If you have food allergies, you’re likely already a pro at reading food labels to ensure you don’t accidentally consume your food allergen. Have you ever wondered which sweeteners are the best for allergies?
The majority of sweeteners are free of the major food allergens. Some of the best choices (due to availability and versatility) include agave nectar, cane sugar, maple syrup, and several others.
We’ll review nine of the best allergy-friendly sweeteners in this article!
Common food allergies
If you have a food allergy, your immune system views that food as a harmful invader and releases antibodies to fight that food. Allergic reactions can cause different symptoms such as:
- Hives
- Skin rashes
- Mouth itching
- Asthma/trouble breathing
- Stomach pain
- Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea
- Anaphylactic shock (most severe reaction)
It’s possible to be allergic to any food, but nine common food allergens make up the majority of food allergies among adults and children. The most common food allergies are:
- Milk (usually cow’s milk, but it can also be other mammal milk like goat’s milk, etc.)
- Eggs
- Peanuts
- Tree nuts
- Fish
- Shellfish
- Wheat
- Soy
- Sesame
Do sweeteners contain common allergens?
The good news is that most common sweeteners are free of these common allergens. (If you have food allergies it’s a good idea to have allergy testing to ensure that you aren’t allergic to other less-common foods.)
If you have a severe food allergy, always check the ingredients label to make sure you’re not unknowingly consuming something you’re allergic to.
Which sugars and sweeteners are the best for allergies?
You can choose pretty much any type of sugar or sweetener if you have allergies. We’ll review some of the more common choices below. (We didn’t include all of the sweeteners because the list would be too long, so we chose some of the more popular, versatile sweeteners!)
Note: very few sweeteners contain gluten, but there are exceptions, like barley malt syrup. Gluten is a protein in wheat, rye, and barley, but gluten isn’t considered a common allergen (you can have a gluten sensitivity or wheat allergy, but not a gluten allergy).
If you have a wheat allergy, you can likely consume barley malt syrup if you aren’t also allergic to barley.
Agave nectar
Agave nectar is a popular sweetener to use in place of honey, which isn’t a vegan-friendly sweetener. Raw agave nectar is an ideal choice, since most versions of agave nectar are highly processed and refined, which removes some of the natural nutrients in sweeteners.
Artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols
If you want a low-sugar or sugar-free option, artificial sweeteners (aspartame, sucralose, etc.) and sugar alcohols are typically allergy-friendly. Be mindful of how much sugar alcohol you eat, though, because eating large amounts can cause stomach upset.
Brown rice syrup
Brown rice syrup is not only free of major allergens, but it’s a popular choice among people following a low-fructose diet for stomach conditions – brown rice syrup contains no fructose!
Cane sugar
There are lots of different types of cane sugar, from unrefined cane sugar, sugar in the raw (turbinado sugar), and refined white sugar (regular sugar). Sugar canes are used to make cane sugar, as well as byproducts like cane juice and molasses.
Date sugar
Considered a more natural and potentially lower glycemic index sweetener (dates have a glycemic index of around 42, so it can be assumed that date sugar might have a lower glycemic index than regular sugar), date sugar is free of the major food allergens.
Coconut sugar
Even though coconut has the word ‘nut’ in it, most people with tree nut and peanut allergies can safely consume coconut.
Coconut sugar isn’t even made from the coconut itself – it’s made from the flower buds of the coconut palm tree.
Maple syrup
One of the more popular unrefined sweeteners out there, maple syrup is a good choice if you have allergies.
Molasses
Molasses is the byproduct of making regular sugar from sugar canes or sugar beets. It has a rich, distinct flavor that is popular for making certain types of bread and candies.
Molasses contains more natural vitamins and minerals compared to many refined sweeteners, such as iron, magnesium, and manganese.
Stevia
Stevia is a popular natural sugar substitute that provides very few calories and doesn’t contain sugar. It’s made from the leaves of the stevia plant, and many people prefer it over artificial sweeteners because it’s natural.
FAQs:
For a more natural sugar substitute, stevia and monk fruit sweeteners are good choices.
Stevia is a more natural choice when it comes to sugar substitutes, but both are considered safe to use in moderation. If you’re choosing between the two, you’ll want to consider your taste preferences, since some people don’t like the taste of artificial sweeteners and/or stevia.
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