"Agave not an ideal sugar substitute"

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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

"It’s a sugar problem – any sugar."

In 2004 Professor of Nutrition, Dr. Barry Popkin & Dr. George Bray of Baton Rouge's Pennington Biomedical Research Center, published a now well-known study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition which hypothesized that there was a direct link between the rise in obesity & the consumption of High Fructose Corn Syrup. Their paper started a frenzy of consumer hysteria over HFCS leading the public to abandon products containing the ingredient & swapping it for what they perceived as the healthier, more natural alternative - sugar.

In a recent interview Dr. Popkin commented on the common misperception that sugar is a safer alternative to HFCS stating, “We showed later that fructose from sugar has the same effect,” Popkin said. “We were wrong in our speculations on high fructose corn syrup about their link to weight... it’s a sugar problem – any sugar."

The bottom line is whether you're consuming HFCS, fructose, sucrose, soda or fruit juice, it's all still converting into sugar & calories in the body & they all come with the same health risks. It is important to reduce, or better yet, avoid all of the above. The good news is ZSweet® tastes like sugar but is naturally zero calories & will not raise your blood sugar or contribute to weight gain like the others, including natural sugar, which is still sugar.

Read the full article, "Fructose in the firing line" here.

photo credit: sugarstacks.com

ZSweet® is @ Vitamin Shoppe!

What's The Best Sugar Substitute?

The search is over, the best sugar substitute is Zsweet® all natural sweetener. "Prove it!" you say? Ok, I will.

Every individual has different needs when choosing a sugar substitute: the dieter wants it to be zero calories, with no hidden calories like most so-called "zero calorie sweeteners"; the health nut wants it to be natural, GMO-free, free of artificial ingredients and flavors like MSG and not chemically processed; the diabetic needs it to be zero glycemic impact; people with candida want it to be sugar-free and also without certain fillers that will feed their candida; Moms want an alternative to sugar that won't cause cavities and send their kids into a sugar rush; sugar-free veterans don't want another sweetener that's going to having them rushing to the bathroom after each use or that has a bitter aftertaste; there's also the gluten-free and low-carb eaters, the vegans and those who eat kosher. You can make different suggestions for each of these people as to which sugar substitute will fit their individual needs, or you can recommend the same sweetener for all of these people and cover everyone's needs together all at once by recommending Zsweet®.

Zsweet® is naturally zero calories, zero glycemic index, zero net-carbs, vegan, kosher, gluten-free, GMO-free, MSG-free, will not promote candida growth or tooth decay, will not cause gastric distress and contains no known allergens. It's the all-in-one zero worries sweetener. You can happily serve Zsweet® to any family member or friend, especially those with dietary restrictions, with confidence and peace of mind.

Zsweet® is made using a natural culturing process; fermenting sugar to produce erythritol, a natural sugar alcohol; and then after adding natural non-citrus fruit extracts, Zsweet® crystalizes. The end result is similar to sugar in texture and taste. Unlike artificial sweeteners, aspartame, saccharin, and sucralose, Zsweet® is not made in a laboratory and is not a man-made chemical compound that can not be found in nature. All of the ingredients in Zsweet® can be found in fruits and plants.
Why is Zsweet® better than plain old erythritol? A few reasons. First, plain erythritol is only 70% as sweet as sugar, but after adding our trade secret blend of natural fruit extracts, Zsweet® granular is 100% the same as sugar, and supersweet Zsweet® packets are twice as sweet as sugar.

Second, plain erythritol has a minty aftertaste or cooling effect as some describe it. Most people find this aftertaste very unpleasant in coffee and baked goods. Zsweet®'s blend has eliminated that aftertaste to produce a taste that is sweet like sugar with no lingering cooling sensation. This makes Zsweet® a great natural sugar alternative for cooking and baking. We recommend using recipes that are formulated for Zsweet® or erythritol to get the best results.

Third, even though clinical studies have shown that erythritol is the most mild sugar alcohol and thus not required by the FDA to carry a warning label, if consumed in large quantities plain erythritol can cause a laxative effect, especially for those sensitive to sugar alcohols. Zsweet® has been able to reduce the amount of erythritol to 1 gm per serving in our supersweet packets, therefore those with sensitivities can benefit from the high potency of the supersweet blend and keep their sugar alcohol intake to a minimum.

Zsweet® has been recommended by Dr.'s Nicholas Perricone, Andrew Weil and Julian Whitaker as a natural and healthy alternative to sugar and artificial sweeteners. Zsweet® can be found at Whole Foods Market and other natural retailers nation-wide as well as online at www.Zsweet.com and overseas at www.Zsweet.eu.

Consider all the benefits, try Zsweet® for yourself, and see if you're as convinced as I am, that Zsweet® really is the best sugar substitute out there.

Diabetic Friendly Zsweet®

Did you know that Zsweet® all natural sweetener is not only zero calories, zero-net carbs, but also zero glycemic impact? That is great news for Type 1 & Type 2 diabetics and also those concerned about pre-diabetes symptoms.As I mentioned in a previous blog post, a lot of "zero calorie" sweeteners sneak in hidden calories; that's because the FDA allows just under 5 calories per serving to be labeled zero calories. For many people with diabetes who rely on sugar substitutes as a staple of their diet, those hidden calories can add up fast! Some have even complained of mysterious blood sugar spikes, perhaps because they didn't count all those calories that weren't listed on their sweetener. Most people are unaware of this fact, so why wouldn't they assume a packet labeled zero calories is truly zero calories?

That is the beautiful thing about Zsweet®; the no worries sweetener; it is truly zero calories! When we say zero on the label, we mean it. Not only is it zero calories, but since it is zero-net carbs, there are no carbs in Zsweet® that are converted into calories, no matter how much you use. So next time you're looking to satisfy your sweet tooth, go ahead and sprinkle as much as Zsweet® as you want.

If you want to get creative, d-Life.com is a wonderfully comprehensive resource for people with diabetes and you can find many delicious Zsweet® recipes there, as well as a plethora of other sugar-free meal ideas with all the nutrition facts clearly stated. Enjoy!

Click here for recipes:

In The News Again...

Zsweet® was mentioned among other old & new sweeteners in the March 2009 issue of Parade. The article, "The Scoop on Sugar Substitutes" by Joy Bauer, highlighted some great facts about erythritol, such as it's being calorie free & not a cause of laxative effects like it's sugar alcohol brothers & sisters, xylitol, maltitol & sorbitol. Also mentioned is erythritol's sweetness being only 60-70% of sugar, but what was not mentioned is that Zsweet® has increased the sweetness of erythritol to 100-200% of sugar.
By using a special blend of fruit extracts, Zsweet® is the only erythritol based sweetener that can be purchased at the same sweetness as sugar, in our pouches and tabletop canister; or twice as sweet as sugar, in our supersweet individual packets. Other erythritol sweeteners have added sugar or other caloric fillers to try to increase the sweetness & eliminate the aftertaste of plain erythritol. Zsweet® remains zero calories, zero glycemic impact, zero-net carbs & 100% natural, while tasting the closest to sugar & being absolutely sugar-free.