Instead of sugar

If you want to avoid sugar there are some other good options:

Xylitol - occurs naturally in our body and has a limited effect on our insulin levels. Does not cause dental cavities. Made from corn hobs or birch trees. Can be fatal to dogs. My preferred sweetener as I find it tastes and works just like ordinary table sugar.

Luo han gao - naturally occurring sweetener extracted from the luo han gao plant. It is also called monk fruit and it is 300 times sweeter than sugar.

Stevia - naturally occurring sweetener extracted from the stevia plant (240 different species in the sunflower family). It was approved for use in EU in 2011. Has a limited effect on our insulin levels. Not so good with baking.

Splenda - low calorie-sweetener made from sugar. It is not the best option but can be used if you can't get any of the others and it is always a better choice than ordinary sugar or syrup.