She has also had 16 wellness books published by major publishers including the bestselling Easy GI Diet, The Macro Method, Quit Alcohol (For a Month) and Eat 5. Her books have sold over one million copies.
- 26 Cottage Cheese Toast Toppings - June 17, 2026
- Simple No-Carb Tabbouleh Recipe - October 12, 2025
- 24 Healthy Egg-Based Breakfasts - August 22, 2025
If you’re trying to cut back on sugar but still enjoy a touch of sweetness in your tea or coffee, you’re in luck! Plenty of natural sweeteners can enhance the flavor of your hot drinks without spiking your blood sugar levels, adding too many calories or using artificial sweeteners.
What to Look For in a Sugar Alternative?
There are a few things you want to look at.
1. How Many Calories it Contains
Sugar has around 15 calories per teaspoon so, a healthy alternative should ideally be less than that.
2. How Much Fructose it Contains
Fructose is a type of sugar naturally found in fruit. In this form, there are no concerns about it, but in other forms, like syrups, we should limit the amount we consume in other forms. Sugar is 50 per cent fructose, so, ideally, you should be looking for alternatives under that.
3. What’s Its GI Rating?
The glycemic index measures how fast a food turns to glucose in your body – the lower the number, the slower the conversion and the better for your blood sugar levels. Table sugar has a glycemic index of 65, so anything under that is better than sugar in this regard.
There are a few other factors that differentiate the natural sugars from each other, and we’ll discuss those below – but, the three above are the important ones to consider.
So, which options score well? Here are seven great alternatives to sugar to get you started. Read on to find the right one for you…
1. Xylitol
Go on, make your dentist happy, and swap sugar, which causes cavities, for this natural sweetener that has been shown to prevent them!
Xylitol is a sugar alcohol derived from the fibers of fruits and vegetables, though it’s most commonly sourced from birch trees or corn cobs.
Xylitol has 40 per cent fewer calories than sugar – around 10 per teaspoon – and doesn’t raise blood sugar levels significantly – it has a GI rating of 7-13 (sugar is 65). And as I mentioned, it can also help improve dental health by reducing the amount of cavity-causing bacteria in the mouth.
How Much To Use
Xylitol is as sweet as sugar, so technically, you should be able to swap one teaspoon for one teaspoon, but the manufacturers say most people actually feel they need about half as much xylitol as they do sugar – so, start with that and then add more if you need it.
2. Stevia
Stevia comes from the leaves of the Stevia rebaudiana plant, a herb native to South America. The leaves are naturally sweet, and the sweetener is made by processing them to extract the sweetness.
Stevia is virtually calorie-free – around one calorie a 6g serving, and it has a GI of zero meaning it also has zero impact on blood sugar levels.
How Much To Use
It is incredibly sweet—up to 300 times sweeter than sugar. This means a little goes a long way! Use just 2-3 drops of liquid stevia or a pinch of powdered stevia for a cup of tea.
Some companies mix stevia with other sweeteners or inulin fibres to make the powder easier to use. If this is the case, they will usually try and adapt the quantities like-for-like – so one teaspoon of blended stevia has the same taste as a teaspoon of sugar.
Make sure you know if you are using pure stevia or a blend before adding any to your drink.
3. Monk Fruit
Monk fruit sweetener is extracted from the juice of the monk fruit, a small green melon native to southern China.
It’s calorie-free and has a GI of zero, meaning it does not impact blood sugar levels. The fructose and glucose in the juice are also removed, and the sweetness comes from natural compounds called mogrosides.
Monk fruit sweetener in its natural form is 100-250 times sweeter than sugar, so, like with stevia, companies often add inulin fibres to bulk out the powder. Inulin is a prebiotic that helps with gut health, so that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
How Much to Use
It will depend on which brand you buy. If you use a pure monk fruit powder, you’ll only need a pinch to get the same sweetness as sugar. If it’s a liquid, start with 2-3 drops and see how it compares to your normal dose of sugar.
