Recently Isaac & I went and watched the ‘That Sugar Movie’ which opened both our eyes to the world of sugar and how even though we though we were eating relatively healthy there was still room for improvement. It was a pretty tough change for me especially so here are four ingredients that I’d recommend if you’re wanting to cut down on refined sugars.
1. Dates
These bad boys are so delicious as a snack on their own or to add sweetness to any dessert you may be making. We regularly make our Date Bliss Balls with these and when I first started cutting out sugar I also would eat a handful on their own. They contain more potassium then a banana so they’re great after working out in a smoothie and are high in fibre too. Previously I had a misconception that dates weren’t delicious but now I can’t get enough of them. Try them with a spoonful of almond butter for a treat!
2. Rice Malt Syrup
The biggest change I made when cutting down on refined sugar was in the mornings. Usually I’d add brown sugar and banana to my oats but I substituted the sugar for rice malt syrup and I love it. It still gives your breakfast a delicious sweetness to it but the rice malt made from 100% organic brown rice. It contains no fructose at all so it’s pretty much just an healthier sweetener substitute!
3. Coconut Oil
Coconut oil has had it’s moment over the past few years and for good reason - it can be used in so many ways and is a staple in our kitchen. A bit like rice malt syrup I’ve become reliant on coconut oil for adding flavour to sweet foods but it’s a must-have when you’re first kicking the sugar addiction. Coconut oil is perfect when you’re craving sugar because it’s an instant source of energy but does not produce an insulin spike in your bloodstream. Pretty much you’ll get a hit of energy without the crashing in half an hour. A lot of people recommend to have a spoonful on it’s own but I never felt like I craved sugar THAT much so instead I incorporated it into my breakfast adding it too my oats and into everyday meals for a bit of a boost.
4. Raw Cacao Powder
I wasn’t going to mention this in today’s post but Isaac reminded me that we use this a heck of a lot! We regularly use cacao powder when making sweet treats like chocolate mousse and cookies. Essentially cacao is the cocoa beans before they get roasted at high temperatures which changes the molecular structure and reduces the overall nutritional value. It IS more expensive but if you read up on cacao powder vs cocoa powder I think you’d definitely make the switch because it just makes sense. Sometimes I wonder why humans take foods and process it?!!! I digress. Cacao Powder is a great way to still get a ‘naughty’ treat that doesn’t have too much guilt attached!
What are some of your must-have healthier alternatives?
About Sarah
I'm a retail manager by day and a blogger by night aiming to bring you the newest beauty, fashion and lifestyle news. More Than Adored was created to help beauty lovers, like myself, make informed decisions when it comes to buying new goodies.
