As word continues to spread about the damaging health effects of refined sugar, the number of commercially available sugar alternatives has also increased. Unfortunately, many sugar alternatives can be just as undesirable as sugar itself. Saccharin and acesulfame K, for example, are unnatural products whose long-term effects on the human body remain unknown. High fructose agave syrup is proven to cause havoc with our blood sugar levels. And aspartame, of course, needs no introduction. One…
The lucuma (Pouteria lucuma) is a subtropical fruit native to Peru, Chile, and Ecuador. It is especially popular in Peru, and is closely linked to the nation’s culture. For example, lucuma is commonly found at the burial sites of indigenous people, and it is often incorporated into the ancient Moche people’s artwork. Even today, lucuma is Peru’s most popular ice cream flavor, trumping both vanilla and chocolate. Lucuma is not well-known outside of South America,…
Coconut sugar, also known as coconut sap sugar, is a sugar derived from the sap of coconut tree flowers. It has been used as a traditional sweetener for centuries in regions where coconut trees flourish, such as Southeast Asia. Coconut sugar is mostly comprised of sucrose, which gives it a sweet, caramel-like flavor. Unlike refined white sugar, coconut sugar is minimally processed, and few if any chemicals are added to it, meaning that most of…
The medicinal value of raw honey – honey that has been transferred from the hive to the honey jar without processing – has been known across the world for centuries. This sweet food, which some researchers have nicknamed “liquid gold,” is omniscient in ancient Indian, Egyptian, and Western medicine. It was used as an ointment for rashes and burns, to help soothe throats, to energize people during long travels, or as a culinary aid that…
Most of the people reading this article understand that a diet rich in organic, whole foods is the key to superior health, while a diet rich in unnatural, processed foods is a recipe for disaster. This is especially true of processed foods rich in refined sugar, gluten, artificial sweeteners, trans fats, GMOs and other destructive ingredients that are commonly found in factory-made goods. However, some people are surprised to learn that there is one processed…
