I try to steer clear of refined sugar as much as possible. It's not always doable, but here are a few ways to make the swap.

xoxo,

Sukey

We've got nothing against making homemade cookies, but we'd rather avoid the crash and keep our energy levels steady. When we can, we try to use natural sweeteners when we bake.

Use our handy guide to easily swap out white sugar, brown sugar and artificial sweeteners. It won't help you resist the dessert tray at work, but healthier treats at home aren't half bad.

• Maple Syrup: You already love it on your oatmeal and it's a good source of manganese and zinc. Use 3/4 cup for every 1 cup of sugar called for.
• Honey: This one's twice as sweet as table sugar, so you'll need to reduce the amount called for by one half. One cup of honey contains 1/4 cup of water, so you've also got to reduce the liquid by 1/4 cup. Finally, reduce your oven temperature by 25F to prevent over-browning.
• Raw Agave: We're big fans of this sweetener sourced from the same cactus used to make tequila. Replace 1 cup sugar with 3/4 cup agave. Reduce recipe liquids by 1/4 cup and oven temperature by 25F.
• Stevia: While stevia has up to 300 times the sweetness of sugar, it won't spike your blood sugar levels. Made from a plant native to South America, it's available in a liquid concentrate or powder form. Replace 1 cup sugar with 1 teaspoon liquid stevia or 1/3 to 1/2 teaspoon stevia extract powder.
• Sucanat: Made by cutting and juicing the whole sugar cane, this juice is crystallized into dark brown sugar granules, which gives it a darker color and richer flavor. It can be used 1:1 when replacing white sugar.