From stevia to Splenda, the list of healthy substitutes for refined sugar is pretty much endless, but there’s one that doesn’t get as much attention as it should: dates. They come with many healthy properties, and there are several different ways to use them in place of white sugar.
Date Paste
Date paste is one of the most popular ways to use this fruit as a replacement for sugar. You can simply make it by blending pitted dates with some water and replacing one cup of sugar with one cup of date paste in all your future recipes where you’re using this substitute.
Date Sugar
If you don’t want to go into too much trouble making your own date-based sweetener, buying it in natural food stores is also an option. Date sugar is a case in point, but you should keep in mind it won’t dissolve in hot liquids or baked goods, so you can skip it if this bothers you.
Raw Dates
Every once in a while, there’s no need to do anything fancy with your dates since you can use them as they are. Raw dates will add extra sweetness to your raw-style desserts, but you can also blend them when using them in smoothies or even salad dressings.
