Hey guys,

Ditch refined sugar and get your sweet fix the natural way.

Here are my Top 5 Alternatives.

DATES Dates are my favourite natural sweetener. Perfect eaten as is with a side of walnuts, or added to raw and baked recipes, they are versatile and packed full of the good stuff. High in fiber and potassium, as well as a host of important vitamins and minerals, they’re super sticky texture make them the perfect binder in plant based recipes. TIP: Try my caramel slice and see why dates are king J COCONUT SUGAR Produced from the sap of the coconut palm's flower buds, coconut sugar has a beautiful molasses like flavour, is low gi and has been found to contain amino acids, potassium, magnesium, zinc, iron and B vitamins. I use it in my chai and matcha lattes (obsessed) and as a substitute for refined sugar in baking. Divine with coffee as well. FRUIT Nature’s candy, fruit is packed with fibre, vitamins and minerals and is my preferred choice to use in smoothies and home-made ice pops. I add fruit to my raw cakes and use apple purée or mashed banana in my baking. Adding fresh fruit with a dash of cinnamon powder to warm breakfast bowls is on high rotation in my home. TIP. Cut and freeze your fruit for smoothies – it tastes way better when added frozen. RICE MALT Rice Malt is a naturally malted whole grain sweetener derived from brown rice. It is made by a slow, natural enzymatic process that produces a thick, rich, sweet liquid. Rice Malt is low gi, providing a slow but prolonged source of energy and is also low in fructose. I use it to sweeten my raw treats and cakes – it’s mild flavour complements the flavours in my recipes. STEVIA Stevia is a herb originating from South America. It is naturally sweet and considered more than 100 times sweeter than sugar. The upside is, stevia doesn’t raise blood sugar levels like sugar and other artificial sweeteners do. Win! Although FDA approved, the more common form of stevia is powdered (and bleached), and undergoes an extensive chemical process to reach its final white powdered form. Pure stevia, in the form of dried leaf or tincture, is considered safe and has been studied and found to have health benefits. Tip: Buy stevia in its dried form or in pure liquid extract. Beware of powdered, bleached with sugar or artificial sweeteners. Hope this was helpful! T xo