Is the Low Fat Vegan Diet Missing Key Health Benefits?

From plantbasednews.org

Cutting back on fat could mean missing out on the full health power of your veggies 

For years, many plant-based eaters have embraced the low fat vegan diet as the gold standard for heart health, weight control, and disease prevention. But what if cutting fat too far means leaving powerful nutrients on the table?

That’s the question posed by Mic the Vegan, who recently revisited the science behind ultra-low-fat plant-based eating. Known for breaking down complex nutrition studies for a broad audience, Mic explains that while low-fat vegan diets have historical and scientific backing, new research has made him reconsider whether they may unintentionally reduce absorption of key fat-soluble compounds.

“I’ve eaten low-fat vegan diets in the past, been down at 10 percent or less calories,” he says. “Based off some recent studies that I’ve been exposed to, I thought, let’s explore this.”

The history and logic behind going very low fat

Even a small drizzle of healthy fats, like olive oil, can dramatically increase nutrient absorption from vegetables - Media Credit: Adobe Stock

The ultra-low-fat approach, often around 10 percent of calories from fat, gained traction online between 2012 and 2015. It also has scientific roots. Mic points to populations like the Tarahumara and Okinawans, as well as physicians such as Dr Neal Barnard and T. Colin Campbell, who have supported lower fat intakes.

The logic is straightforward: saturated fat raises LDL cholesterol, and high LDL increases heart disease risk. There is also the common belief that “the fat you eat is the fat you wear.”

But Mic notes that not all fat is saturated. And weight gain ultimately comes down to calories. “It’s pretty obvious that at a calorie deficit, regardless of macronutrient ratio, you’re going to lose weight,” he says.

Still, the bigger issue, he argues, may not be weight or cholesterol, but nutrient absorption.

Carotenoids, fat, and what you might be missing

Carotenoids such as beta-carotene in carrots and lycopene in tomatoes are fat-soluble compounds. They require fat in the digestive tract to form micelles, which allow them to be absorbed into the bloodstream.

A common narrative in low-fat circles has been that even a gram or two of fat is enough. Mic says he remembers hearing that “even like a gram of fat is going to let you absorb as much fat soluble stuff as you possibly would need.”

But he adds, “I can’t find a reference for that.”

Research suggests that while three to five grams of fat may ensure “sufficient” absorption, sufficient does not mean optimal. In one salad study, adding canola oil significantly increased carotenoid absorption compared to fat-free salad, which he describes as “basically flatlined carotenoid sadness.”

Another study compared tomato and carrot meals with and without avocado. The difference was dramatic. “We’re just seeing a huge difference in absorption,” he says. “Like a disturbingly large amount, a gargantuan difference.”

The avocado provided about 23 grams of fat, roughly three-quarters of a large avocado. Even half an avocado substantially boosted absorption.

For those investing heavily in high-antioxidant foods, this has implications. Mic suggests someone avoiding fat might need to eat “like seven, eight carrots instead of one” to achieve similar absorption as someone including some fat.

Lycopene and prostate cancer risk

Adobe StockFat helps the body absorb lycopene, the antioxidant in tomatoes linked to reduced prostate cancer risk

The stakes are personal for Mic. Prostate cancer runs in his family. Lycopene, the antioxidant abundant in tomatoes, has been linked to a lower risk of prostate cancer.

He notes that research shows “about a 30 percent lower risk of prostate cancer with high lycopene intake.” Given that connection, he questions whether strict fat avoidance could reduce the protective potential of plant foods.

“I wouldn’t want to throw away, you know, four times more lycopene than I need to because I’m super obsessed with dodging fat,” he says.

Carotenoids may also play a role in cardiovascular protection. He cites research finding a 76 percent lower risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease among those with the highest skin carotenoid levels.

“You want to absorb it,” he says.

Does the type of fat matter?

Not all fats perform equally. Studies comparing saturated fat to monounsaturated fats found that butter underperformed compared to plant oils such as canola and soybean oil when paired with salads.

“Saturated fat is worse,” Mic says plainly.

Interestingly, smaller amounts of fat – around three grams – performed nearly as well as higher amounts in some trials. Emulsified fats, such as those found in mayonnaise or blended dressings, may further enhance absorption. One study suggested a 40 percent increase in carotenoid absorption with emulsified fat.

