Are natural sweeteners like Stevia and Manuka honey safer than white sugar? Explore the health impacts of sugar addiction, the dangers of aspartame for kids, and why high fructose corn syrup is restricted in certain regions.
Turbinado, or raw sugar, is an alternative to table sugar, traditional brown sugar and artificial sweeteners. Turbinado is indeed sucrose, its name derived from the turbine it is spun within when it is made.
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Preservatives are substances, natural or synthetic, that help keep foods fresh looking and tasting longer and prevent them from rotting or deteriorating too quickly. Synthetic or artificial preservatives are used in processed and packaged foods sold in grocery and convenient stores for longer shelf life.
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If you're watching your weight and crave the sweet taste of a cola product, you might reach for a bottle of Coca-Cola Zero over its traditional counterpart, Coca-Cola. Launched in 2005, Coke Zero, as it's often called, is marketed as a calorie-free alternative that tastes notably similar to Coca-Cola.
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Honey bees collect nectar from flowers to make honey. The flavor, color and sweetness of honey vary depending on what flowers the bees visit. Most commercial honeys come from a wide range of flowers, but specialist honey is sometimes made from the nectar of just one flower.
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Molasses is a thick syrupy substance that is the by-product from the commercial processing of sugar cane and sugar beets into refined sugar. Molasses for human consumption most often comes from sugar cane.
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Stevia is a virtually noncaloric, natural food sweetener with a checkered past and a debated future.
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Diet Rite Cola is a zero-calorie soft drink made by the Royal Crown or RC Cola Company. Diet Rite was introduced in 1958 as the first diet soda. Diet Rite is described as a cola for people pursuing a healthier lifestyle as it contains no sodium, no caffeine and has no calories.
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Sugar is found in a variety of foods, some of which you may not have even considered. Found in everything from breakfast cereal to bread, refined sugar can add a lot of calories and carbohydrates into your diet if you aren't careful.
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Americans eat over 355 extra calories a day from added sugar, says the American Heart Association. One gram of sugar contains 3.87 calories.
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The three major macronutrients -- carbohydrates, starches and fibers -- supply the body with up to 55 percent of its daily energy needs. Proteins and fats supply the rest. Maltose and sucrose are both forms of sugars known as disaccharides. Disaccharides are created when two simple sugars combine.
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Leaves from the stevia plant are a diabetic-safe, low-calorie sweetener that is 100 to 300 times sweeter than sucrose. Stevia is consumed around the world and has no safety concerns regarding its use, according to Drugs.com. It is a zone 9 perennial herb, perfect for your windowsill garden.
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According to MayoClinic.com, nasal congestion or “stuffy nose” occurs when nasal tissues and blood vessels become swollen with excess fluid or mucus. Congestion can be a symptom associated with the common cold or allergies. One home remedy that may offer relief from congestion is the use of honey.
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Whether you are on a diet and trying to cut calories or a diabetic looking to enjoy something sweet without the sugar, the natural sweetener stevia provides a good alternative. With no calories, no carbohydrates and a zero glycemic index, stevia provides the sweetness your baked goods need without the extra.
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Unlike simple sugars, complex carbohydrates, also known as complex sugars, require more work to metabolize. Simple sugars quickly absorb into the bloodstream providing a quick rush of energy, according to Kids Health.
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Fructose, which is commonly called fruit sugar, is a monosaccharide. This is a biochemical term for a single sugar ring composed of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. Fructose is closely related to glucose, and like glucose, it is a component of table sugar.
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Gatorade is a sports drink marketed to both professional athletes and people who make strenuous exercise a part of their lifestyle. Gatorade's nutrition facts label boasts two important electrolytes -- sodium and potassium -- vital to keeping body fluids in balance.
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With refined sugar offering little beyond empty calories, many people are seeking healthier ways to sweeten their menu. Sugar in the Raw, a brand of turbinado sugar, is one option that -- per its name -- might seem like a natural and nutritious alternative.
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For centuries, honey has been used for its antibacterial ingredient, hydrogen peroxide, derived from the enzyme bees add to the nectar. New Zealand bees swarm the manuka bush and bring back an additional ingredient, called UMF or “Unique Manuka Factor,” that appears to have additional healing properties.
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Splenda, an artificial sweetener, contains three different sweetening ingredients. While the manufacturer's website contends that many studies over the past 20 years prove the safety of its main component, sucralose, consumer groups argue just the opposite.
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Xylitol is one of the latest sugar substitutes that looks and tastes like sugar but has fewer calories.
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