If you’re buying a prepared powder with other ingredients, the exact comparable quantities will vary, so check the back of the packaging where you’ll find a guide.
4. Honey
Honey is a natural sweetener produced by bees from the nectar of flowers.
It’s rich in antioxidants, but it is still a source of sugar (honey is 40 per cent fructose and 30 percent glucose), so it does contain calories. One teaspoon of honey will add about 20 calories (compared to 16 in table sugar), so it’s not the best choice if you’re trying to cut back on sugar for weight control reasons.
Honey also has a fairly high GI – which is the speed at which a food converts to glucose in our body. Sugar is 65 which is classed as a high GI food, honey is 58 so, not far behind it.
How Much To Use
Start with one teaspoon per cup of tea or coffee. Adjust based on the sweetness of the honey and your taste preference. Each type of honey has a distinct taste, so you might find that this flavours your drink while adding some sweetness. It does work very well in black tea though.
Rookie mistake – do not use manuka honey, thinking you’ll get extra health benefits. It can taste a bit antiseptic – and heat in your drink will destroy some of the healthy ingredients anyway!
5. Palmyra Jaggery
Palmyra jaggery is an unrefined sweetener made from the sap of palmyra palm trees.
Its health claim to fame is that it’s less processed than regular sugar and contains nutrients including calcium, iron and magnesium (although don’t be fooled, you’d have to eat a lot of it to get any major health benefit from them).
It also has a lower GI than processed white sugar – 35 compared to 65. This means it turns to sugar more slowly in the body which has beneficial effects on energy and potential fat storage.
How Much To Use
Palmyra jaggery has a natural caramel-like flavor that you might have to get a little bit used to in tea – although, as I found when I was testing it, it tastes fantastic in a glass of hot milk and it will add something yum to milky coffees!
Start with 1/2 to one teaspoon of palmyra jaggery per cup of tea or coffee. Stir well to dissolve.
6. Coconut Sugar
Coconut sugar is made from the sap of coconut palm flowers. It’s a darling among many healthy foodies, but don’t be completely taken in. Yes, it’s better than refined white sugar, but it’s a great example of a food with a health halo. It’s still not a health food.
Still, coconut sugar does have a lower glycemic index than table sugar – 54 compared to 65 – but that’s not as low as some of the others on this list.
It’s also claimed it’s more nutritious than table sugar, and again, yes, that’s true. While refined white sugar has no nutrients whatsoever, coconut sugar has iron, zinc and calcium – but, as with palmyra jaggery, you’d have to eat far more than is advised to get any real effects from those.
Coconut sugar is also not calorie-free; a teaspoon has around 15 calories.
On the plus side, it has a mild caramel flavor that complements many teas and coffee.
How Much To Use
Use one teaspoon per cup of tea, adjusting for your desired level of sweetness.
7. Maple Syrup
Maple syrup is made by boiling down the sap of sugar maple trees.
With around 17 calories per teaspoon, it’s not the best choice if you drink a lot of hot drinks each day, as the calories will mount up as they do with sugar, but as a positive, it does contain some antioxidants and a spoonful will contain traces of minerals like manganese and zinc.
Maple syrup contains around 40 per cent fructose.
The other slight downside is its unique taste, which will flavour your tea. If you like your coffee with flavoring, though, this is a more natural choice than artificial syrups.
How Much To Use
Start with one teaspoon per cup of tea or coffee. Add more if needed.
Why Isn’t Agave on This List?
Made from the sap of a cactus agave has been a very popular alternative to sugar, but, there’s one thing about it that isn’t great – the amount of fructose it contains. Processed forms of agave can contain up to 85 per cent fructose.
As we said, the less processed forms of fructose you consume, the better, so, it’s not the best idea to be adding agave to something you might drink multiple times a day, seven days a week.
Experimenting with these natural sweeteners can help you add a dash of sweetness while cutting back on refined sugar. Each sweetener offers unique flavors and health benefits, so don’t be afraid to mix and match depending on your mood or the type of drink you’re making. Cheers to a healthier, sweeter sip!