Whole food sources appear effective, too. While avocado oil slightly outperformed whole avocado in one trial, half an avocado still significantly improved beta-carotene and lycopene absorption.

What about other antioxidants?

Carotenoids are not alone. Some polyphenols also benefit from fat. Mic explains that “curcumin from turmeric as well as quercetin … and resveratrol in grapes all do a bit better with fat.”

However, not all antioxidants behave the same way. Anthocyanins, the pigments in berries and purple foods, “just don’t care if they have more fat,” he says.

Overall, he concludes, “it appears that all carotenoids and quite a few polyphenols will be more absorbed with fat.”

So, are low fat vegans wrong?

Mic does not dismiss the low fat vegan diet outright. He acknowledges that some people thrive on it, including those managing conditions like Type 1 diabetes.

Instead, he frames the issue as one of optimization rather than ideology. “You have to be including some fat to really be getting your money’s worth in terms of carotenoids, really getting that disease fighting power of carotenoids,” he says.

He suggests that even a small amount, perhaps three grams of emulsified oil or a blended nut-based dressing, could make a meaningful difference.

Rather than focusing strictly on macronutrient targets, he now emphasizes low saturated fat while including whole food plant fats. “I personally land in like a low saturated fat whole food fat emphasis as opposed to trying to hit a certain macronutrient target,” he says.

For those committed to a low fat vegan diet, the takeaway may not be to abandon it, but to rethink how low is too low, especially when it comes to unlocking the full disease-fighting power of plants.

You’ll find more videos about vegan health, science, and nutrition on Mic the Vegan’s YouTube channel.

https://plantbasednews.org/lifestyle/health/low-fat-vegan-diet-health-benefits/

Oat Milk Is Winning the $13 Billion War Over Your Morning Coffee

From vegnews.com 

Plant-based demand is helping the coffee creamer industry skyrocket, with the global market projected to approach $13 billion by 2035

It's been more than 75 years since the first coffee creamer hit store shelves, and it’s still a staple in many people’s daily coffee routine. But lately, the category has been experiencing serious growth—largely driven by rising demand for plant-based options.

In fact, according to a report from Future Market Insights (FMI), the global market could reach nearly $13 billion by 2035. For context, it was valued at nearly $6 billion in 2025. The market research platform says growing demand for plant-based foods and functional nutrition are two key factors driving the creamer market’s growth.

“This evolution is spearheaded by a rejection of traditional dairy in favour of oat, almond, and coconut bases, alongside the integration of ‘superfood’ ingredients like MCT oil, collagen, and adaptogens,” reads a press release.

North America is one of the biggest markets for vegan creamers, which isn’t surprising considering Americans have long been fans of adding creamer to their coffee. In fact, a 2024 survey from Drive Research found that 77 percent of Americans add either milk or creamer to their coffee.

The study also observed that interest in vegan creamers is rising. Preferences for oat milk, for example, have grown by 90 percent since the platform’s previous survey in 2022, while preferences for almond milk have increased by 71 percent.

                                                                                          Grandbrother's Images | Canva

Young coffee drinkers and café culture reshape the creamer market

However, according to FMI, India is currently leading the market for non-dairy creamers. This is largely because the country is seeing surging coffee demand among younger generations. China, too, is experiencing a boom in the dairy-free creamer market.

Senior analysts at the research firm note that café culture is also helping drive global growth. As coffee chains get more creative, consumers want to recreate those drinks at home. Recently, for example, Starbucks announced a new spring menu with several veganizable options, including a Toasted Coconut Cream Cold Brew and an Iced Ube Coconut Macchiato.

Dairy-free brands have also spotted the trend and are consistently launching new creamers. In 2025, for example, Oatly rebranded its creamers with new carton packaging.

Oatly

“Oatly Oatmilk Creamers are designed for people who are looking for a sweeter, bolder, and more indulgent coffee experience, especially at-home—whether they’re adding a dash into a French press, pour-over, or really any type of coffee,” Malia Killings, creative director and design director at Oatly North America, told VegNews at the time. 

Echoing FMI’s findings, she added: “We’re seeing demand for personalized coffee experiences grow, especially among the next generation of coffee drinkers who prefer a wide array of unique flavour options. Oatly’s Oatmilk Creamers offer those consumers endless possibilities for crafting customized coffee creations.”

