Tag: Vitamins And Minerals

Natural Sweeteners for a Healthy Lifestyle

Some people believe that there is nothing wrong with eating or drinking something that is delicious. Just like alcohol, this should be taken moderately since too much can prove to be unhealthy.

Natural sweeteners are used on different foods and a regular favorite are pancakes served for breakfast. Maple syrup works best in the morning. This is made up of 65% sucrose which is half the amount coming from white sugar.

Another natural sweetener worth checking out is malt syrup. This is made from cereal grains and those who take this get half the amount of calories taken from using maple syrup. This makes it not that sweet prompting the user to add more for flavor.

Rice syrup is a natural sweetener that can be used for baking. This is usually substituted for honey or white sugar and is only half as sweet. The person should be careful when mixing since too much liquid could dilute the chemical rendering it useless. This will take some time to get the right formula to make the dish suitable to the persons taste.

A natural sweetener can also be achieved by mixing rice syrup with evaporated white grape juice. This is made up of 33% more carbohydrate and is yellowish white in color. This works very well in the recipe if Sucanat, a wholesome sweetener cannot do well for it.

Date sugar is another natural sweetener. This can be purchased in a natural foods store and considered to be almost a whole food. This is high in fiber, vitamins and minerals. Compared to Rice syrup, this will not dilute even when mixed with a lot of liquid.

Blackstrap Molasses is another natural sweetener worth experimenting on. This is made up of 70% sucrose that has a strong flavor but is strong on iron. This is good for those who know how to make bake a pie or a cake. People can add honey to the mix to make this taste sweet.

The most common that people know as a natural sweetener is honey. This is usually obtained bees and is sweeter than white sugar which means the person should only add a teaspoon to the food.

Natural sweeteners can serve well for those who dont it artificially produced. The person can check the products out in the supermarket then choose the best which is healthy to bring home.

Low Calorie Sweeteners for Better Health

People have become health conscious these days. This is due to the fact that there are more people who are overweight and this has affected both kids and adults.

Can this be treated? Yes but it is going to take more than a change in diet and exercise to make it work. The person can watch the food and beverage being taken in by only using artificial sweeteners that are low in calorie.

Low calorie sweeteners still give the same flavor as regular white sugar. The difference is that it only gives the person a few to zero calories per serving. This product has been called different names such as being a intense sweetener, an alternative sweetener, high potency or high intensity and non-nutritive sweetener.

There are many products in the market that the person can choose from. One of the best selling is made of an ingredient called Aspartame. Brands that use this are NutraSweet, Equal and Canderel.

Companies that manufacture this have produced beverages, sachet packs and bars which serve as another way of taking this into the body. The shelf life of such products could last three years as along as these are stored in room temperature.

Another brand that is quite popular is Splenda. This product also adds flavor without the extra calories after being taken in by the body. People who buy this product dont only mix it with tea or coffee. There are those that substitute this for regular sugar during baking.

The company also has a wide range of products to choose from in the grocery that are good for those with a sweet tooth but dont want to add those extra calories.

Sugarcane has been used for years on a variety of products. In Asia, this has been used as a drink. Lately, people have seen this as an alternative to oil for vehicles. A few years back, scientists have discovered that this can also be a low calorie health sweetener.

Sucanat serves as a wholesome sweetener that is all natural and can give the person the right amount of vitamins and minerals that the body needs.

The ingredients that make up a low calorie sweetener can be found in almost every basic thing that the person buys from the supermarket. Some examples are toothpaste, breath mints, syrup and cooking oil. These ingredients are printed on the label are a good for those who want to have a healthy lifestyle.

Getting to Know the Kinds of Sugar Sweeteners

The terms sugar and sweetener are not so much different in terms of meaning. Although people feel that sugar is a form of sweetener, this actually not the case. Sugar is a term used to refer to any substance that is used to sweeten food. However, because of the fact that sucrose or the ordinary table sugar is also loosely called as sugar or in some cases white sugar, sweetener is then used.

Sugar is a form of carbohydrates that can be good for the body when eaten in right amounts. The problem arises when people eat too much of it. Unlike other food items, sugar do not have anything more to offer than empty calories. Sugar, you see, can actually pack the calories and add to your weight. This increases the risk of developing other health problems such as hypertension, heart disease and diabetes, not to mention the threat of obesity.

Sugar comes in many forms. Do you know where each comes from?

White sugar is perhaps the most common form. This is the ordinary table sugar that people use for their drinks. White sugar comes from sugar cane. Another similar form is the brown sugar, which many believe is much healthier than the white. Brown sugar is made by adding the sugar cane molasses, making it more moisturized. There is also the raw sugar which retains much of the molasses of the sugar cane. Turbinado, Muscovado and Demerara are terms that are used to refer to raw sugar.

Honey is another sweetener that many consider to be very healthy. Naturally produced by honeybees, it requires no processing and can be used directly.

Stevia is a form of sugar or sweetener that is derived from a Paraguay plant with the same name. Stevia is actually considered an herb and is considered to be very healthy because it contains no calories and unlike the ordinary table sugar, which are empty carbohydrates, stevia actually has some levels of vitamins and minerals.

It is said to be capable of helping lower blood pressure, improve digestion and discourage the growth of bacteria. One disadvantage though is that stevia has a slightly bitter aftertaste.

Maple syrup comes from the sap of maple trees. Although maple syrup is also considered quite healthy, consumers are asked to be cautious in using uncertified ones because thete is danger of it having chemical residues from pesticides.

Malt syrup, on the other hand, comes from barley. It contains maltose, which is less sweet as sucrose.

Artificial Sweeteners for Pregnant Woman

The health of a newborn child even before this comes out of the womb of the mother will really depend on the diet during the crucial 9 months. This has prompted mothers to reduce the amount of sugar taken into the body by relying on artificial sweeteners.

Are this safe for the pregnant mother? The answer is yes. This is because it offers zero calories and has the right amount of vitamins and minerals per serving. This should be taken in moderation since this could contribute also to excess weight gain especially for women who are diagnosed with diabetes should be more careful since

There are a variety of products that are available in the market and these may contain any of the following ingredient; honey, sucrose, dextrose, corn sugar, fructose or maltose.

Sugar alcohol can also be considered as an artificial sweetener most of these are sugar free. A few examples of these are sorbitol, hydrogenated starch, mannitol, xylitol and isomalt.

There are many artificial sweeteners to choose from. The first is Sunnet. This is made from Acesulfame Potassium which can be added to drinks, desserts and baked goods.

The next is Equal or NutraSweet which is made up of the ingredient called Aspartame. This can be taken in large amounts without worrying about any calories until the lactation period. This is also used by people who are diagnosed with diabetes.

The only time this is not safe for pregnant women is when the patient is diagnosed to have a rare liver disease or those who have high levels of phenylalanine in the blood. This will only hinder the metabolism of aspartame in the body.

Another artificial sweetener good for those who are pregnant is Splenda. The main ingredient is sucralose. This is used on a variety of products such as non-alcoholic drinks, juices, condiments, baked goods and coffee or tea products.

All of these products have been certified by the Food and Drugs Administration. Those who want to be sure this is safe can first consult a doctor before using any of these products. The professional can give the right amount that the body can consume on a given day.

The only time artificial sweeteners are unsafe is when the person buys products such as cyclamate, saccharin and stevia. The ingredients have been linked to cancers which are harmful to both the mother and the baby.