A huge learning curve for me when I started my healthy lifestyle was the elimination of sugar! And when I say sugar I mean cane sugar. This is probably the one thing if you eliminate that will have an immediate impact on your overall health and well-being and I promise if you eliminate sugar you will lose weight!

When researching about sugar there are more and more studies proving the damaging effects that sugar, particularly fructose has on our bodies. Sugar provides the body with energy but has no nutritional value. Sugar has links with obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer and may other illnesses.

Eliminating sugar however doesn’t have to be difficult. The key is to substitute cane sugar for natural sweeteners. If you have my Healthy eBook you will notice I use a whole range of natural sweeteners these include coconut nectar or syrup, coconut sugar, maple syrup (100%), medjool dates, raw honey and rice malt syrup.

Coconut NectarCoconut SugarRaw Honey 2Rice Malt SyrupMedjool DatesQueen-Maple-Syrup-100-Pure

The Healthy Mumma lifestyle is about trying to eat as much whole foods as possible and limit if not eliminate processed foods therefore eliminating sugar isn’t very difficult. Last week I posted about checking labels when buying packaged products, the one thing you should check is that sugar is not listed in the ingredients list. However in saying that don’t shoot yourself in the foot and see on nutritional information panels sugars listed with a percentage and think that the product has cane sugar included, this could be a natural sweetener or natural sugar found in the products. The best way is to read the ingredients list and if sugar is listed stay clear.

Below is a list of the natural sweeteners including their benefits and uses that I use in my cooking and have included in my Healthy eBook:

Product Benefit Uses
Coconut Nectar  (Also known as Coconut Syrup)Available at Healthy Mumma’s Health Store Coconut Nectar is a low GI (35) mineral rich natural sweetener that has a butterscotch taste. Use as a nutritious sweetener and binder in homemade healthy treats, desserts, smoothies and breakfasts. It can be poured over healthy pancakes, desserts, yoghurt and ice cream.A replacement sweetener to cane sugar.
Coconut Syrup (Also known as Coconut Nectar) Coconut Syrup is a low glycaemic natural sweetener that has a rich toffee taste. More nutritious than agave, maple and corn syrup. Use as a nutritious sweetener and binder in homemade healthy treats, dessert, smoothies and breakfasts. It can be poured over healthy pancakes, desserts, yoghurt and ice cream.A replacement sweetener to cane sugar.
Coconut Sugar (Organic)Available at Healthy Mumma’s Health Store Coconut Sugar is a great tasting, mineral rich, low GI (35) cane sugar alternative, produced from the nectar of the coconut plant blossom. It is a rich source of potassium, magnesium, zinc and iron. It has twice as much iron, four times the magnesium and over 10 times the zinc to brown sugar.  Use as a replacement to brown sugar/cane sugar especially for baking.
Maple Syrup (Ensure 100% with no added sugar) Natural Sweetener that is full of minerals and contains less fructose than honey, dates and agave. Sweeten natural yoghurts, breakfasts and drizzle over healthy pancakes. Use as an alternative to cane sugar, add to smoothies, healthy treats and desserts. 
Medjool Dates Natural Sweetener and a
good source of electrolyte potassium which is important for a healthy heart. Full of fibre to help keep you regular.
Use as an alternative to cane sugar, add to healthy treats, desserts or simply add a nut in the middle and eat as a sweet snack, a great substitute for sweets full of cane sugar. 
Raw Honey Raw honey is a natural sweetener that has not been pasteurised (heating and filtration process to make it clear) meaning all beneficial enzymes haven’t been lost.  Sweeten natural yoghurts, breakfasts and drizzle over healthy pancakes. Use as an alternative to cane sugar, add to smoothies, healthy treats and desserts.
Rice Malt Syrup Rice Malt Syrup is a versatile and healthy natural sweetener made from organic brown rice therefore it is a complex carbohydrate not a simple sugar. It has a much lower glycaemic index than many other sweeteners and provides a slower, constant release of energy over a longer time. Use as a nutritious sweetener and binder in homemade healthy treats, desserts, smoothies and breakfasts. It can be poured over healthy pancakes, desserts, yoghurt and ice cream.A replacement sweetener to cane sugar.

 

Quitting cane sugar really isn’t that hard as you can substitute for healthier natural sweeteners and still enjoy the sweetness that cane sugar provides. I have lots of recipes in my Healthy eBook for sweet treats or you can purchase a range of healthy treats at my Healthy Store! My loyal subscribers have also been receiving lots of free healthy sweet treat recipes by simply subscribing to my website, why not subscribe to receive future free recipes.

So give it a go and try to cut out sugar for another simple, easy, healthy change to you and your family’s lifestyle! You won’t miss it once you realise the healthier alternatives taste just as great if not better and you begin to see the benefits to your overall health and well-being!