Want to get in on the dairy-free creamer hype? Find some of our top picks here.

https://vegnews.com/vegan-creamer-market-boom

Opinion: If plant-based foods must be more honest, let’s do the same for meat – fancy some ‘cow muscle’?

From theguardian.com

By Deirdra Barr 

EU rules banning terms such as ‘bacon’ for veggie products are problematic, btw cow muscle = steak

Last week, European policymakers decided that plant-based foods should no longer be marketed with terms such as “chicken”, “bacon” or “steak”. The fear seems to be that shoppers might accidentally buy veggie bacon thinking it came from an actual pig. The change applies to the UK too, because of our trade agreement with Europe.

After considerable pushback from organisations including the one I work with, the Vegetarian Society, and many food brands, words such as “burger”, “nuggets” and “sausage” – as in, vegan sausage rolls – are still permitted, provided the packaging makes clear they are plant-based. But even those allowances could yet be revisited.

The proposal arrived without an impact assessment and will affect UK exports. More worryingly, it sets a precedent. Apparently, Europe’s biggest regulatory threat is the menace of the dangerously misleading plant-based steak. But if clarity is truly the goal, there’s an obvious question: why stop at plant-based foods?

The words ‘burger’, ‘sausage’ and ‘steak’ describe formats and cooking styles as much as ingredients. Photograph: Philip Reeve/Alamy

If lawmakers want absolute transparency in food naming, then meat products could just as easily be required to use their literal descriptions. After all, beef steak is cow muscle. Pork chop is usually pig rib. Bacon is often salt-cured pig belly. Chicken nuggets? Formed chicken parts. And many sausages would require far less appetising names.

Sounds absurd? That’s precisely the point.

Food names have never been strictly literal. If they were, a lot of them would need a serious rethink. There are no canines in hotdogs. There are no amphibians in toad in the hole. Ladyfingers contain no fingers. Food language is ultimately a product of culture, tradition and familiarity.

The words “burger”, “sausage” and “steak” describe formats and cooking styles as much as ingredients. A burger is simply a patty. A sausage is food shaped into a tube and cooked. These are culinary categories, not zoological claims. Plant-based foods use these familiar terms as shorthand to help shoppers understand what a product is and how to cook it.

Meanwhile, meat marketing relies on something else entirely: the pastoral myth. Packaging shows Ye Olde Red Barn, green fields and smiling animals – imagery far removed from modern industrial livestock production. We’ve all seen the cheerful pigs outside butcher shops wielding knives to slaughter their kin, or happy chickens advertising fried nuggets. The suggestion seems to be that animals are enthusiastically participating in their own consumption. If lawmakers are truly worried about consumer misunderstanding and transparency, they might start by addressing the wildly misleading imagery used in meat marketing.

In fact, consumers are far less confused than critics suggest. A YouGov survey in late 2025 found that 92% of Britons said they had never bought, or could not recall buying, a plant-based sausage or burger thinking it contained meat. Clear labels already appear prominently on packaging through certification schemes such as those run by the Vegetarian Society.

No one believes a bean burger contains beef. Nobody assumes a veggie sausage came from a pig. Shoppers are not wandering supermarket aisles in a haze of confusion, clutching tofu and wondering which end of the cow it came from. People choose plant-based products deliberately, often for environmental, ethical or health reasons.

So what problem is actually being solved?

Restrictions on plant-based terminology risk doing the opposite of helping consumers. They create barriers to innovation and make it harder for people to find familiar alternatives to foods they already know how to cook. For someone beginning to incorporate more plant-based meals into their diet, familiarity matters. Language helps people navigate change, and banning familiar words only makes that transition harder.

At a time when we face urgent challenges such as the climate crisis, biodiversity loss, food security and public health problems, encouraging more plant-based eating is widely recognised as part of the solution. Creating linguistic hurdles for plant-based foods sends exactly the wrong signal. And if we’re suddenly so concerned about names reflecting reality, then maybe it’s time to start being honest across the board. Charred cow-muscle tissue with a side of fried potato sticks, anyone?

