Who says that people who eat organic can't have sweets? Organic sweets have recently come on the market to satisfy the sweet tooth of discriminating consumers who want to avoid synthetic chemicals. On this page, we will include organic candy and organic sweeteners. Much has been written about the negative effects of refined sugar and high fructose corn syrup. It's present in more foods than we are aware of, from ketchup to fruit punch. Many natural, organic foods can be found with no added sugar and no corn syrup. Even zero-calorie sweetners have entered the market. And how about some organic lollipops? A few products are mentioned below.
Organic sweeteners
What is stevia? (Cahehe). Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana) is an herb in the Chrysanthemum family. It is native to Paraguay, used for over 1500 years by the native Guarani Indians. Aside from its sweetness, it has a number of positive effects on the body. The whole leaf contains numerous phytonutrients and trace minerals and is much sweeter than sugar with out negative effects. It can sweeten any drink with no calories, no carbohydrates, no tooth decay and is diabetic safe. Stevia does not raise blood glucose levels, making it not only safe for diabetics but also beneficial for the rest of us. The key is the main ingredient stevioside; the more stevioside, the sweeter the product. Some may experience a slightly bitter aftertaste when using stevia leaf extract.
After extensive research, stevia has been safely used for over 30 years in Japan, where aspartame has been banned. Japanese manufacturers use stevia in cola, pickling, gum, ice cream and a wide variety of other foods. Other countries around the world have also been using stevia as a sugar substitute in food manufacturing.
Organic agave nectar The juice derived from the center of the blue agave plant, native to Mexico, is about 25% sweeter than sugar. To produce agave nectar, juice is expressed from the core of the agave, called the piņa. The juice is filtered, then heated, to hydrolyze carbohydrates into sugars. The main carbohydrate is a complex form of fructose called inulin or fructosan. The rest is glucose. The filtered, hydrolyzed juice is concentrated to a syrup-like liquid a little thinner than honey. Agave juice has a very low glycemic index, which is important because this reduces the need for insulin in the bloodstream.
Organic Candy
Are you longing for an alternative to the jelly beans and other candy out there? How about organic lollipops? A company called
Yummy Earth organic candy
makes lollipops from nothing more than fruit juices and vegetable extracts. Who would have thought that lollipop could taste so good and be all-natural? Another company called
College Farm Organic
makes natural and organic hard candies, as well as Naturepops wrapped in biodegradable wrappers.
Dutch Gold
100% organic sweeteners include honey and maple syrup.
Liquid Planet organic syrups
These syrups are made using organic cane juice, and come in 6 yummy flavors - vanilla, almond, caramel, irish creme, hazelnut and raspberry. And they contain no preservatives or high-fructose corn syrup.
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