“Sweet” comes in many forms – even liquid! The reason you use a sweetener other than table sugar depends on everything from its function in recipes to your health goals in your personal life. So, which one do you choose and why?and which liquid sweetener Is it the healthiest for everyday use? Let’s take a liquid sweetener tour and explore what each sweetener does.
Types of Liquid Sweeteners
Liquid sweeteners in viscosity (consistency), flavor, nutritional value and glycemic index (GI). GI is a tool that measures how quickly a food raises blood sugar. It is ranked from zero to one hundred. The higher the number, the faster the blood sugar rises. While the GI doesn’t take into account the serving size of the food and other things you eat with it (those things that change the effect of food on your blood sugar), overall it helps to find a liquid sweetener that’s better for your blood sugar.
#1: Honey
Honey is a thick liquid sweetener from our favorite worker bees.
- Honey tastes slightly sweeter than table sugar. Raw honey in particular can have more complex flavor profiles and even carry the floral aromas that bees pollinate to make honey (for example, lavender honey, orange honey, or most commonly clover honey).
- When substituting honey for sugar in a recipe, use a little less honey and reduce the liquid in the recipe.
- Raw honey is touted for some of its health benefits – it contains antioxidants, enzymes, and some vitamins and minerals. Remember, to get meaningful nutrients in honey, you have to eat a lot, which means a lot of extra calories.
- One tablespoon of honey is about 64 calories.
- The glycemic index of honey (58) is slightly lower than that of table sugar (65). However, honey still raises blood sugar.
#2: Molasses
Molasses is a dark, syrupy sweetener that is thicker than honey and is a by-product of refined sugar cane.
- Molasses is not as sweet as table sugar. It has a strong but also bitter taste.
- Black molasses is a concentrated version that actually contains more vitamins and minerals than other sweeteners, such as vitamin B6, manganese, magnesium, potassium, iron, and calcium. However, just like honey, you have to eat a lot of it to get meaningful benefits.
- One tablespoon of molasses has 58 calories.
- Molasses has a lower glycemic index (55) than table sugar.
#3: Maple Syrup
Maple syrup is a maple-rich sap that has a lower consistency than honey or molasses.
- Maple syrup has a unique, intense flavor that can vary depending on the grade of the maple (golden, amber, dark, or very dark).
- Thanks to its flavor, this sweetener is perfect for recipes with a comforting feel, especially in the fall. It is also an excellent sweetener for sauces and dressings.
- One tablespoon of maple syrup contains about 52 calories.
- Pure maple syrup (not pancake syrup) has a glycemic index of 54.
#4: Agave Nectar
Agave nectar is the sap extracted from the agave plant, a succulent native to Mexico.
- Agave nectar tastes sweeter than sugar, so less is needed to make the exchange.
- Agave nectar is often used in beverages because it dissolves easily.
- A tablespoon of agave nectar has 60 calories, about the same as table sugar.
- Agave nectar has a glycemic index of about 30, depending on how it is processed. While it can still raise blood sugar, it is by far the least of the other sweeteners mentioned.
Honey, molasses, maple syrup, and agave nectar are known as nutritive sweeteners because they provide calories and carbohydrates, which raise blood sugar.non-nutritive liquid sweetenerFoods with zero calories may offer even greater benefits because they don’t affect blood sugar levels.
#5: Splenda Liquid Sweetener
Splenda Liquid Sweetener Contains sucralose, which is made from sugar (sucrose) and tastes like sugar, but it’s not sugar.
- Pure sucralose is 600 times sweeter than sugar, so much less is needed. A half-squeeze of Splenda liquid sweetener is equivalent to 1 teaspoon of sugar, so start small and add more to taste.
- This sweetener is easy to use in recipes that don’t involve baking: hot or cold drinks, dips, alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages, smoothies, cocoa, popsicles, and puddings.
- The sweetener bottle makes it easy to carry on the go for sweetened beverages at restaurants.
- Splenda liquid sweeteners contain no calories or carbohydrates.
- Pure sucralose has a zero glycemic index, so it does not affect blood sugar.
#6: Stevia Liquid Sweetener
Splenda Stevia Liquid Sweetener Contains stevia extract from the leaves of the stevia plant.
- Pure stevia extract is 200-350 times sweeter than table sugar. Half a squeeze of Splenda Stevia Liquid Sweetener is equivalent to 1 teaspoon of sugar. So, when using it in recipes or coffee, start with a small amount and add sugar to taste.
- Splenda Stevia Liquid Sweetener uses one of the sweetest leaf extracts, Reb D, to unlock the sweetness of Stevia without the bitter aftertaste.
- Like Splenda liquid sweetener, this sweetener is easy to use in recipes that don’t involve baking. The bottle makes it easy to carry on the go for a sweet drink in a restaurant.
- This sweetener contains no calories or carbohydrates.
- Pure stevia extract has a zero glycemic index, so it does not affect blood sugar.
