4 Ways to sweeten food naturally

When you read food labels, it’s quite difficult to find something to eat that doesn’t contain sugar. In fact, a lot of things are bland without this sweet taste, but silently, excess sugar in the blood leads to diabetes and its many consequences.

However, for those who are already diabetic, there are two alternatives: eat without sugar or look for other ways to sweeten without guilt. Some similar sources of sugar can be found, such as:

Molasses

Maple syrup 

Honey 

Dextrose 

Xylitol

Artificial sweetener 

Erythrol 

Brown sugar 

Stevia

But none of these have a taste that neutralizes food as much as sugar itself and some of these sources raise glucose levels even more, but some substitutes that are already part of the taste of food can have a sweet taste that makes you forget about sugar and add good nutrients to your diet.

Cinnamon: Powdered or extracted in hot water, cinnamon has antioxidants, balances blood sugar and is rich in anti-inflammatories. It goes well as a flavoring in rusks, teas, milks, sweets, breads and cakes.

Nutmeg: Known for being anti-inflammatory, anti-thrombotic and anti-rheumatic. Just add a few grinds to milk or cream and the nutmeg will bring a sweet taste.

Cardamom: Helps digestion, improves breath, regulates glucose and blood pressure, activates blood circulation and improves symptoms of pregnancy sickness. 

Ginger: Ginger is often used in oriental cuisine to add flavor to sauces and balance the palate. Grate small parts of its juice and add to a meat preparation or make tea and introduce it to your everyday drinks.

Cloves: Put cloves in hot milk and be surprised by the wonderful flavor. From then on, make desserts, creams and ice creams with this light sweetness.

Star anise: Make tea or put it in boiling milk and add it to any recipe that uses milk, such as ice cream or desserts. 

Vanilla, orange and almond extract: Vanilla, orange and almonds can be bought fresh and their essence extracted by soaking them in 40% alcohol and leaving them in a bottle for as long as possible. The taste when mixed with milk is sweet. 

Apple: Let it reduce in water over the fire, dehydrate it in the oven or grind it, apple juice can sweeten in a mild way and bring health benefits, such as lowering blood sugar. So you can make cakes, juices, pies, breads and anything else you can think of. 

Banana: Bananas are at the top of the list when it comes to fitness recipes. They go well with many ingredients when mashed by hand and mixed with eggs. You can make pancakes, cakes, cookies and much more. 

Pear: When the pear is reduced in water, it releases a sugar that can sweeten in a very discreet way.   

Coconut: You can use coconut oil or make your own milk and use grated coconut. Depending on the texture used in the recipe, it sweetens subtly and lightly, for making cakes, cereal bars, pancakes and crumble.

Sweet potatoes: When cooked, they release a very sweet flavor and are low in calories. They can then be mashed and used in muffins, pancakes, desserts and can be combined with various ingredients, without even realizing that they are potatoes. 

Pumpkin: Well-cooked pumpkin can be made into a paste that can be added to cake and pastry mixes and will bring out a caramelized taste. You can also use the seeds and toast them to put on bread, which will bring out a tasty crunch.  

Beet: The taste of beet improves brain and heart health and blood circulation, as well as helping to reduce blood sugar. It can be added to juice smoothies, chocolate cakes and salads.

Pecan: You can make butter from pecans by grinding the fruit to a paste and adding a light pinch of cinnamon to enhance the flavor. It can then be used as a snack or appetizer, or to sweeten salads and roasted vegetables. 

Walnuts: Toast the walnuts and chop them very coarsely, put them in cakes, pies and on top of bread. You can also make flour and add it to salads, desserts and cookies.

Almonds: Make an oil or butter from almonds by grinding them to a consistency that is similar to the high-calorie ones in supermarkets, but much healthier, so you can eat them on toast, waffles and pancakes.

Pumpkin seeds: Rich in anti-inflammatories and aiding digestion, pumpkin seeds can be toasted and sprinkled on salads for a nuanced flavor.

Sunflower seeds: A good source of potassium, phosphorus, protein, iron and calcium, they can be used unprocessed as they already have a wonderful texture and flavor, mixed into cereals, yogurts and salads.

Apricot: Naturally they have a jujube flavor, very commonly consumed in biblical times as fine delicacies of kings, and added to cakes and panettone, it resembles candied fruit and adds many important minerals to the diet.

Dates: Rich in fiber and minerals, they have a sweet caramel taste and can be mixed with cocoa to make a delicious chocolate cake.