Скачать или смотреть Which Sweetener Is Really Safe? Sugar, Jaggery, Honey, Stevia, Monk fruit, Erythritol & Allulose

If you're confused about which sweetener is actually better, here’s the simplest breakdown you need — calories, GI, sweetness, gut health, and even heart health.

1. Sugar (table sugar)
Calories: ~4 calories per gram
GI: High (around 65)
Sweetness: 100% (this is the baseline)
Impact: Gives quick glucose spikes, stresses metabolism when overused, and doesn’t support gut health. These are empty calories with no nutrients.

2. Brown Sugar (categorized with sugar)
Calories: ~4 calories per gram
GI: High, almost same as sugar
Sweetness: Very close to sugar
Impact: It’s basically white sugar with molasses. Minerals exist but in extremely tiny, nutritionally meaningless amounts. Gut impact is same as sugar.

3. Jaggery
Calories: ~3.8–4 calories per gram
GI: Moderately high (around 70–85 depending on type)
Sweetness: Slightly less sweet than sugar, so people often eat more
Impact: Has tiny traces of iron and minerals but still not enough to be called nutritious. It behaves like sugar in the body — causes spikes. Not a gut-friendly sweetener.

4. Honey
Calories: ~3 calories per gram
GI: 45–70 depending on source
Sweetness: Sweeter than sugar, so usually less is needed
Impact: Slightly lower GI and antimicrobial properties, but still causes a sugar spike. It’s not a “healthy” sweetener if overused. Neutral for gut when used in moderation.

5. Dates (natural whole sweetener)
Calories: ~2.8 calories per gram
GI: Around 42–55
Sweetness: Less sweet than sugar but brings fibre
Impact: Because of fibre, dates slow down glucose release and support gut health better than any liquid or powdered sweetener. Best option among natural whole-food sweeteners.

6. Monk Fruit / Stevia Blends (usually mixed with erythritol)
Calories: Almost zero
GI: Almost zero
Sweetness: 150–200% sweeter than sugar
Impact: These aren’t one-to-one replacements because they often contain erythritol. Erythritol can cause bloating, has a cooling aftertaste, and in some studies was linked to increased platelet activity in people with cardiovascular risks — so caution is needed if you have heart concerns. Gut: can cause digestive discomfort for many.

7. Allulose (rare sugar)
Calories: ~0.4 calories per gram
GI: Almost zero
Sweetness: 70% as sweet as sugar
Impact: Does not raise blood sugar, easier on gut compared to erythritol, and is becoming a popular new-age rare sugar. Some people may get mild digestive discomfort at high doses but overall it’s gentler and closer to a natural sugar experience.

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