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/mar/11/plant-based-foods-honest-meat-cow-muscle-eu-rules-ban-veggie

The New Age of Plant-Based Cheese

From falstaff.com

What was once a compromise has become a category worth taking seriously. As producers refine fermentation, texture and flavour, Swedish innovators are among those helping plant-based cheese win over chefs, restaurants and even traditional dairies

Necessity is the mother of invention

Or, in Simon Francis’s case, frustration. “After more than two decades as a vegan, the choice of plant-based cheeses was extremely limited. They were oil-based and simply not very good — the sort of products you buy once and never again,” says Francis, explaining that he eventually decided to turn that culinary frustration into something quite literally delicious.

A genuinely good cashew-based product

Together with Silvia Todeschini, he founded a creamery in 2020. The ambition was twofold: to create a genuinely good cashew-based product that could also compete with dairy cheese. Six years on, Casheury, based in Skivarp in Skåne, southern Sweden, has become a success story. After extensive experimentation with fermentation, herbs and spices, its alternatives to products such as mozzarella and Gorgonzola are now sold in grocery shops from Kiruna in Sweden’s far north to Abbekås in the far south. In restaurants, they are served at places including the Italian eatery Piadina in Stockholm.

Where does the flavoUr come from?

“Most people who are sceptical about vegan cheese have either never tried it or have only tried older coconut-fat-based versions with no protein,” says Gustav Johansson, cookbook author and the writer behind Sweden’s most popular vegan food blog, Jävligt gott. “The flavour of dairy-based soft cheese comes primarily from bacterial cultures. What is happening now is that artisan nut-based products, whose protein allows the bacterial cultures in blue cheeses to react in a similar way, are becoming good enough — and scalable enough — to make a real impact.”

In Sweden, that scaling-up is still at an early stage. Alongside Casheury, many producers remain small and somewhat niche. One of them is the vegan cheese maker fermenting and ageing nuts and seeds at Bliss Cafe in Stockholm, whose finished products are sold mainly in its own café and at the health-food shop Fully Rawsome. Internationally, however, the trend has gathered much stronger momentum. In London, hipster pizza joints such as Voodoo Ray’s and Yard Sale top their pies with products from I Am Nut Okay. Julienne Bruno’s burrata-style Burrella is served in the Harrods Tea Rooms, while Honestly Tasty’s acclaimed blue cheese can be enjoyed at Michelin-starred institutions such as Pied à Terre. In Los Angeles, Alchemy Organica’s pungent cotija, made from grated, fermented coconut, has proved a game-changer for Mexican restaurants.

“Most people who are sceptical about vegan cheese have either never tried it or have only tried older coconut-fat-based versions with no protein. The flavour of dairy-based soft cheese comes primarily from bacterial cultures. What is happening now is that artisan nut-based products, whose protein allows the bacterial cultures in blue cheeses to react in a similar way, are becoming good enough — and scalable enough — to make a real impact.”   -     Gustav Johansson, cookbook author

In Italy and France, several major companies — among them Les Nouveaux Affineurs — have found ways to standardise production and produce convincing dairy-free Camembert at scale. It may sound counterintuitive that European countries with such deeply rooted cheese cultures are also focusing on plant-based alternatives.

Gustav Johansson believes, however, that the shift is driven by self-interest. Because there is another necessity at play beyond satisfying taste buds: climate impact. “Cheese has a higher climate footprint than pork. At the same time, it is an unrealistic utopia to solve the problem simply by telling people to stop eating it. As vegan artisan cheeses improve and become genuinely delicious, people are given a way to keep eating what they love, but with a lower climate footprint.”

Even traditional dairies are embracing the trend

Porlammin Meijeri, east of  Helsinki, was founded in 1914 and, 102 years later, began launching plant-based cheeses. “We are always looking for ways to evolve, and we believed demand for this would continue to grow. The hardest part was convincing our owners — all of them milk producers — that it was a good idea,” recalls CEO Kari Ollikainen. Today, the company offers around 15 vegan cheeses, along with versions developed for professional kitchens. “We have also been working on the next generation of plant-based hard cheeses, with much higher protein content and better flavour.”

