Sweeteners really CAN help you to lose weight

AGAVE NECTAR Clarks Organic Agave Syrup, £2

Extracted from the plant used to make tequila, this syrup may seem healthy but actually contains about 60 calories per tablespoon – 20 more than table sugar. The high fructose content can cause wind and bloating in IBS sufferers. tesco.com

STEVIA Truvia Sweetener, £5

This calorie-free sweetener made from stevia plant leaves is 300 times sweeter than sugar. The European Food Safety Authority warned of the increased risk of potentially overconsuming plant leaf sweeteners. ocado.com

COCONUT SUGAR The Groovy Food Company Coconut Sugar, £4

Dehydrated sap of the coconut palm tree, containing the same calories as sugar – about 15 per teaspoon. This is between 38 and 48.5 per cent fructose – fruit sugars – and the same as in sugar and honey (40 per cent). waitrose.com

DATE SYRUP Meridian date syrup, £2.49

Marketed as a ‘natural sweetener that helps to contribute towards a healthy lifestyle’, this syrup – which contains fructose extracted from dried dates – contains ten more calories per teaspoon than white table sugar. ocado.com

BROWN RICE SYRUP Biona Organic Brown Rice Malt Syrup, £3.39

This is made by exposing cooked rice to enzymes that break down starches, turning them into 100 per cent glucose – increasing blood sugar spikes. 100g of this syrup will set you back the calorie equivalent of three Kit Kat bars. ocado.com