#7: Monk Fruit Liquid Sweetener
Splenda Monk Fruit Liquid Sweetener Contains extract of Luo Han Guo, a small, round fruit native to South Asia.
- Pure Monk fruit extract is 150-200 times sweeter than table sugar. Splenda Monk Fruit Liquid Sweetener Half squeeze is equivalent to 1 teaspoon of sugar. As a result, this sweetener is used in far smaller amounts in place of sugar in recipes like drinks, smoothies, dips, and marinades. As with other Splenda liquid sweeteners, you’ll need to use small amounts at a time until you get the sweetness you want.
- Like other Splenda liquid sweeteners, this sweetener is easy to use in recipes that don’t involve baking. The bottle makes it easy to carry on the go for a sweet drink in a restaurant.
- The flavor of Luo Han Guo is similar to sugar.
- Splenda Monk Fruit Liquid Sweetener has no calories or carbohydrates.
- The glycemic index of pure Luo Han Guo extract is zero, so it does not affect blood sugar.
How to use liquid sweeteners
#1: Baking
For baking, different types of liquid sweeteners are often used, but need to be adjusted to make up for the different functions from sugar. For example, some liquid sweeteners can cause recipes to brown faster than sugar. Also, when using liquid sweeteners in patties, increase the thickener used (such as cornstarch) as liquid sweeteners will dilute the consistency slightly. Remember that when you use liquid sweeteners in baking, you usually get a softer, wetter end product.
#2: Drinks
Beverages benefit from liquid sweeteners because they dissolve automatically without creating any graininess in the beverage. Simple syrup is the most commonly used, but a healthier alternative is zero-calorie liquid sweetener. They blend like a dream and have a sugar-like taste. Because they’re several times sweeter than sugar, a spritz of Splenda liquid sweetener can easily replace sugar in almost any beverage.
Some favorites are:
- Coconut Almond Latte – A warm and creamy latte that transports you to an island with coconut essence. Jets of Splenda Stevia Liquid Sweetener stay sweet without raising blood sugar.
- Pineapple Coconut Puree – A refreshing drink with a hint of lime and sweetness from Splenda Monk Fruit Liquid Sweetener.
- Iced Oolong Tea – Simple and delicious iced tea made with Splenda Stevia liquid sweetener.
#3: Sauces, Dips, and Marinades
Honey, maple syrup, and agave nectar are natural liquid sweeteners that act as flavor-rich glues that provide a crispy coating when cooking or grilling. Cut calories and carbs with Splenda Liquid Sweetener.
Some deliciously sweet dips using Splenda Monk Fruit Liquid Sweetener:
- Sugar Cookie Dip – A keto-friendly dip is sugar cookies in dip form. So delicious!
- Creamy Dessert Dip – A smooth, light, creamy dip that tastes like a cream pie.
- Brownie Batter Dip – A chocolaty, rich dipping sauce that is perfect with luo han guo sweet biscuits or fruit. Love even a spoonful of this!
#4: Smoothie
Try these refreshing smoothie recipes with Splenda liquid sweetener:
- Pineapple Matcha Smoothie – Tropical-flavored smoothies. Splenda Monk Fruit Liquid Sweetener keeps calories and carbs under control, and a scoop of avocado adds healthy fats.
- Blackberry Banana Smoothie – A creamy berry smoothie with the health benefits of fruit and a sweet kiss from Splenda Stevia Liquid Sweetener.
- Chocolate Banana Smoothie – Frozen chocolate treats with Splenda liquid sweetener.
So, what are the healthiest liquid sweeteners?
In my opinion, as a registered dietitian, one of the most unhealthy foods in my opinion, especially for kids, is sugar-sweetened beverages. As a young nutritionist, my ideal is to never let my kids drink sugary drinks… ever. Funny, right? Looking back now, I smile. Syrup drinks—many of them—are so prevalent in our culture, it can be challenging as a parent to try a balanced approach. For this reason, I personally like Splenda Stevia Liquid Sweetener and Splenda Monk Fruit Liquid Sweetener. These are the go-to sweeteners for making homemade lemonades, sweetened teas, and a variety of fun coffee beverages. We also use them for frozen popsicles and sweet dips. Even better – from a parent’s perspective – they’re easy to keep on hand and use in a pinch.
If you’re looking to enjoy healthier drinks, smoothies, dips, and sauces but don’t know where to start, try cutting the liquid sweeteners in half in these recipes (e.g., use honey, maple syrup, agave or a simple syrup), then add a few drops of Splenda Monk Fruit Liquid Sweetener or Splenda Stevia Liquid Sweetener. Keep in mind that they are several times sweeter than sugar, so start small and then you can always add more to achieve your desired level of sweetness.
Happy cooking, baking and creating!
Written by Annessa Chumbley, RD, a mom, nutritionist, TV host, recipe creator, and speaker who cares deeply about encouraging and inspiring people to live their healthiest, happiest lives.
