Sweet talk: natural sugar alternatives. (food).

Between crowded mall navigation, gift buying and late nights making merry, holidays are trying enough. Add lots of sugar from holiday parties, and you have a recipe for instant stress. White sugar has been linked to mood swings, irritability, headaches insomnia, fatigue and emotional outbursts.

But many "natural" sweeteners are little more than glorified table sugar with little or no nutritional benefit, the same number of calories and identical effects on blood sugar. To call some natural sweeteners "healthy" is to sugar-coat the facts.

If your relationship with sugar has soured, take heart: These three alternatives can help you sail through the holiday season with less stress and fewer pounds to shed in the new year.

* Stevia is extracted from a South American herb that is 100 to 400 times sweeter than conventional white sugar. It's available in powders and liquid extracts in the supplement section of most natural product stores. One teaspoon of stevia is equal to about one cup of sugar. Use it carefully--too much yields a bitter aftertaste. Why it's better: Stevia is calorie-free, doesn't upset blood sugar and can actually assist in regulating blood-sugar levels.

* Date sugar, not really a sugar at all, is made from ground, dehydrated dates, so it contains all the vitamins, minerals and fiber found in the fruit. It can be used in equal parts for sugar in most recipes, especially baking, and is a great substitute for brown sugar. However, because the tiny pieces won't dissolve, it can't be used to sweeten beverages. Why it's better: Unlike refined or concentrated sweeteners, date sugar is rich in nutrients and is metabolized more slowly.

* Agave nectar is a natural juice extracted from agave, the same plant that's processed into tequila. Agave nectar is 42 percent sweeter than white sugar but has the same caloric value and a low glycemic index (11), a measurement of the relative ability of a carbohydrate to raise blood glucose levels. It can be substituted in equal parts for honey in most recipes. As a substitute for sugar, use 3/4 cup agave nectar for 1 cup of sugar, and reduce the liquid content by 1/4 cup. Why it's better: Agave nectar is metabolized more slowly and is less likely to cause dramatic fluctuations in blood sugar.

 
Hazelnut Fudge 
Brownies 
 
SERVES 16 
 
2 1/2 cups unbleached flour 
3/4 cup cocoa powder 
1/2 tsp. salt 
1 cup date sugar 
1/2 cup softened butter 
1/4 cup milk 
1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts, 
  plus 16 whole hazelnuts 
2 Tbs. agave nectar 
 
1. Preheat oven to 350F. 
 
2. In medium bowl, combine 
flour, cocoa powder and salt. 
In separate ...