Just because we’re vegan doesn’t mean we don’t like sweet stuff. Contrary to popular belief, not all sweeteners are vegan. We’ve put together this list of the best vegan sweeteners so you know which ones you’re safe to buy.
Vegan friendly syrups
Syrups are great in oats, porridge and even in salad dressings. Here are the top vegan-friendly syrups you can buy today.
Agave syrup
Otherwise known as agave nectar, this syrup is extracted from a cactus. An alkaline friendly sweetener, this is a great option for baking recipes, or even atop some pancakes.
Date syrup
Another alkaline sweetener, date syrup is another preferred one for a richer, sweet flavour. This one’s a bit less neutral, so I’d recommend having it in smoothies.
Golden syrup
A typical pantry filler for the average non vegan. Great in baking recipes, on top of your morning oats, or cereal, yet another accidentally vegan pantry filler.
Maple syrup
A preferred favourite of mine, this is my one go-to for pancakes. Also pairs perfectly with vegan bacon for a fry up, as well as a way of sweetening roast veggies; another vegan-safe option.
Rice syrup
Rice syrup is another vegan-friendly go-to for a generic sweetener. Great in baking recipes, as well as in your morning oats. Being based from rice, it’s an ideal vegan-friendly syrup.
Is honey vegan?
A common misconception about the vegan diet, honey isn’t vegan. Considering it’s based from bees and exploits them for their life’s work. Many bee farms drug their bees, as well as exploiting them for their honey, which is unethical from a vegan standpoint.
Is all sugar vegan?
You’d be surprised to know that not all sugar you find in a supermarket is vegan.
With some types of sugar manufactured using bone chair from bovine animals (cows). Most white refined cane sugar uses this method, as well as some types of granulated brown sugar.
So you’ve got to be careful when selecting your sugar on the supermarket shelf. Be sure to check the packaging and look for a vegan symbol to confirm, if unsure.
Vegan friendly sugars and sweeteners
That being said, there are a range of vegan-friendly sugars and vegan sweeteners to select from. Here are a few below.
Cane sugar
If you get the natural, pink unrefined version of cane sugar, you can rest assured knowing it’s vegan.
Avoid refined brown or white varieties as they tend to mix in bone char in their processing.
Coconut sugar
Great in baking recipes, as well as a generic alkaline friendly sugar. Coconut sugar, being based from coconuts themselves, are also one of the best vegan sugar options to be aware of.
Date sugar
Another fruit-based sugar, date sugar is also a great rich base sugar to use, similar to it’s date syrup counterpart. This is another alkaline friendly sweetener for your list, for guilt free baking.
Icing sugar
Icing sugar is typically not vegan for a lot of brands, including the popular Silver Spoon, with non-vegan glycerol in the ingredients list. Tate & Lyle’s icing sugar however, is in fact vegan-friendly. Good to know there are some safe options anyways.
Stevia
I you’re avoiding sugar for whatever reason, stevia is a vegan friendly alternative. Made from leaves of the stevia plant, it’s an artificial sweetener, ideal for sugar free sweetened coffees and teas.
Xylitol
Xylitol is a lesser known sweetener suitable for those following a plant-based diet. It’s low in calories, so it’s ideal for those looking to control their weight.
Extracted from a variety of plants, xylitol usually found in chewing gum and toothpaste. So it’s not really one you’d put in your coffee, but one you’d find on an ingredients list.
For those following the alkaline diet, a summarised list of alkaline vegan sweeteners:
- Date syrup
- Agave syrup
Are all sweeteners vegan?
One thing to take from this post, is that non all sweeteners are made equal.
Some ingredients used in the production include animal-based glycerin, as well as bone char, and even bee saliva, so stay informed.
We hope you enjoyed this post and got some good tips on which sweeteners to get, and avoid for your vegan household/cater for a vegan loved one.
Thanks for considering veganising it for your vegan lifestyle inspiration. Stay well and stay blessed.
