The average American adult is eating about 22 teaspoons of sugar every day—about 13 more teaspoons than the max recommended amount for men and 16 more for women. It’s not surprising, either; not only do many of us enjoy the taste of sweet treats, items like soft drinks and flavored yogurts can contain whopping amounts of the stuff that we underestimate.

All this sugar is not only dangerous to our waistlines and our health, but also to the environment. In 2004, the World Wildlife Fund released a report that indicated sugar might be responsible for more biodiversity loss than any other crop. From start to finish, sugar can be devastating, with initial habitat destruction to clear the way for plantations, heavy water consumption for irrigation, hefty amounts of agricultural chemicals for upkeep, and polluted runoff water.

Limiting your sugar intake is a quick way to get healthier (and reduce the impact of sugar on our planet), but if you want to take it a step further, it’s time to consider sugar alternatives. No, we don’t mean artificial sweeteners, which have been linked to a myriad of health problems including cancer (even Splenda). Instead, consider natural sugar alternatives, many of which are more easily processed by the body than regular sugar and don’t have the same detrimental effects for the environment. Here are five good options to satisfy your sweet tooth:

1. Certified Organic Agave Nectar, $4.69

Probably the most buzzed about sugar alternative, agave’s biggest claim to fame is its low ranking on the glycemic index, but it’s also hugely popular with vegans (as an alternative to honey) and raw foodists (because of its low temperature production). If one of your big sugar consumptions is sweetened drinks—tea, coffee or other—agave syrup is a perfect solution because of its quick-melting liquid form. Click here to read more

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