The Sweet Life
Almond Glory currently offers a naturally low glycemic product line that utilizes organic sugar and a sugar-free line that uses sucralose. Both lines are gluten-free and delicious.
America is addicted to sugar. When the low fat lifestyle was adopted in the U.S., in order to make the low fat food palatable the manufacturers needed to increase the sugar content of the food. Many manufacturers add extra sugar to their product for their American market. Many of the current gluten free options on the market are also VERY HIGH in their sugar content in order to mask the compromised taste or texture of the product.
This onslaught of sugar has thrown our bodies into crisis creating an epidemic of diabetes across the nation. In 1828 the average American ate 12 lbs of sugar a year…in 1999 the average American ate 158 lbs of sugar a year of refined sugar and corn syrup.
Organic Sugar
Sugar is sugar to your body: grains, wheat, candy, white sugar, organic sugar, fruit, and veggies. However, the processing of sugar can have harmful chemicals for many people. For that reason Almond Glory offers a product line made with evaporate cane juice organic sugar. This sugar contains no pesticides, no herbicides, no chemicals, and it is not bleached. This sugar is certified USDA ORGANIC and FAIR TRADE. For more info visit www.wholesomesweeteners.com. Almond Glory also offers a naturally lower glycemic product line that uses organic sugar as its sweetener of choice. For the diabetic who is counting their carbs carefully and also wants to reduce their artificial sweetener intake, Almond Glory provides a viable alternative.
In answer to the needs of the growing group of diabetics or people who want to reduce the number of sugars in their diet; natural and artificial sugar substitutes are being found and created that minimally affect the glycemic (blood sugar) levels in the blood. Stevia, xylitol, maltitol, sucralose, saccharine, Acesulfame-K, dextrose are some of the current sugar substitutes available at this time with many more to become available as the research continues to be done.
Eating sweets and high carb foods from any source causes sweet cravings. Dieticians and nutritionists are firm in their concern to not use artificial sweeteners as an excuse to eat a lot of sweet foods again. We have to learn how to appreciate the subtler flavors of the foods we eat.
There are different paths currently followed by American consumers in seeking sugar alternatives. The most common are sucralose, stevia, and sugar alcohols such as Xylitol.
Sucralose
Sucralose is the first no calorie, no carb sweetener whose sweetness doesn’t change when it is heated. Splenda® was released in the U.S. in 2000 having been used in Canada for the last twenty years. The generic name is sucralose which is made from a real sugar molecule (sucrose) that has been changed and replaced hydrogen-oxygen groups for chlorine. The result is a sugar structure that the mouth tastes the sweetness of the sugar but the sugar is no longer capable of being absorbed by the blood and will not raise the blood sugar (or glycemic) level. This small vapor sweet molecule is then attached to maltodextrin (which is a cellular structure derived from cornstarch) and gives Splenda® its bulk.
Unlike artificial sweeteners of the past (aspartame or saccharin) sucralose can be used in baking. Vapor is 500 to 600 times sweeter than table sugar but when used in the granular form of Splenda® we have found that the sweetness of 1 cup of table sugar is equal to about 1/3 cup of Splenda® . Splenda® does not provide the bulk or the browning properties of table sugar. As a result, recipes made with Splenda® will produce less quantity than if made with table sugar and they will not get that deep golden brown color.
Splenda® can be purchased in a powder form (packets) or a granular form (used for cooking) and they have come out with a new Sugar Blend that will have calorie/carbs savings with all the cooking properties of sugar. However, diabetics need to be very mindful when using the Splenda® Sugar Blend.
Is Splenda® safe?
Splenda® has been approved by the FDA in 1998 after review of over 100 studies conducted over the past 20 years. It has also been approved by the American Diabetic Association as a substitute sweetener and has been approved to be safe for children and pregnant women.
Splenda® is controversial among some health food advocates which argue that there have been no long term human studies of the effects of sucralose consumption on humans. There are reports of negative reactions and symptoms with the sweetener. However, there is no solid science yet shown to disrepute sucralose to date.
Almond Glory and Sucralose
Almond Glory has chosen sucralose as its sweetener of choice for it's sugar free product line at this time. Almond Glory products are intentionally less sweet than their traditional counterparts to help America tone down our taste buds to discover the flavors behind the sugar.
Stevia
Stevia is a powerful sweetener derived from the leaves of a South American herb often preferred by people who follow a whole foods diet. By itself, it has a distinct light licorice flavor with a slightly bitter aftertaste. As a result many combine stevia with a sugar alcohol to help mask the flavor and provide a sugary “crunch” to baked goods.
You can find stevia in liquid form or in a dry form. Stevia is very concentrated sweetness with the extracts being 200 - 300 x sweeter. And the dry form 10- 15 times sweeter than table sugar. The dry form has been known to clump up in more humid areas. Many have found when stevia is combined with a sugar alcohol such as xylitol, it helps to stabilize the sweetener in baked goods.
Is stevia safe?
In 1991 the FDA banned the product based on 1980 studies that showed stevia could break down into potentially harmful substance in rats. Since then, Japan has done rigorous testing process that has found no toxic effect, so in 1995 the FDA approved stevia to be imported as a “dietary supplement”. This explains why health food stores sell stevia in bottles with eye droppers in the food supplement section. Health food advocates claim stevia satisfies sweet cravings and can help regulate blood sugar. However, stevia is not American Diabetes Association approved at this time.
For more info visit www.stevia.net
Sugar Alcohol
Sugar alcohols are the most common new reduced calorie substitute sweeteners. Even though they are called sugar alcohol they do not contain alcohol. There are a number of different sugar alcohols being used today such as : xylitol, maltitol, sorbitol (they all end in “ol” if they are a sugar alcohol). Xylitol and sorbitol have been used in sugarless gum and toothpaste for years.
Sugar alcohol is made by adding hydrogen atoms to sugar. They occur naturally in foods and come from plant products such as fruits and berries. They can range from no calories to three fourths those in regular sugar. They are converted to glucose more slowly, require little or no insulin to be metabolized and don't cause sudden increases in blood sugar.
Sugar alcohols tend to hit your tongue’s taste buds in a different place and tend to have a mint or cooling taste which is why they work so well with gums and chocolates.
Maltitol is 75 percent as sweet as sugar. It is used in sugar-free hard candies, chewing gum, chocolate-flavored desserts, baked goods and ice cream because it gives a creamy texture to foods.
Are sugar alcohols safe?
Sugar alcohols are very common in many new sugar free products being manufactured, however, all sugar alcohols can have a laxative effect promoting gassiness and may cause diarrhea if eaten in excess.
Sugar alcohols and diabetes
Sugar alcohols contain carbohydrates and some calories but do not effect the blood sugar levels. As a result the total carb count will be higher, but the net effective carb (carbs that effect the blood sugar levels) remain low. The American Diabetes Association approves of sugar alcohols as long as the patient is counting their carbs.
Almond Glory and Sugar Alcohols
Almond Glory sugar free products that contain chocolate are made with sugar free chocolate imported from Spain. Made from real cocoa butter and maltitol (sugar alcohol) its delicious taste and creamy texture creates a surprise in every bite with out raising your blood sugar levels.
However, we recommend you be mindful when eating Almond Glory products made with chocolate. Excessive consumption can have a laxative effect on many individuals.
New sweeteners are continually being introduced to meet the rising demands of the market. Almond Glory will continue to monitor these products for ongoing updates on the science, as well as, the best tasting sweeteners that will help to promote a savory healthy lifestyle.