Over the past few months, we've likely all eaten more than our fair share of sugary things. The way the holidays from Halloween through Easter all tend to run together, there isn't a month that goes by without grocery shelves filled with specialty candies and dinner tables piled with desserts and goodies. Come spring, we're all about ready to crash. Oh sugar, how you taunt us. There's really no denying the profoundly negative effects of refined sugars on our bodies. And so we are left with sugar substitutes, but where does that really leave us? Many of those have their own lengthy lists of negative health effects, and a lot of them just don't taste very good. Sweet teeth, rejoice! Rainbow has sugar substitutes that are not only sweet and delicious, but they have low glycemic index ratings, (suitable for diabetics and those on candida-conscious diets) and some are actually beneficial to your health. So, whether it's your morning cup of coffee or tea that needs a better sweetener, or you're in the mood to do some baking, why not give one of these a try?
Jerusalem Artichoke Syrup from Bright Earth Foods
We know, it doesn't necessarily sound sweet and delicious. The Jerusalem artichoke, or sunchoke, is rich in inulin, a naturally occurring polysaccharide. Inulin is actually a fiber that is not digested in the stomach, so it enters the intestines virtually unchanged. There it fosters the growth of "good bacteria" in your intestinal tract. There is also evidence that it may even boost calcium absorption.
Coconut Nectar & Coconut Crystals from Coconut Secret
These two sweeties are made from the sap of a coconut tree. Coconut sap contains several different minerals, vitamin C, broad-spectrum B vitamins, and 17 amino acids. Both of these products are minimally processed and evaporated at low temps. Neither is subjected to the high temperatures that many processed sweeteners are, (even agave) so they are both enzymatically alive. The flavor is sweet and somewhat earthy, but not coconutty.
Stevia from NuNatural
Most of us have tried, or at least heard of, stevia by now. This sweet herb is even sweeter than sugar and has no caloric intake.
XyloSweet
Xylitol is a naturally occurring sugar alcohol that our own bodies produce in small amounts. It is just as sweet as sugar with only 40% of the calories. And, rather than attack your teeth like sugar, xylitol has actually been shown to prevent tooth decay.
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