"Sugar Sugar...oh, Honey Honey"

"You are my candy girl and you got me wanting you?"

Why is that?  Why are we so addicted to sugar?

Even at a young age it seems that we are programmed to want sugar and, according to a study by Washington University, we have an innate, inbuilt preference for sweet flavours from the moment we are born and we learn to satisfy these craving throughout childhood, carrying our tastes into adulthood along with our sweet teeth. (Why Are We so Addicted to Sugar )

Studies have shown that we are born with it.  Babies preferred eating the sweeter option of two different food items.  It is in our genetics as one could say.  Going with the fact that this is true, the problem lies in that there is too many sugar things readily available.  Sugar surrounds our life.  I don't think I even need to get down and dirty into the details on how bad the chemical sugars are for us so lets take time to focus on curbing that sweet tooth with natural sugar and figuring out which one is better than another.

Here is a list of some of the more popular sweeteners on the market today

Stevia:

Stevia has been sweeping the nation as the natural no calorie sweetener.  It is derived from a plant and can be easily grown as home.  (however grinding it down isn't an easy task).  It is 300 times sweeter than sugar so a little goes a long way.  It isn't the best natural sugar but it is definitely a good alternative to sugar and to those chemical sugars that shall remain nameless.

Agave: 

Derived from a plant commonly used to make tequila, it is a great and popular alternative to sugar.  Its downfall is that is isn't that good in baking.  It tends to brown quicker and working with a liquid as opposed to a granulated sugar, it can be a bit difficult to swap without changing other ingredients or measurements.  It is great for tea or coffee.

Coconut Sugar:

This is a great sugar alternative that can be used exactly in place of sugar in a recipe.  The taste is similar to brown sugar making it great for baking.  It has a low score on the glycemic index which is great for the body and doesn't spike your sugar levels so there will be no buzz followed by a crash.

Honey:

This is arguably the best substitute for sugar.  It has more calories than sugar but due to it being sweeter than sugar you use less.  It is completely natural coming from an animal we all can admitting to being a little scared of.  To get the full benefits from the honey, make sure it is organic and local.  It is packed with vitamins and has antimicrobial properties.

Molasses:

Specifically blackstrap molasses is sweeter than sugar, requiring less but is super beneficial.  It is a great source of iron and calcium.

Brown Rice Syrup:

Made from boiling down brown rice, it is naturally gluten and wheat free.  It isn't an exact replacement for sugar as it does have a distinguishable butterscotch type flavor.  It is more processed than others listed but it does still give one the benefits someone would receive from eating brown rice.

Being more aware of what is in your food is a step in educating yourself.  Read those labels and see how often sugar or an unhealthy sugar alternative is added in.  Knowing this alone and keeping those foods out of the house is a great step into a healthy kitchen.  Try sticking with one of the sugars above.  When you are ready, challenge yourself.  Trying eating nothing with added sugar in it or any form and see how long you can go.  You will see significant changes in your body mentally and physically.  Good Luck!