“Healthy sweetener.” At first, it may sound like a total oxymoron, akin to “jumbo shrimp” or “racing sloth”. However, there are some fantastic natural sweeteners on the market that offer the perfect balance of great taste, superfood nutrition and fantastic mouth feel, while also being low-glycemic or even zero-glycemic.
Two brand-new sweeteners that I’m truly stoked about are Sweet Mesquite Powder and Green Stevia Powder. Both products have been harvested by indigenous cultures for centuries and they’re now available to use in pumping up our favorite recipes. Sweet Mesquite powder tastes awesome in puddings, pie crusts, nut butters, bliss balls and also in homemade catsup or old-school barbeque sauces. It tastes sweeter than other mesquite powders and has a lighter color with a smooth, fine texture. Green Stevia Powder is actually a zero-glycemic sweetener, so it has no effect on blood sugar levels. I’ve used it in smoothies, elixirs, tonics, desserts, salad dressings and savory sauces. It has a super potent level of sweetness (25 to 30 times sweeter taste than refined sugar) and doesn’t have a bitter aftertaste like many liquid stevia products do.
Ultimately, what’s the point of using healthy, low-glycemic natural sweeteners? First of all, refined sugars can contribute to obesity. Without delving too deep into the research, they have also been linked to the onset of diabetes, endocrine disruption, compromised immune systems, accelerated symptoms of aging and a variety of serious inflammatory conditions. And, an excess of refined sugar can potentially feed into the growth of candida, fungi, cancer cells and other pathogenic microorganisms. Not exactly a recipe for lifelong vitality and youthful vivaciousness.
What I love best about natural sweeteners like Sweet Mesquite Powder, Green Stevia Powder, Lucuma Powder, Coconut Palm Sugar and Clear Agave Nectar is that they are all minimally-processed, low-glycemic, products that enhance the flavor profile and dynamic taste of your recipes. Culinary magic aside, they’re much easier for the body to recognize, digest and assimilate in a balanced and sustainable way.
Healthy sweeteners. Yep, they really DO exist. So, what’s next, “weight-loss chocolate”? Hmmm…
