I have a major weakness for sweets. It’s so bad that my sister often teases that I would probably be 400 lbs if I hadn’t embraced a plant-based diet.

Since white sugar is a major ingredient in many of the foods we eat (and doesn't have nutritional value), I wanted to talk about a few options that would be great substitutes for using sweeteners in your home.

Lucuma powder is packed with antioxidants, carotenes, and vitamin B3. The taste is similar to maple and it’s a Peruvian super fruit. Naturally sweet, I enjoy lucuma in smoothies and oatmeal.

Despite the name, agave nectar isn’t considered natural because it is highly processed and has high fructose. Regardless of the controversy, I still believe it’s a great sweetener in comparison to white sugar, which contains bone char. For each cup of white sugar in a recipe, substitute with 2/3 of agave nectar instead.

Mejool dates are found in the produce section of most grocery stores. I discovered them earlier this year while exploring raw desserts. Mejool is considered the “king of dates” for its size and vitamins, and has quickly become my favorite sweetener. I don’t use it as often as I would like because it compromises the texture of many recipes (imagine having chunks of raisins in your pancakes). This fruit is super sweet, chewy and a high source of fiber, magnesium, and potassium. Mejool dates are delicious in smoothies and desserts. Don’t forget to remove the pit. :-)

Stay tuned for future recipes including these sweeteners.