Stevia
I have issues when I consume too much sugar. I used to use Splenda until I learned more about natural sweeteners. I usually suggest stevia, agave nectar, and black strap molasses. If I’m talking to a fellow vegan, then I don’t mention honey because that is still up for debate in the vegan community.
As for sweetening other things, like putting together a recipe for a dish, there are lots of fruits and veggies that are good for that. One thing you can remind people is that root foods like carrots and sweet potatoes are naturally sweet. In fact, mashed sweet potatoes is a good alternative to white potatoes. Oh, and I’m a big fan of oven baked sweet potato fries!