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Natural SweetenersNatural Sweeteners could be defined as products that are sweet and their nutrients have not been removed, or are more concentrated due to boiling down and evaporation. There are some natural sweeteners that should be avoided and I will list them as well. Sorghum Syrup Sorghum Syrup is made from a grain that is related to millet, that grows on woody stalks. These stalks grow to a height of 15 feet. The syrup is made by boiling the sorghum sap. It takes 8 to 12 gallons of sap to make one gallon of syrup. Sorghum syrup contains B vitamins and minerals like iron, calcium and phosphorus. It can be used in place of maple syrup. Raw Honey Raw, unpasteurized honey is loaded with amylase enzymes. These enzymes digest carbohydrates. It also has lots of nutrients found in plant pollens. Honey is an excellent, healthy sweetener to use on your porridge or your toast as the enzymes will help you digest grains. When you use raw honey, use it in desserts that do not require heating. I just bought myself a treat - Raw Honey with Cinnamon. I remember my Mom giving me 'cinnamon toast' which was honey with cinnamon sprinkled on it, but this is way better! Caution: Raw honey should not be given to infants as they lack sufficient stomach acid to deactivate bacteria spores. Stevia Extract Stevia, a sweet powder, is extracted from a South American herb. It can be used by those who are sensitive even to natural sweeteners. Using stevia as the natural sweetener in baked goods is a little difficult, but is excellent in smoothies, whipped cream and pie crusts. Just a pinch of stevia powder will sweeten as effectively as a spoonful of sugar. Xylitol Xylitol is a natural compound that is as sweet as sugar. It looks and tastes like sugar too. It is found in many common fruits and vegetables and is even produced in our bodies during normal metabolism. Zylitol, is also known as birch sugar. Xylitol does not carry the health concerns of artificial sweeteners, therefore it is safe for both children and adults. Xylitol chemical configuration makes it so that the body will not be able to fully metabolize it. This makes it the perfect sweetener for those concerned with blood sugar balance. There is an article in Infection Control Today (ICT) that suggests the use of zylitol, to prevent inner ear infections in healthy children. It is used in chewing gum to prevent cavities and has been shown to have antibacterial properties in lab tests. “It makes the most sense to try to go toward prevention," says Jeffrey L. Danhauer, PhD, chair of speech and hearing sciences at the University of California at Santa Barbara, who has also studied the use of xylitol to keep ear infections at bay.
Maple SyrupIf you can get maple syrup straight from a farm that is the best way. Formaldehyde is used during the production of commercial maple syrup. This syrup is the concentrated sap of a huge deciduous tree in Canada, called the Maple Tree. Maple syrup is rich in trace minerals, which are brought up from below ground the tree's deep roots. It may be used when baking muffins. Especially good with pancakes! Malted Grain Syrups A syrup usually made from barley has been used for thousands of years, especially in the Orient. Sprouted grains are kiln-dried and the rootlets removed. The grains are then ground up, dipped briefly in an acid solution and heated with water to form a malt syrup. Malted syrups contain little nutrients. The important value comes from the fact that malted syrups contain little fructose, which in large amounts are more harmful than glucose. Date Sugar 
Date sugar is made from nutritious dehydrated dates. Its high tryptophan content makes it a good sweetener for hyperactive children to use. The amino acid, tryptophan, has a calming effect.This is a photo of dates on a date palm tree. Turbinado Sugar Turbinado Sugar is a natural, raw sugar. People who use raw cane sugar rarely have arthritis or rheumatism. Naturally Sweetened Jams Look for jams sweetened with dehydrated sugar cane juice rather than fructose or high fructose corn syrup. These are natural sweeteners that should be avoided, even though they are used in so many health food products. Fructose and High Fructose Corn Syrup These are highly refined products composed mostly of fructose. It is the fructose, not the glucose, part of sucrose that causes deleterious effects, especially in growing children. Concentrated Fruit Juice Fruit juices that have been boiled down to make concentrate are composed largely of fructose.
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