What kind of sugar is safe to eat?
Sophia Koch
Updated on March 20, 2026
2. 'Minimally processed or natural sugars are better for you. ' It's true that minimally processed sweeteners, like honey or maple syrup, contain more nutrients than highly processed ones, like white sugar.
What is the healthiest type of sugar to eat?
Stevia — in packet, drops or plant form — is a dietitian favorite. Not only does it contain zero calories, but stevia-based sweeteners are herbal as opposed to artificial. Stevia blended with a sugar alcohol called erythritol (Truvia®) works well in low-carb baked desserts, too.What sugars are safe to eat?
5 Natural Sweeteners That Are Good for Your Health
- Stevia. Stevia is a very popular low calorie sweetener. ...
- Erythritol. Erythritol is another low calorie sweetener. ...
- Xylitol. Xylitol is a sugar alcohol with a sweetness similar to that of sugar. ...
- Yacon syrup. Yacon syrup is another unique sweetener. ...
- Monk fruit sweetener.
What kind of sugar should you avoid?
Another study found that while all added sugars can increase your risk of type 2 diabetes and obesity, fructose may be the most harmful ( 17 ). What's more, fructose has been shown to increase the hunger hormone ghrelin and may make you feel less full after eating ( 18 , 19 ).Is any sugar OK?
The CDC recommends that adults keep added sugars to no more than 10% of total daily calories; and for children 6 and older, that number should be about 14%. Meanwhile, the American Heart Association recommends a maximum of just 6 teaspoons of added sugar a day for women and 9 teaspoons for men.How sugar affects the brain - Nicole Avena
Is brown sugar healthy?
Because of its molasses content, brown sugar does contain certain minerals, most notably calcium, potassium, iron and magnesium (white sugar contains none of these). But since these minerals are present in only minuscule amounts, there is no real health benefit to using brown sugar.Is some sugar good for you?
According to the American Heart Association (AHA) , the body does not need any added sugar to function healthily. Naturally occurring sugars come with a variety of nutrients that the body needs to stay healthy. For example, alongside fructose, fruit contains fiber and various vitamins and minerals.Is brown sugar better than white sugar?
Contrary to common belief, they are nutritionally similar. Brown sugar contains slightly more minerals than white sugar but will not provide any health benefits. In fact, your intake of all types of sugar should be limited for optimal health.Is cane sugar good for you?
However, though raw cane sugar is often marketed as a healthy alternative to regular sugar, there's no real difference between them. In fact, both are identical in terms of chemical composition and made up of sucrose, a molecule formed by units of simple sugars, such as glucose and fructose (3).Is raw sugar better than white sugar?
Raw sugar isn't even really raw. It's just slightly less refined, so it retains some of the molasses. But there's no real health real benefit from it. "There's no more nutritional value in raw sugar than there is in white sugar or brown sugar," Nonas said.What is the best substitute for sugar?
Common sugar substitutes and sweeteners
- Maple syrup. Type: Natural sweetener. ...
- Date paste. Type: Natural sweetener. ...
- Honey. ...
- Coconut sugar. ...
- Agave nectar. ...
- Monk fruit extracts (brand names: Nectresse, PureLo) ...
- Stevia extracts (brand names: Pure Via, Truvia, SweetLeaf) ...
- Xylitol (brand names: XyloSweet, Ideal, PolySweet)