America’s infatuation with sugar has gotten this country into a heck of a health mess, to say the least. Sugar is found in almost every processed food and to some, seems impossible to escape. Packaged, canned and fast foods are loaded with sugar and its cousin, high-fructose corn syrup which is nothing short of a poison that increases the risk of heart disease, diabetes, obesity and high blood pressure. The search for a healthy alternative sweetener has been a bumpy path.
Once Upon-a-Time
Cane sugar was America’s favorite “go to” sweetener up until the 1970’s when inexpensive corn-derived sweeteners such as high-fructose corn syrup arrived on the scene. While table sugar is truly evil with 50% fructose and 50% glucose, high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) that contains nearly 80% fructose and 20% glucose is super evil. With the increase in use of HFCS, there came an alarming parallel increase in such medical conditions as type-2 diabetes, kidney disease, metabolic syndrome and hypertension. Unlike glucose that can be metabolized and converted to useful energy, fructose is quickly metabolized in the liver and leads to high levels of fat which increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. Foods high in fructose do not satisfy hunger which causes us to eat more.
What about Aspartame?
Some people think that when they switch from HFCS to artificial sweeteners such as aspartame that they are doing themselves a favor. Aspartame is considered, by some health experts, to be the most dangerous substance on the planet. It hides in products known as NutraSweet, Equal, Equal-Measure and Spoonful, but it accounts for up to 75% of all adverse food reactions, including seizures and even death. Headaches, dizziness, memory loss, joint pain, insomnia, irritability, dementia and hearing loss are just a few of the other reported side effects of this extremely dangerous chemical. Switching from HFCS to this artificial nightmare is nothing short of going from the frying pan into the fire.
Agave Nectar
Now, this sounds healthy doesn’t it? It sounds like some sweet sap from a plant that could not be dangerous at all. On the contrary, agave nectar, although made from the juice of a plant, is loaded with fructose. In addition to swimming around in our bloodstream as triglycerides, fructose also prohibits the production of leptin, the hormone that helps us know when we are full and also blocks insulin receptors making blood sugar difficult to regulate. Diets high in fructose make us eat more, plain and simple. Agave nectar also blocks absorption of essential minerals such as iron, zinc, magnesium and calcium.
Coconut Sap to the Rescue
Coconut sap could possibly be the best-kept secret when it comes to natural sweeteners. Coconut sap comes directly from the coconut palm and is nutrient rich and contains 17 amino acids. High in the B vitamins, vitamin C and potassium, coconut sap is a wonderfully sweet nectar. Once a coconut tree is tapped it provides live-giving coconut sap for twenty years. Coconut sap is sweet right from the tree and requires no extensive processing. Coconut crystals, made from sap are the perfect compliment to cookies, cakes, teas, muffins and cereals.
With a low glycemic index of 35, organic coconut sap does not cause a spike in blood sugar, is unrefined, GMO free, gluten free and loaded with live enzymes. May we introduce to you the perfect natural alternative sweetener, coconut sap!
We recommend Coconut Secret’s Coconut Sap Crystals. You purchase your very own 12 oz can of Coconut Crystals by clicking here.
– The Alternative Daily
