Do you love the sweet rich taste of simple syrup in your coffee, cocktails and desserts, but are looking for a healthier alternative? If so, then you’re in luck! There are several great simple syrup substitutes you can use instead. And guess what? Most of them are healthier alternatives. So grab your favorite cup of joe and let’s get started!
What is simple syrup
Simple syrup is a liquid sweetener used for coffees, baking, desserts and cocktails. It is made by boiling granulated sugar in water until the sugar dissolves and the mixture thickens.
It has a lightly sweet and subtle flavor that makes it popular for adding sweetness to coffees, cocktails and desserts.
What’s wrong with simple syrup
- Rated: easy to make so always available.
- Glycemic Index: High – 70
- Vegan-friendly: Most white sugar is processed using animal products but vegan-friendly alternatives are available.
It’s made with sugar and water so sounds fine to use, doesn’t it? Yes, sugar is a natural product, but most of the sugar we consume is very processed.
It also has a high glycemic index making it a bad choice for anyone with diabetes or pre-diabetes.
What is Glycemic Index (GI)
It’s a measure of how much and how quickly someone’s blood sugar levels can be raised by consuming food based on the amount of carbs in that food. Glycemic index is measured on a scale of 0-100. With 100 being pure glucose and the most likely to cause a sharp rise in blood glucose levels. For ease the scale is broken down into low, medium and high. Lower GI foods are believed to be better for you than high GI foods.
- Low GI is up to 55.
- Medium GI is over 55 and up to 69.
- High GI is over 69 and up to 100.
With so many great substitutes for simple syrup available, you deserve to know the best alternatives for you. Some are healthier, others are more convenient when you just want to get done.
So let’s dive into the options you have.
Best simple syrup replacements
Agave Nectar
Rated: a great, though expensive, natural simple syrup substitute.
Glycemic Index: Low 17
Vegan-friendly: Yes – it is a plant product
Agave nectar is a natural sweetener derived from the agave plant. It contains high levels of fructose, making it sweeter than white sugar or honey.
It has a mild flavor that can be used as an alternative to simple syrup in coffees, cocktails, smoothies, desserts and more.
Honey
Rated: a great easily available natural alternative to simple syrup.
Glycemic Index: Medium 58
Vegan-friendly: Made from nectar by animals so not strictly vegan friendly.
A natural sweetener, produced by bees from the nectar of flowers and other plants. Honey has a unique flavor that is distinct from simple syrup or other processed sugars, making it a great choice for use in many recipes and drinks.
It also contains nutrients like vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and enzymes which provide additional health benefits beyond its sweetness.
Always make sure you use good quality honey, from a reputable supplier. Right now in Europe, lots of honey is being found to contain cheaper sugars mixed into the honey. That allows sellers to sell more ‘honey’ than they own.
Stevia
Rated: Potential replacement for simple syrup but can taste odd to some.
Glycemic Index: Low 0
Vegan-friendly: Yes, it’s a plant-based product.
Stevia comes from the leaves of the stevia plant. It’s a zero-calorie sweetener.
It is really good for anyone with diabetes because it doesn’t raise blood sugar levels.
With a sweet taste, stevia is a good replacement for sugar and simple syrup. However, some people experience a bitter and even metallic taste so find it much less pleasant.
Maple Syrup
Rated: a great, always available, natural substitute for simple syrup.
Glycemic Index: Low 54
Vegan-friendly: Pure maple syrup is vegan-friendly and comes from tree sap.
A great natural sweetener made from the sap of maple trees. Maple syrup is made by boiling down the sap to create the thick, syrupy liquid we all know and love.
It has a rich flavor that is slightly smoky and sweet with hints of caramel, making it an ideal addition to many recipes as well as coffee, tea and cocktails.
Whether you want to pour it over your pancakes or add it to coffee, you know maple syrup will work great as a simple syrup substitute.
Maple syrup is high in antioxidants and minerals like zinc, manganese, iron, calcium and potassium. These can offer numerous health benefits when consumed in moderation and as part of a balanced diet.
Date Syrup
Rated: A good brown sugar simple syrup substitute.
Glycemic Index: Low 47
Vegan-friendly: Yes, it’s a plant product made from dates and water.
Also known as date honey, date syrup is a natural sweetener made from the concentrated juice of dates. It is a rich source of essential vitamins and minerals, including iron, calcium, and potassium.
Date syrup has a deep, complex flavour that is similar to caramel or molasses. It is rich and sweet, with notes of dark fruit, vanilla, and toffee. The longer it is cooked, the more intense the flavour becomes, making it a great substitute for brown sugar syrup or molasses in recipes.
Fruit Juice Concentrate
Rated: a poor alternative to simple syrup.
Glycemic Index: Unclear – the GI level varies depending on which fruit is used.
Vegan-friendly: Yes, as long as it is made from pure concentrated fruit.
There are many different types of fruit juice concentrates available, such as apple, grape, orange and cranberry juices.
Unlike simple syrup, fruit concentrate contains a range of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants – depending on the fruit used. So, it can be a healthier alternative to sugar as part of a balanced diet.
The biggest difference from simple syrup is the flavor. Simple syrup just has a sweet, sugary taste so it can be used in any coffee, cocktail or dessert to add sweetness. Fruit concentrates taste like the fruit they are made from. That’s fine if you want that fruit flavor, but you may not want to sweeten your coffee with, say, pineapple flavoring.
All in all, fruit juice concentrate is not a great substitute for simple syrup.
Molasses
Rated: Has a strong rich caramel flavor, so not a perfect replacement for simple syrup.
Glycemic Index: Medium 55
Vegan-friendly: Yes, it’s a natural product made from sugar beet and sugar cane.
Made from sugarcane, molasses is thick, sticky and very sweet.
It has a rich flavor and dark color due to the caramelization process of boiling down the cane juice multiple times.
Molasses contains important vitamins and minerals such as iron, magnesium, calcium, and potassium – making it an ideal healthy addition to desserts, drinks and baked goods!
Brown sugar simple syrup
Rated: Richer caramel flavors make it not a great replacement for simple syrup.
Glycemic Index: High 65
Vegan-friendly: Yes, it is made from molasses.
Like regular simple syrup, brown sugar syrup is made from sugar and water.
But it uses brown sugar, so it has a toffee caramel flavor. So it might not be a good replacement for simple syrup, depending on the flavor you want.
It contains healthy minerals like calcium, iron, magnesium and potassium.
Rice syrup
Rated: Not a good choice if you are watching your blood sugar levels,
Glycemic Index: High 98
Vegan-friendly: Yes, it’s made from rice.
Made from cooked white or brown rice, rice syrup can be used as an alternative to simple syrup in some recipes.
It has a slightly nutty flavor which can benefit certain dishes, such as desserts or sauces, but it may not work for other uses.
Rice syrup has a very high GI – much higher than regular sugar and honey. So it should be used with caution if you are monitoring your blood sugar levels closely.
Hi, I’m Eric Loftuss, co-founder of Bean Thirst with my wife Sophie.
My Coffee journey started young. I used to help my mom with the weekly shopping trip and we always called in to a coffee wholesaler and retail outlet in our town.
I really started to learn about coffee when, while in college, I worked in a local coffee shop and trained as a barista. Even though I went on to qualify and work as a lawyer, I still get a kick out of brewing a cup of Joe.
Sophie and I are so glad to be part of your coffee journey. Find out more about us