“Yes, it is the next generation that is truly exciting right now,” Gustav Johansson agrees. The process behind a soft cheese in the style of Brie differs significantly from the technique used to make a hard cheese such as Gouda. It depends on the unique protein casein, which is difficult to replace. To mimic it, producers have relied almost exclusively on processes in which coconut fat coagulates with starch before flavourings and colourings are added. The result is often worlds apart from a classically aged hard cheese.

Determined Pioneers

A growing number of pioneers, however, are determined to crack the problem. Among them are several Swedes, including Stockeld Dreamery, founded by tech entrepreneur Sorosh Tavakoli and biotechnologist Anja Leissner in 2019. It is, in every sense, a creamery with future-facing ambitions. By analysing, combining and fermenting legumes, the company aims to find a molecular match for casein. That, in turn, could give animal-free cheese a similarly distinctive texture — one that, combined with excellent flavour, could make it a serious alternative. One of the companies it has worked with so far is Porlammin Meijeri.

“The first product was quietly launched in New York in early 2023,” says Daniel Skavén Ruben, who at the time was Stockeld’s Chief Strategy Officer, pointing out that the global cheese market is worth 100 billion dollars. “People love cheese, and they will continue to love cheese in the future. But it will be produced differently. For example, through plants combined with casein, and whey proteins that can be cultivated in bioreactors in much the same way as beer is brewed.”

"We are always looking for ways to evolve, and we believed demand for this would continue to grow. The hardest part was convincing our owners — all of them milk producers — that it was a good idea! We have also been working on the next generation of plant-based hard cheeses, with much higher protein content and better flavour.”   -   CEO Kari Ollikainen

What comes next?

After a major boom in plant-based food solutions, sales of vegan products have recently seen a sharp decline. In the autumn of 2025, Sorosh Tavakoli — himself  based in New York because “I felt an expansion into the world’s largest cheese market needed the CEO on site” — announced that Stockeld would be shutting down. Then, just two months ago, the company jubilantly declared that it had “found a new home”.

What comes next is still too early to say. It is already clear, however, that regardless of how the wider market for vegan products develops, plant-based cheese can taste genuinely good, offer strong nutritional value and generate between 70 and 90 per cent lower climate emissions than animal-based options.

That alone is a future worth looking forward to.

https://www.falstaff.com/nordics/news/the-new-age-of-plant-based-cheese

Vegans develop complex skills to navigate an omnivorous society, new research shows

From phys.org/news

Going vegan is a life-changing decision. Successfully committing to eating only ethically sourced, non-exploitative products—no dairy, no honey, no eggs, no animal output of any kind—can be daunting, especially in a society where most people are omnivorous. Foregoing meat and other animal products purely for ethical reasons can cause tension between vegans and their friends, families, partners, businesses and even other vegans.

These tensions are the subject of a new paper by Concordia researchers. Published in the Journal of Consumer Research, the study examines the relational fractures vegans sometimes experience and the strategies they use to navigate this challenge.

"We wanted to look at these fractures from the vegan perspective, since most people are omnivorous and familiar with trying to accommodate others' dietary needs," says co-author Zeynep Arsel, a professor in the Department of Marketing at the John Molson School of Business. "But what we studied can be applied in other contexts, such as driving electric vehicles."

Stressors on all sides

The study was led by Arsel's former Ph.D. student Aya Aboelenien, now an associate professor at HEC Montréal. Between 2017 and 2022, she conducted interviews, attended vegan festivals, protests and sit-ins to gain insight into how vegans managed interpersonal strains. Aboelenien also studied online news, videos, blogs and social media posts on sites like Reddit.

She classified relational fractures into three types: co-performance, co-learning, and marketplace.

• Co-performance fractures can arise when vegans introduce novel elements to shared practices or activities like family meals. Changes in dietary habits require accommodation from their regular dining companions. This shift can result in tension, misunderstanding or labelling vegans as "difficult."
• Co-learning fractures usually occur within the vegan community itself, when individuals new to veganism turn to other vegans for advice. Conflicts can arise over what constitutes vegan food and how—or even whether—to interact with non-vegans. However, this rigidity can confuse and repel those new to or interested in veganism.
• Marketplace fractures are caused by a lack of places where vegans can meet their dietary needs. Even as plant-based foods become more popular, most supermarkets and restaurants cater to omnivorous appetites and finding businesses that cater to vegan diets can be difficult.

