Must See! Sugar: The Bitter Truth

This one and a half hour video is well worth your time. "Robert H. Lustig, MD, UCSF Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Endocrinology, explores the damage caused by sugary foods. He argues that fructose (too much) and fiber (not enough) appear to be cornerstones of the obesity epidemic through their effects on insulin."

Lustig thoroughly illuminates the scientific reasons why all sugar & specifically fructose; which is the most insidious ingredient bombarding our diet & our bodies at every meal; are poisons & should be avoided at all costs to prevent obesity & disease.

Lip smacking treats for diabetics that ensure insulin spikes

I came across an article today by an author who says he is a dietician specializing in diabetic diets. But under natural sweeteners he recommends agave nectar, honey, barley malt syrup, maple syrup, & sugar cane juice right along side stevia. No, no, no, no, no.

Stevia, like ZSweet® (erythritol), is an all natural zero calorie, zero glycemic sweetener. Caloric sweeteners & sugar substitutes with a glycemic impact should not be grouped with Stevia or ZSweet® as if we're comparing apples to apples. It misleads the consumer into thinking they're all the same & can be consumed without monitoring calories or GI. Those other sweeteners may be all natural, but they are not the safest option for people with diabetes & responsible authors should publish nutrition values for their readers, especially diabetic readers, when making recommendations.

Agave Nectar - 60 calories / 15 glycemic index
Barley Malt Syrup - 60 calories / 42 glycemic index
Honey - 64 calories / 30 glycemic index
Maple Syrup - 52 calories / 54 glycemic index
Sugar Cane Juice - 25 calories / 43 glycemic index
Stevia - 0 calories / 0 glycemic index
ZSweet® (erythritol) - 0.2 calories / 0 glycemic index
(see links to for average serving sizes)

Agave, Far Worse Than High Fructose Corn Syrup

Here at Zero Worries Foods, Inc. we have found that the majority of people, even the health conscious, are under the impression that agave nectar is an all natural zero calorie sweetener, it's not. Many are consuming agave in large quantities unaware of the actual calories per serving; 16 calories per teaspoon, the same as table sugar (sucrose).

Besides the calories, agave adds more fructose to an average daily diet that is already bombarded by fructose in juice, soda, bread, cereal & other common foods. That much fructose can overload the liver & turn into fat & have other health implications.

In a recent article by Dr. Joseph Mercola he educates consumers in greater detail about agave (fructose) & highlights "two overall reasons fructose is so damaging:
Your body metabolizes fructose in a much different way than glucose. Fructose is broken down in your liver just like alcohol and produces many of the side effects of chronic alcohol use, right down to the "beer belly".
People are consuming fructose in quantities that are 400-800 percent higher than they were 100 years ago due to its pervasive presence in just about all processed foods."
Read the full article here.

We recommend cutting out caloric sweeteners & beverages & limiting sugar - whether fructose, glucose or sucrose as much as possible. ZSweet® is a natural, truly zero calorie way to do just that. Compare the differences of agave nectar & ZSweet® here.

"Agave not an ideal sugar substitute"

Watch video

We've found that many health conscious consumers are under the wrong impression about agave nectar. While it is all natural and lower glycemic than table sugar, it is not zero calories, and being that it is entirely fructose, it is not metabolized by the entire body, but instead is processed only by the liver, which if consumed in excess can lead to health problems.

We felt it was important to share this recent news article & video which illuminates the facts about agave which many people are using as if it were a zero calorie sweetener, when in reality it is closer to honey & needs to be used in moderation.

1 tbsp. agave - 60 calories / 32 Glycemic Index
1 tbsp. sugar - 48 calories / 68 Glycemic Index
1 tbsp. ZSweet® - 0 calories / 0 Glycemic Index

credit: ABC News

"How sweet it is" to be on MSNBC.com

Some of you may have caught the Today Show's feature on sugar substitutes yesterday morning. If not, have a look at Nutritionist Joy Bauer's article and clip on their official website... and check out her great comments on ZSweet® in the article.
As a side note, I love agave as a natural sweetener, but I'm confused as to why they put it in the same category with natural zero calorie sweeteners. It's not zero calories, so be careful if that's important to you. The article mentions that, but sometimes in news clips they go so fast they fail to mention that.
photo credits: msnbc.com

Who Likes The Taste of Chocolate & Mint?

Kelly Keough shares her simple sugar-free mint chocolate pattie recipe.

All the ingredients are natural & healthy, now that's sweet. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS
Candy
1 ½ cups extra virgin coconut oil, melted
¾ cup hem butter
½ cup Zsweet® powdered
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
3 drops Peppermint Liquid Stevia
3 drops Chocolate Liquid Stevia
¼ cup agave
¾ cup roasted carob powder
½ cup raw cacao nibs
½ cup hemp seeds

Filling
½ cup hump butter
¼ cup agave
¼ cup powdered Zsweet®
2 drops Peppermint Liquid Stevia

PREPARATION
Line mini cup cake tins with paper liners. Melt coconut oil by placing jar under hot water or spoon into saucepan and melt over low flame. When coconut oil turns to a liquid, pour oil in medium bowl. Slowly whisk in peanut butter until smooth.
To powder Zsweet®, place in high powered blender and blend on low and increase speed high for 30 seconds. Measure amount needed. Whisk powdered Zsweet® into wet batter. Add in peppermint extract, Liquid Stevias, and agave one at a time and blend.
Slowly stir in carob and cacoa powder a spoonful at a time. Stir in raw cacoa nibs and hemp seeds one at a time. Batter should run off of spoon easily, but not too runny.

To make filling, in a small bowl mix together hemp butter and agave. Add Zsweet® and Liquid Stevia and mix. With two spoons, spoon drop a small teaspoon full of filling into prepared paper liners. Spoon a tablespoon full of prepared batter on top of filling. Freeze for 15 minutes. Store in freezer.
Yield: 50 candies.

For more delicious, guilt-free recipes visit: www.kellykeough.com.