One of the things I have struggled with since doing the Whole30 and then moving to a Paleo diet is the stance to take on sugar. I completely understand getting rid of refined or processed sugars (i.e., table sugar, high fructose corn syrup, etc.), but what about the occasional sweet treat or something to sweeten coffee – at least just enough to take the edge off the bitterness? Is there a “safe” tack to take or are you doomed once the first bit of honey or maple syrup makes it down your esophagus? The amount of contradictory data out there is astonishing and it changes all the time. Even fruit can get roped into the mix and get a bad rap in some circles even though there is potentially a lot of nutritional value depending on the type of fruit. Outside of pure avoidance, which is not a pleasing alternative, what is a Paleo girl to do?
I decided to research this further to see what acceptable alternatives to refined sugar that there may be that can be enjoyed on occasion, but first, what do people mean by “refined sugar” and why is the general universal consensus that it is just plain bad for you? When people refer to refined sugar they are generally referring to table sugar that is processed from sugar cane or sugar beets. During processing, the sucrose is extracted from the plant. Sucrose is made up of both fructose, a type of sugar that can be hard some people to digest, and glucose, which is readily absorbed into the bloodstream and can be used by the body immediately. This process also removes all of the nutrients leaving a product that has a high glycemic index (a measure of how quickly blood glucose levels rise after eating a particular type of food on a scale of 0 to a 100), a lot of calories, and no nutritional benefit. Ingesting table sugar can cause a rapid increase in blood sugar and prompt the pancreas to release insulin, which in turn signals the liver to pump more triglycerides into the bloodstream. Other types of processed sugars like high fructose corn syrup can produce the same effect.
Okay, but if it walks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, isn’t a duck or – sugar in this case? Does your body know the difference? This also seems to be controversial. In some recent studies, researchers think that even artificial sweeteners, even seemingly benign ones such as stevia, can cause insulin spikes. The thinking is that when you eat something sweet, your taste buds send a signal to your brain instigating an insulin response. So, there does not appear to be an easy answer other than to say regardless of the type of sugar, artificial or otherwise, moderation is key and it is also dependent on your health. Regardless, you still need to be mindful of the type of sugar you consume.
As I mentioned, refined sugar does not have any nutritional benefit. It has been stripped of its vitamins and minerals. And then there is the huge case load of evidence about the dangers of many artificial sweeteners that include cancer, metabolic problems, and weight gain despite the fact that many artificial sweeteners are zero calories. The jury is even still out on stevia from the stevia plant. Stevia in most of commercially available preparations is a highly processed white powder that bears little resemblance to the plant from which it originates.
Okay, so if you don’t consume refined or overly processed sugars or artificial sweeteners and only consume whole sugars such as honey (raw) or the sugars found in fruit, then you should be fine, right? Ugh! Not necessarily. Take agave nectar for example. It is all natural, minimally processed, and has a nice profile on the glycemic index. As pointed out in the article “Sugar: as bad as we thought?” on Paleoleap.com agave nectar is high in fructose so that is bad for those who have a hard time digesting fructose and/or are on a FODMAP diet. It also contains a compound called saponin. Saponin is a class of plant steroids and they can be found in over a hundred different plant families. In a Paleo diet saponin is considered toxic. It has been linked to IBS, leaky gut syndrome, and other digestive disorders and, as it is also found in grains and legumes, it is one of the reasons grains and legumes are not part of the Paleo diet. All this to say you still have to be cautious. Sooooo…
As of this post, I have narrowed it down to the following sugars I will have in moderation, apart from what occurs naturally in whole foods, and may include in some of the recipes on this site. However, as more and more research is done, I fully expect that at some point in the future, this will change. So, giddy up – here we go:
NOTE: Anything with a glycemic index (GI) of 60 or less is considered ideal with a glycemic load (GL) of 10 or less, BUT remember that you need to consider the GI and GL of the whole meal you are consuming. If you are consuming any of these sugars in a minimal amount as part of a meal that contains low GI and low GL foods, then the overall GI/GL of the meal will still be low.
Also, the exact GI and GL of foods can be hard to pinpoint. The GIs and GLs below are approximations and used to provide a guideline or a basis of comparison among the different sugars listed below.
| Sugar Type |
Nutritional Profile |
Glycemic Index (GI)/Glycemic Load (GL) |
| Honey (raw, unpasteurized) |
The nutritional profile of honey can vary widely depending on quality. Local, raw/unpasteurized honey is best guaranteeing that it has retained all the goodies the bees carried from plant to plant.
Raw honey is purported to contain the vitamins B6, thiamin, niacin, riboflavin, and pantothenic acid. The minerals that could be found in a quality raw honey may include calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, sodium and zinc. |
This can vary widely depending on the type of honey. On average, the GI is around 55 and GL is around 10. |
| Date Syrup |
This is my favorite as far as taste! It is high in A, B, and D vitamins and contains calcium, magnesium and potassium.
It is minimally processed as it is extracted from dates using a soaking and squeezing process so there is nothing added and, theoretically, from a nutritional standpoint, nothing taken away. It is very commonly used in the Middle East. |
Dates and date sugar have a high GI typically around 100 with a GL around 40. Therefore, date syrup should probably be used sparingly, but it imparts a deep, earthy flavor not unlike molasses so I have found a little goes a long way. |
| Maple Syrup |
Maple syrup is not a good source of vitamins and it is processed to a certain degree. However, it does contain quite a few minerals including iron, calcium, zinc, manganese, and potassium. |
It has a GI around 54 and GL around 10. |
| Molasses |
Molasses is produced when the sugar cane plant is processed to make refined sugar. It is high in minerals including iron, calcium, magnesium, manganese, and potassium. It also contains B6. |
It has a GI around 55 and purportedly a low GL though I could not find any specific references to the GL number for molasses. |
| Coconut Palm Sugar |
This is relatively new player on the market. It is made from the sap of the date palm or coconut palms or Palmyra palms. It is currently a darling among nutritionists for diabetics due to its low GI and GL.
It is not nutrient dense but does contain small amounts of vitamin C, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, zinc, iron, and copper. |
It has a GI around 35 and a GL around 1. |
I reiterate that this information shifts and changes. I believe that sweeteners, regardless of their type, should be limited. I wanted to include this information so that if a recipe appears on this blog with one of the sugars listed in the previous table, you’ll have an explanation as to why I made that choice.
Hope this was helpful! I know this subject is controversial so I’d love your feedback – just keep it civil please!
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