"Many of the people I spoke to really wanted to discuss the personal struggles they faced, which in many instances discouraged them from maintaining a vegan lifestyle," Aboelenien says. "Many of them just retreated from veganism because of the stress in their personal relationships."

A range of responses

Aboelenien further identified four kinds of social skills vegans adopt to manage conflict. First is decoding, in which vegans try to explain their choices to friends and family members. They also continue learning about veganism from others in their community and developing an understanding of labels, menus and other food requirements in a mostly omnivorous marketplace.

They may also try decoupling: behaving parallel to omnivores while actively avoiding conflict triggers. Examples include preparing and/or bringing one's own meals to family gatherings so that they can share space, if not the food itself.

Other vegans practice divesting, where they avoid problematic food-related relationships whenever possible. This involves an uncompromising approach to the extent that they will not share meals with non-vegans.

Finally, chameleoning involves navigating between one's beliefs and a "go-along-to-get-along" posture, in which a person who considers themselves vegan will occasionally revert to an omnivorous diet to avoid conflict.

The researchers say the patterns identified in the study are easily transferable to other contexts.

"If you stand apart from the norm for ethical reasons, like driving an electric car or trying to live a green, sustainable life, others may take it as you trying to impose a moral lens on practices they've had for a long time," Aboelenien says.

"A lot of consumption is moral, even if we don't think it is," adds Arsel, Concordia University Research Chair in Consumption, Markets, and Society. "And when there is a moral element, it is bound to cause friction."

https://phys.org/news/2026-03-vegans-complex-skills-omnivorous-society.html 

12 Sugars Ranked: Which Vegan Sweeteners Do The Least Damage?

From plantbasednews.org

From "Satan itself" to whole food sweeteners, find out which ones truly belong in your pantry 

If you’ve ever stood in a grocery aisle wondering which sugar is the least bad option, you’re not alone. The search for the healthiest vegan sweeteners can feel confusing when every label claims to be “natural” or “better for you.” That’s exactly the problem Mic the Vegan sets out to tackle in a recent video, where he ranks 12 common sugars from least healthy to healthiest using what he calls a “sugarithm” (sugar rhythm) scoring system.

Known for breaking down nutrition studies with humour and spreadsheets, Mic explains that this ranking is not about pretending sugar is healthy. It’s about understanding relative harm, based on measurable markers like glycaemic index, antioxidant content, and documented health effects. “We all know that sugar, especially more refined sugar, is not healthy,” he says, “but why not overthink it?”

How the sugar rhythm works

Mic the Vegan ranked 12 common sweeteners according to their glycaemic index, antioxidant content, and documented health effects to determine which cause the least metabolic harm - Media Credit: Adobe Stock

Before comparing sweeteners, Mic explains the system he uses to score them, jokingly calling it the “sugarithm.” (Like an algorithm.) The ranking combines three main markers: glycaemic index, antioxidant content, and documented health effects.

The glycaemic index measures how quickly a food raises blood sugar. Mic explains, “The glycaemic index is something that is a result of giving 50 grams of carbs, not including fibre, and then measuring a blood sugar response from that food.” Foods higher in glucose tend to spike blood sugar more quickly, while fructose lowers glycaemic index but brings its own concerns when refined and consumed in large amounts.

Antioxidant content also plays a role. He references studies measuring antioxidant activity using FRAP, or ferric reducing antioxidant power, a method that evaluates how compounds counter oxidative damage at the molecular level.

Finally, he assigns additional points based on unique health effects, both positive and negative. These include links to inflammation, fatty liver disease, mineral content, or beneficial compounds such as prebiotic fibres.

The least healthy group: highly refined syrups and sugars

At the bottom of the list are brown rice syrup, corn syrup, and high fructose corn syrup. These sweeteners share several characteristics: extremely high glycaemic index scores, little to no antioxidant content, and heavy processing.

Brown rice syrup ranks last, largely because it is almost entirely glucose and scores poorly across all categories. Corn syrup follows closely behind for similar reasons.

High fructose corn syrup sits slightly higher, but Mic still describes it in blunt terms, calling it “Satan itself” while explaining that its glycaemic index is somewhat lower due to fructose content. However, he notes that refined fructose carries its own risks.

