Health-conscious sweeteners: stevia, xylitol (birch sugar), raw honey, agave syrup, and licorice root as nutritious substitutes for conventional refined table sugar
David Janitzek
Sucrose, commonly referred to as white sugar or beet sugar, constitutes a disaccharide formed by the chemical bonding of one glucose molecule with one fructose molecule. This ubiquitous food ingredient, unfortunately, predominates in the daily dietary patterns of the majority of the Polish population. Extensive scientific research has definitively demonstrated that excessive sucrose consumption not only fails to provide any health benefits but also serves as a significant risk factor for the development of multiple metabolic disorders. The most prevalent consequences include excessive body weight leading to obesity, the onset of insulin resistance as a precursor to type 2 diabetes mellitus, and various other diet-related pathological conditions. In response to these challenges, nutrition scientists and food technologists have formulated a spectrum of natural sweetening agents that—unlike refined sugar—exhibit potentially health-promoting properties, such as a lower glycemic index, the presence of bioactive compounds, and beneficial effects on gut microbiota composition.
Natural sugar substitutes
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