There are a number of sugar substitutes on the market but the most natural are whole fruit and vegetables. Using them in their whole form means you'll be benefitting from the valuable fiber and nutrients they contain as well as enjoying their naturally sweet flavor. Popular veggie choices are carrots, parsnips and beetroot these all work surprisingly well in sweet treats, as do sweet potatoes, squash and even courgettes. A great tip is to combine veg like these with ground almonds to create a crumbly, naturally sweet cakey crumb.Fruit is amazingly versatile. Bananas are an obvious choice but don't forget other exotic fruits that are naturally high in sugar, like pineapple and mango. One of the key considerations when using fruit and veg is to make sure they're as ripe as possible so you optimize their natural sweetness. You need to be prepared for some trial and error before you get your favorite recipe to work. Replacing refined sugar with, say an apple purée, is clearly not a straightforward swap, and so you'll need to play around with the amount of fluid and dry ingredients before you get the combination right. Dried fruit like dates, sultanas, prunes and apricots are concentrated sources of sweetness, rich in fiber and nutrients including iron and potassium. They make a great choice for boosting the sweetness of a recipe or as a purée for adding extra moisture and stickiness.