He explains that high intake of refined fructose has been linked to fatty liver disease and metabolic changes. He also highlights research showing increased triglycerides and LDL levels in young people after just two weeks of consuming high-fructose beverages.

Another concern involves gut permeability and inflammation. According to Mic, “Really high levels of refined fructose up against the barrier of your intestines can cause some gut permeability or leaky gut.” This process can allow endotoxins into the bloodstream and contribute to inflammation.

White refined sugar and agave nectar also fall in this lower tier. White sugar contains a 50-50 mix of glucose and fructose and has a high glycaemic index. Agave nectar, often marketed as healthy, ranks poorly because it can contain up to 90 percent fructose and provides virtually no antioxidants.

Mic cautions that even when the glycaemic index appears lower, that does not automatically make a sweetener healthy. Both refined glucose and refined fructose can contribute to oxidative stress and metabolic problems when consumed frequently.

The middle group: slightly better but still far from health foods

Adobe StockWith far fewer antioxidants than top performers like date sugar and blackstrap molasses, maple syrup landed in the middle of the ranking

Brown sugar, fruit juice concentrates, maple syrup, and unrefined cane sugar land in the middle of the ranking. These sweeteners show small improvements in antioxidant levels or glycaemic index but remain refined sources of sugar overall.

Brown sugar performs only marginally better than white sugar because it is slightly less refined and retains trace antioxidants. Fruit juice concentrates rank similarly because, while their glycaemic index can be moderate, most fibre and beneficial compounds are removed during processing.

Maple syrup surprises Mic by scoring lower than expected in antioxidant content. While it contains unique compounds, the overall antioxidant level remains low compared with top-ranking sweeteners.

Unrefined cane sugar ranks somewhat higher because of modestly higher antioxidant levels than refined sugar, though Mic emphasizes that it still should not be considered a health food.

He repeatedly reminds viewers that being higher on the list does not mean a sweetener is beneficial in large amounts. The difference between middle and top-ranked sugars is substantial.

The top tier: coconut sugar, molasses, and date sugar

The three highest-ranked sweeteners stand out because they contain additional nutrients or bioactive compounds.

Coconut sugar ranks third, partly due to its antioxidant content and the presence of inulin, a prebiotic fibre linked to digestive and metabolic benefits. Mic notes that the amount is small but still meaningful enough to affect scoring. Coconut sugar may also slow starch digestion by inhibiting amylase activity.

Blackstrap molasses takes second place. It has the highest antioxidant content in the comparison and provides minerals such as iron. Mic explains that a serving can supply a notable portion of daily iron needs, although taste can limit how much people use. He jokes that it can overpower baked goods, adding, “I personally think blackstrap molasses will ruin anything that you bake in terms of the taste, unless it’s a gingerbread cookie.”

Date sugar ranks first. Because it is made from ground whole dates, it retains fibre, phytochemicals, and other beneficial compounds that refined sugars lack. It also has relatively high antioxidant levels and a lower glycaemic index than many other sweeteners.

Mic says he was surprised by the research on dates, noting evidence of cholesterol-lowering effects and reductions in inflammatory markers such as interleukin-1. Some studies also suggest potential benefits related to pregnancy outcomes and reproductive health, although much of the reproductive research has been conducted in animals.

“These are a fruit,” he says, emphasizing that their whole-food structure makes them fundamentally different from refined sugars.

What this means for everyday eating

Despite ranking certain sweeteners higher, Mic stresses that most sugars should still be minimized. Even the better options remain calorie-dense and can contribute to excess energy intake when used heavily.

He concludes that the results mainly reinforce a simple principle: whole foods outperform refined ingredients. Dates and other minimally processed sweeteners retain fibre and phytochemicals, while highly refined syrups provide concentrated sugar without protective compounds.

For anyone curious about the healthiest vegan sweeteners, the takeaway is not that some sweeteners are healthy in large amounts, but that the level of processing, antioxidant content, and metabolic impact can make a meaningful difference.

As Mic puts it, most of the sweeteners on the list are things “you want to either seriously, heavily minimize or eliminate altogether,” with whole-food options like dates standing out as the least harmful way to add sweetness.

Find more videos about vegan health, science, and nutrition on Mic the Vegan’s YouTube channel.

https://plantbasednews.org/lifestyle/food/sugars-ranked-vegan-sweeteners/