Sweetener
10 ingredients tagged "Sweetener" — how they affect digestion, energy, sleep, and mood.
- Agave Agave is a natural sweetener extracted from agave plants, composed primarily of fructose and glucose. It has a lower glycemic index than table sugar but is highly processed and calorie-dense.
- Artificial Sweetener Artificial sweeteners are synthetic compounds that provide sweetness with minimal or no calories, used as sugar substitutes in thousands of food and beverage products worldwide. They do not raise blood glucose and are approved for human consumption by regulatory agencies including the FDA and EFSA. Note: stevia is a plant-derived non-nutritive sweetener often grouped with artificial sweeteners but is technically a separate category.
- Date Syrup Date syrup is a concentrated sweetener made by cooking and processing dates, containing primarily sugars with minor micronutrients. It functions as a simple carbohydrate with a moderate to high glycemic impact.
- Honey Concentrated sugar with trace antioxidants — slightly better than table sugar for some uses, but the same glycemic load and a notable FODMAP source.
- Maple Syrup Maple syrup is a concentrated sweetener derived from the sap of sugar maple trees, composed primarily of sucrose with trace minerals. It has a medium glycemic index and, while it contains small amounts of some minerals—most notably manganese—it is still a concentrated added sugar that should be consumed in moderation.
- Mirin Mirin is a sweet Japanese cooking ingredient made from fermented glutinous rice that adds glossiness, depth, and subtle sweetness to dishes. It is high in simple sugars and low in nutrients, with negligible protein or fiber.
- Molasses Molasses is a thick, dark byproduct of sugar refining that contains minerals like iron, calcium, and potassium. It has a lower glycemic index than refined sugar but remains a concentrated source of simple carbohydrates.
- Palm Sugar Palm sugar is a naturally derived sweetener made from the sap of palm trees, composed primarily of sucrose with a glycemic index lower than table sugar but not low enough to offer meaningful metabolic advantages for most people. It has minimal micronutrient content and should be treated like other added sugars for dietary purposes.
- Sugar Sugar is a simple carbohydrate (monosaccharide or disaccharide) that provides a rapid source of glucose for energy metabolism. Overconsumption is linked to elevated blood glucose, weight gain, and metabolic stress.
- Sugar Alcohols (Polyols) Sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, erythritol, maltitol — used in sugar-free gum, candy, and "diet" foods. Heavily fermented in the colon, they reliably cause bloating and diarrhea at modest doses.
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