Giada's Go-To Natural Coffee Sweetener

Swap the mystery packets for this healthy alternative to start your day on a sweet note

Healthy choices are easy to talk about, but they can be hardest to make during the day, when life . If you’re taking the time to make dinner at home, it’s just as simple to choose delicious recipes that you can feel good about. But between hectic mornings getting kids ready for school and long hours at work, taking the extra brainpower to make those good-for-you choices before dinnertime can feel overwhelming. Cut yourself some slack! I try to make things as easy as possible for myself, whether that’s preparing nutritious snacks in advance when I know I’m going to have a long day at work or stocking my pantry with good breakfast options so it’s impossible to grab something unhealthy when we’re in a rush.

One of the easiest of these healthy changes is switching up how I sweeten my coffee. I use agave nectar – it’s a natural extract of the agave plant, so there’s no mystery about what’s in it, like those low-cal packets like Splenda, and it doesn’t have the same harsh effect on blood sugar levels as refined white sugar does. Plus, it’s even sweeter than sugar, so I only have to use a tiny amount to get my coffee just how I like it. Agave is even available granulated in packets, so you can keep it at the office for coffee breaks or throw a few in your purse just-in-case. It doesn’t take any extra work at all – bonus! – and you can feel great about starting your day with a healthy choice.