In short, no! As you probably surmised from reading this article, I recommend avoiding all sweeteners — natural or otherwise — as much as possible. They're not necessary and provide no meaningful nutritional benefit. If you need a particular food sweetened, you can opt for a product like monk fruit extract that science suggests poses the least health risk. But if you can skip the sweetener altogether, you'll be better off overall. And keep in mind that this is largely a matter of taste; once you start weaning yourself off of sugar and sugar alternatives, you will find that you're less drawn to foods with a sweet taste. I realize that cutting out sweet foods and drinks is easier said than done. Corn syrup, fructose, white sugar and other additives are everywhere in our society. But I sincerely believe that your commitment to living healthier today will pay dividends down the road.