What’s the difference between honey, molasses, syrup and stevia? In this post, I'm getting real with natural sweeteners and breaking down the glycemic index!

WHAT IS THE GLYCEMIC INDEX (GI)?

Glucose vs. Fructose

A useful tool in helping compare and contrast natural sweeteners is the glycemic index (GI). The GI is a value assigned to foods from 0 to 100 based on how slowly or quickly those foods cause increases in blood glucose levels, a.k.a. blood sugar. Foods low on the GI scale tend to release glucose slowly and steadily, whereas foods high on the glycemic index release glucose rapidly and cause an insulin spike. Glucose has a GI of 100 (the highest) and fructose is 25. For reference, regular sugar (sucrose) is made up of a combination of these two and has a GI of 65.

So is one better than the other? Actually, yes! The measurement of the GI Index ranges from 0 to 100:

Low glycemic index: 55 or less

Medium glycemic index: 56 to 69

High glycemic index: 70 or greater

Glucose can be metabolized by all of the body’s cells, whereas fructose can only be metabolized in significant amounts by the liver. With all of the work the liver does for us, we don't want to keep adding stress to it. Glucose is a great option to use post workout since it is the most readily available for your cells to use as fuel and for muscle recovery.

Understanding the GI Index

The GI for sweeteners is a function of three things: the amount of carbs present, the type of carbs present and the presence of other substances (soluble fiber mainly) that slow down carb metabolism. You can view the international standard for the GI value of food here if you really want to nerd out.

Foods with a high GI cause a spike in blood sugar levels, creating an insulin response and may over time lead to health problems such as insulin resistance, diabetes, metabolic syndrome and other issues. Harvard Health says that blood glucose levels above normal are toxic and can cause blindness, kidney failure, or increase cardiovascular risk.

People with type 1 diabetes and some with type 2 or insulin resistance can’t produce sufficient quantities of insulin (which helps process blood sugar), meaning they are likely to have an excess of blood glucose. Therefore low GI foods are helpful with their slow and steady release of glucose, keeping blood sugar levels under control.

But, and this is SUPER IMPORTANT: not only are all sugars not created equal. What you consume WITH the sugar makes a HUGE difference in your body’s response. For example, by consuming healthy fat and fiber with your carbs, you’ll slow down the sugar rush and reduce your insulin response,

This also means less of what you just ate may be stored as fat, that's a win!

In general, you’ll want to stick with lower GI natural sweeteners, especially if you have any of the health conditions mentioned above or are concerned about your blood sugar. Low GI foods may be an advantage when eaten before prolonged strenuous exercise by providing a slow-release source of glucose to the blood without an accompanying insulin surge.

When are high GI foods beneficial? Some examples include helping with energy recovery after exercise, offsetting hypoglycemia or supporting endurance athletes.

What is the GI Symbol Program? The only independent worldwide GI certification program, the GI Symbol is a powerful tool for consumers to quickly and reliably make healthy food choices. The GI Symbol Program was launched in Australia in 2002 to help consumers identify the GI of foods. Foods that carry the symbol are guaranteed to have been properly tested by an accredited laboratory using the international standard. While its helpful tool, remember there is always more too it then just looking at the GI index or sugar content on a label. Unadulterated, organic, whole foods will be processed best by your digestive system.

REAL FOOD DOESN'T HAVE INGREDIENTS; REAL FOOD IS INGREDIENTS!

NATURAL SWEETENERS

Unlike refined cane sugar which undergoes a long and complex process to become crystallized sugar, the following options are more natural and thus considered ‘unrefined’ or 'natural' products.

• Honey GI 58

• Maple Syrup GI 54

• Dates + Date Syrup GI ~45 depending on type

• Coconut Sugar GI 54

• Monkfruit GI Zero

• Blackstrap Molasses GI 55

• Stevia extract or whole plant (make sure stevia is the only ingredient) GI Zero

• Agave Syrup GI <19

• Real Fruit, Preserves, Jams + Jellies (organic preferably) GI Variable

• Yacon Syrup GI <5

Natural sweeteners, in comparison to plain old sugar, contain calories and nutrients that are metabolized, and change as they pass through the body. In other words, natural sweeteners — like honey, maple syrup and molasses — actually contain beneficial components and the human body knows how to process them. Honey, for example, contains a variety of digestive enzymes, including diastase, amylase, invertase and protease. Just make sure to purchase raw honey, as it is not exposed to high heat since processed honey may be heated, which destroys digestive enzymes. Dates contain several vitamins and minerals like B6, copper and manganese, in addition to fiber and antioxidants. Other than stevia and monk fruit, all of these other natural sweeteners add sweetness while also providing key vitamins and minerals.

Final thoughts...

A lower GI number means that food doesn’t affect your blood sugar and insulin levels as much and a higher GI number means that food affects those levels more. But that can't be the only thing you consider when choosing a sweetener. Neither is good or bad necessarily... Consider your symptoms and goals then also consider the additional nutrients natural sweeteners bring with them. There is no simple answer to making the best choices for blood sugar, but there are a lot of tools for your tool belt to use when necessary. Just as you can use the ingredient list or the nutrition facts on packaged items, using these tools can help you make better choices.

Xx

Rachel

Resources

1. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/food-science/natural-sweeteners

2. https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/glycemic-index-and-glycemic-load-for-100-foods

3. https://www.glycemicindex.com/

4. https://www.gisymbol.com/

5. http://www.dciu.org/cms/lib04/PA28000298/Centricity/Domain/171/Natural%20Sugar%20Substitutes.docx

6. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/carbohydrates/carbohydrates-and-blood-sugar/

7. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5188457/

8. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1860741

#GIINDEX #SUGAR #YACON #HONEY #COOKING #BAKING #BLOODSUGAR #DISEASE