural sweetness of the various foods nature provides…you’ll find it’s pleasurable to eat.”  Dr. Janet Starr Hull

What would my diet look like of I cut out artificial sweeteners and white refined sugar?

So they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb.  (Luke 24:42; NKJ)

You might be muttering that “sugar is bad and contributes to numerous diseases, aspartame is poison and is killing my brain cells, and now Sharon tells me that Splenda isn’t so splendid!  So, what am I supposed to use if I want something sweet?”

Raw honey and pure maple syrup can be used as alternative sweeteners to sugar. There are some nutritionists who believe that even those sweeteners should not be used.  I do believe that a steady diet of them can create its own set of problems such as a craving for more sweets and increased blood sugar levels.  But I still believe they can have a place in a healthy eating plan.  Raw honey is honey that has not been heated over 117 degrees and it’s loaded with good enzymes and other nutrients found in pollens.  Pure maple syrup is the concentrated sap of large deciduous trees and is rich in trace minerals.

There are a couple of other natural sweeteners that one can use.  Sucanat is dehydrated cane juice.  It’s also rich in minerals.  It’s light to medium brown in color and is granulated similar to brown sugar.  (Brown sugar, by the way is nothing but white sugar with caramel coloring, inexpensive molasses, and other dyes added to it.)

Another acceptable sweetener is Stevia which is made from a South American herb. It comes in a powdered form (in packets) or a liquid.  It’s very concentrated and a little bit goes a long way.  It can be used to sweeten herbal tea, salad dressings, smoothies, and even whipped cream.

Another less known sweetener is Xylitol.  Xylitol is a naturally occurring sweetener found in the fibers of many fruits and vegetables, including various berries, corn husks, oats, and mushrooms.  Xylitol is nearly as sweet as sucrose and is a white crystalline powder. 

All of these sweeteners can be found in health food stores or in the health food sections of the regular grocery stores.

Prayer Power
Father we continue to thank You for the wealth of healthy food that You have provided for us.  May we seek You for the best food choices for our families and for our own bodies.

Links of the Day
Stevia
Sucanat
Xylitol

Blessings on you as you choose the best sweeteners.