natural raw sweetners

[rawbellydancer]

anyone heard of stevia, or lohan,,,,,,,,,, im trying to find a sweetner ,but i m not sure if stevia or lohan are raw but i do know that are 100% natural both extracted from a plant but the raw part is what im not sure about
:cool:

[smasty]

I LOVE stevia, but don't use it much since going raw, the white powdered stevia is highly processed (but still a way better choice than splenda or aspartame). The green powdered stevia is a better choice, but definitely different than the white. The green stevia is powdered leaves, less strong than the white stevia). You have to be careful with stevia...a tiny bit is all you need, most people are turned off by it due to using too much. I got really good at baking with stevia (when I ate cooked stuff). Now I choose raw agave nectar, raw honey, or dates/raisins for sweeteners.

[flutterfly]

I haven't heard anything bad about Splenda. Would you please enlighten me :) I need to learn. Thanks

[kirk]

Hi flutterfly,

To learn more about Slenda take a look at this website;

http://www.mercola.com/2000/dec/3/sucralose_dangers.htm#

kirk

[Analeah]

I just got some Yacon Syrup and it's REALLY good. I just made raw chocolate for my first time with it and it turned out incredibly good. I also made a cinnamon glaze for some squash I have in the dehydrated with it and it tastes just like caramel. When I am making cookies or pie crusts or anything like that I usually just use dates or raisins and that is plenty sweet enough. What exactly are you looking to sweeten up? I think it depends on what you are making when deciding what kind of sweetener to use. I love fresh Stevia and had a plant once but it's not like the refined super sweet white stuff so I don't think it would have the desired effect you're looking for. I haven't yet tried Agave nectar but I am really curious about it and would like to try it. Anyone out there who has tried Agave nectar, what does it taste like (if it is possible to describe)?

[Buddy]

I think agave is the very best sweetener there is. It doesn't have a distinct taste, it just taste very sweet. Also, you can get it raw....

[rawfasting]

Okay...

Here's the scoop.

Flutterfly....Spenda is HORRIBLE and as bad as Aspartame. DO NOT use this crap. Go to Google and DO YOUR RESEARCH!!! I'll post something here but please be pro active in your health. I say this with love but don't trust anyone..even me. I have 300 hours and two months of research in heavy metal removal and still have a loooong way to go. This is just one subject. Why do you think Soy got so popular even when it’s not fit for human consumption? Because some wise guys had a lot of the by product left and didn’t know what to do with it. Just because it’s out there and people are putting it in their mouth doesn’t mean it’s good. An example would be flax. We all know that flax is good and contains the EFA’s that we need because our body can’t manufacture them. However, eating flaxseeds alone will not work because we can’t digest them. So, some WISE GUY came along and decides that he would make flax oil. OH...how nice and convenient except the small fact that it becomes rancid in the body and caused more free radicals than carter make pills. The only way to eat flax is to grind it into flax meal using a coffee grinder or vitamix. I will post an article I submitted for a newsletter here at the end on Spenda.

Okay..onto Stevia. Stevia is basically a master herb and not bad for the most part. However, there is a toxic substance in the plant leaf to protect it from bugs. The only company I know that removes this toxin is a company called Sunrider. There are other companies that remove it as well but it’s difficult to tell on the label. I will tell you this...if it says you should not take it while nursing on the label...don't buy it. This is the product with the toxin left in.

I prefer agave because it has a nice consistency and is very natural on the system. In fact, I have seen diabetics use it because it releases so slow into the blood stream. It’s made from a succulent plant in Mexico that they make tequila from..haha Not to worry, it’s safe. But don’t believe me, go read for yourself!!

Oh and BTW...Stevia is NOT raw is you're being a purist.

The Spenda details will be on the next post!

[rawfasting]

The Safety of Sucralose and Aspartame

The following interview was conducted with Dr. Janet Starr Hull on the safety of sucralose found in Splenda.



Q: What exactly is Splenda?

A: In a simple sentence, you would just as soon have a pesticide in your food as sucralose because sucralose (Splenda) is a chlorocarbon. The chlorocarbons have long been known for causing organ, genetic, and reproductive damage. It should be no surprise, therefore, that the testing of sucralose reveals that it can cause up to 40 percent shrinkage of the thymus: a gland that is the very foundation of our immune system. Sucralose also causes swelling of the liver and kidneys, and CALCIFICATION of the kidney. Note: if you experience kidney pain, cramping, or an irritated bladder after using sucralose in Splenda, stop use immediately.

Q: So sucralose is not found as a natural compound in nature, like real sugar?

A: Absolutely not. No sugar molecule is compounded with chlorine anywhere in nature.

Q: Do you know how it is made in the laboratory?

A: I found this information from a statement from the manufacturer, actually. “Sucralose is made from sugar, but is derived from sucrose (sugar) through a process that selectively substitutes three atoms of chlorine for three hydrogen-oxygen groups on the sucrose molecule. No artificial sweetener made in the laboratory is going to be neither natural to the body nor safer than unprocessed sugar,” they claim.

People need to stop searching for excuses to eat all the junk food they want without penalty. In the long run, no one benefits from this product but the corporations.

