With the Korean government raising awareness about the harmful effects of table sugar, other products that provide an alternative sweet punch while staying light on calories have come to the fore.

Consumers have begun to seek out products that are not only sweet, but also natural, low on calories and preferably with additional health benefits.

One of the alternatives is allulose, a naturally occurring sweetener found in small amounts in raisins, figs, and wheat. Although it is almost as sweet as table sugar, it has just up to 0.2 calories per gram.

In liquid form, allulose is a good alternative to cooking syrups and honey, especially for use in Korean soup or stew cuisines. 

Other alternatives include tagatose and xylose sugar. Tagatose is a functional sweetener that is almost identical to table sugar in sweetness, but only has 1.5 calories per gram. Tagatose also has an anti-hyperglycemic effect, inhibiting the body from breaking down carbohydrates into glucose and preventing high blood sugar.

Xylose sugar is the easiest to incorporate into cooking routines because of its fine, sugar-like particles. Combining sugar with xylose, which is found in birch trees and corn, it functions much like regular sugar. However, xylose inhibits the body from breaking down sugar and absorbing it into the bloodstream.

Stevia, meanwhile, is a popular alternative to sugar worldwide. The calorie-free stevia, which was first approved by the American Food and Drug Administration in 2008, is 300 times sweeter than sugar and became hugely popular in the early 2000s when consumers began seeking out natural sweeteners. 

However, by itself, stevia has a sharp aftertaste, which is why stevia-based products in the market usually blend the sweetener with other flavorings.

For consumers looking for completely natural, homemade sweeteners, fruits are the best option. Juice from pineapples, apples, or pears can add a zesty sweet flavor to sauces and salad dressings, while certain vegetables like onions and carrots can be added to various dishes to achieve a sweetening effect.

By Won Ho-jung (hjwon@heraldcorp.com)