When it comes to baking, you don’t have to rely on sugars to add the sweetness to your cooking. There are plenty of fruits and vegetables that are already sweet and wonderfully packed with various nutrients, fibre, vitamins and antioxidants. They also add tenderness to the baked goods
Well, if that sweet tooth rules up your cravings, it is time to consider some new ways to sweeten your recipes without sugar, the natural way.
1. Berry it with Blueberries – Blueberries offer beautiful colour, tartness and a slightly sweet flavour profile to foods, while also contributing fibre and vitamin C. They can be combined with quinoa, chia, hemp etc. and used in crackers, crisps and cookies. The powdered format can be added to popcorn and puffed snacks which can provide colour, sweetness and a boost of nutrition.
2. Top Banana – Loaded with potassium, vitamin C, and fibre, bananas are super versatile, and an economical fruit that are a smart choice for always keeping stocked in your kitchen. Bananas have plenty of natural sweetness that will help you to sweeten up your life without added table sugar. Add them to your morning smoothies, or slice them on top of your favourite breakfast cereal. However, bananas can do even more for you, giving you a healthy dose of sweetness in plenty of baked goods.
3. Just Date it – Dates are a delicious addition of baked goods. They provide a wonderful sweet flavour, very similar to table sugar. Also, soaking dates in water before using them in a recipe and blending them up to creates a nice date paste, that can be really versatile. Dates contain Potassium, Magnesium, Copper, Manganese, Iron, Vitamin B6 and are loaded with fibre. They can also provide some constipation relief.
4. Oh so sweet, Sweet Potato – Sweet potatoes are a rich source of fibre along with containing an array of vitamins and minerals including iron, calcium, selenium, B vitamins and vitamin C. It is a welcome addition to so many dishes, and imparts a creamy-ness to so many recipes. It brings out their natural sugars and intensifies their flavour without the need for butter. Also, sweet potatoes are high in an antioxidant known as beta-carotene, which converts to vitamin A once consumed.
5. Apple to the Eye – Apples rich in vitamin C, potassium and vitamin K, as well as fibre are also one of the few fruits that actually taste just as good once they’re cooked and can be used in a variety of ways aside from making the usual applesauce, apple pies you’ve likely heard of. But apples do much more than just add great flavour to your recipes. They can also stand in as a natural sweetener to your baked goods, making them a healthier option than processed sweeteners.
Over to you:
There you have it! The 5 sugar-free sweeteners that will lighten up your favourite homemade treats. Give your recipes a healthy swap and adhere to its nutrition.