Q: The corporate researchers claim that the chlorine atoms are so tightly bound they create a molecular structure that is exceptionally stable under extreme pH and temperature conditions. Do you agree?

A: They are testing these conditions in lab rats, and these types of corporate studies have forced and “selective” results, in my opinion. Aspartame research is the proof of this!

Test these chemicals on a child and see how stable it is--but that would be cruel. So, why then do we buy it and give it to our children? I don't buy into manufacturers' claims when it comes to human beings using ANY man-made chemical. Plus, I have learned over the past 25 years of aspartame research to value independent research above that which is funded by corporations.

Q: The corporations say sucralose is safe.

A: They said the same thing about aspartame, and look at the rampant disease and obesity taking over America since aspartame was put into the food supply over 20 years ago.

Q: Can sucralose cause cancer?

A: Any animal that eats chlorine (especially on a regular basis) is at risk of cancer. The Merk Manuel and OSHA 40 SARA 120 Hazardous Waste Handbook states that chlorine is a carcinogen and emergency procedures should be taken when exposed via swallowing, inhaling, or through the skin.

It all depends upon how much you use and how often, your present and past health status, and the degree of other toxins you are putting inside your body. Good luck with this one …

Q: Sucralose has been thoroughly tested, they claim. Actually they have stated that sucralose is the most tested food additive in history. I quote, " … more than 100 studies on the safety of sucralose designed to meet the highest scientific standards have been conducted and evaluated over the course of 20 years. "

A: I don't believe that for a second. They stated verbatim the same thing about aspartame. We are looking at the same scenario in so many ways. As with NutraSweet, no human studies, corporate payrolled researchers, selective result reporting, government involvement, personal financial interests, and controlled media. I will say that sucralose is not as dangerous as aspartame.

Q: Splenda is approximately 600 times sweeter than sugar. How can that be?

A: As I stated before, the product is a forced product, not a natural sugar the body uses for fuel. People forget that sweetness is a by-product of foods -- a bonus, so to say. Forced sweetness, revved-up sweetness, and artificial sweetness -- all altered foods that are a trap for people to get addicted to the sweeter tastes. People with eating disorders, children who are just learning about food, and people with illnesses are all being sold “a bill of rubbish” in my opinion.

Q: The manufacturer claims sucralose doesn't react with other substances in the body and is not broken down in the body.

A: They claimed the same thing about saccharin, even though I feel saccharin is the only artificial sweetener with true merit. To answer your question, if the body is digesting properly, anything you put into the body will be assimilated. If it happens to be rancid, the stomach will throw it out immediately by vomiting or diarrhea. It is totally out of the realm of biological science to think the body will not immediately attack a toxic chemical. Henceforth, migraines from aspartame and diarrhea from Splenda.

Now, to add a note to this: if the body is fed an indigestible product such as plastic (like in margarine) that it is incapable of dissolving through normal digestion, it will pass through undigested (if it doesn't get stuck in the gall bladder, that is.) So, if sucralose is indigestible due to its laboratory compounding, then we have yet another serious health problem to consider, don't you think?

Technology is great, but we sure don't need to be eating it!

Q: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and government food authority committees and the Health Ministries in countries such as Canada, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago, Argentina, and Brazil have confirmed the safety of sucralose. So have the countries of Colombia, Peru, Venezuela, Uruguay, Romania, Lebanon, Qatar, Bahrain, Pakistan, Tajikistan, China, South Africa, and Tanzania. What do you think of all these countries confirming Splenda's safety?

A: The history of aspartame has unfortunately proven that individuals within government agencies cannot and should not be trusted to make such empowering public decisions behind closed doors.

Now, re-read this list of countries … Mexico, Jamaica, Tajikistan and Tanzania? These are the countries in which Splenda is now marketed? (See the final question.) As an international geographer, I can comfortably say that these countries are not nations with the same technology and mass marketing strategies to be compared with the United States. These countries are more concerned with birth control, food staples, hostile take-overs, and drought -- not diet sweeteners. Compare apples to apples.

Q: Is sucralose safe for children?

A: The manufacturer actually made this statement for disclosure: "One should note, however, that foods made with low-calorie sweeteners are not normally a recommended part of a child's diet, since calories are important to a growing child's body."

Pay attention … Children should not be encouraged to grow up on fake foods. But just like cigarettes and alcohol, do what I say and not what I do? And we wonder why the younger generation is angry, ill, and ridden with ADD/ADHD and diabetes?? How many kids do you see taking a sip of mom or brother's diet cola?

Q: Who manufactures and markets sucralose?

A: McNeil Specialty Products Company (MSPC), a wholly owned subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, along with Tate & Lyle PLC, a world leader in sweeteners and starches, all share responsibility for developing and manufacturing sucralose for commercial use. Sucralose is the first product from McNeil Specialty, whose mission is to develop and market innovative food ingredients that help consumers control, maintain and improve their health. Internationally, McNeil Specialty markets sucralose in the United States, Canada, Latin America, the Caribbean, Australia, New Zealand, and the Middle East; Tate & Lyle markets sucralose in Africa, Asia, Europe and Canada. Internationally, McNeil Specialty markets sucralose under the name SPLENDAR Brand Sweetener. SPLENDAR is a registered trademark of McNeil Specialty Products Company.