Sugar-free mamon, anyone?

As I stared at the box of Goldilocks mamon that my friend Pinky Yee sent me, my FCC (figure-conscious conscience) whispered in my ear: "Once on the lips, forever on the hips." Before I could deliberate on the matter further, I read the label once again. These were no ordinary pieces of mamon: they were an answered prayer for dieters everywhere.

Ok, maybe that’s being a little dramatic, but the new Goldilocks sugar-free mamon is a long-awaited treat for those who regulate their intake of sweets due to diet considerations. We all know how self-control flies out the window when faced with the sinful goodness of a Goldilocks mamon. Because they’re so fluffy and delicious, it’s hard to resist the temptation to have more than one – or two. The good news is that the sugar-free variety captures the full taste of the original – without the extra calories and blood sugar spike.

What’s heartening to know is that Goldilocks really went the extra mile for this product. Instead of using the more common and cost-effective ingredient aspartame as a sugar replacement, they use sucralose (more popularly known by the brand Splenda). Aspartame continues to be the subject of controversy due to its alleged ill side effects. These supposedly include vision loss, severe migraines, palpitations, insomnia, and even neurologic distress.

As for sucralose, regulatory agencies worldwide have reviewed more than 100 detailed studies and found the additive to be perfectly safe. Among these agencies are the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the World Health Organization’s Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), and our own Bureau of Food and Drug Administration (BFAD). Moreover, the studies show that sucralose is not recognized by the body as a carbohydrate, and has no effect on blood glucose or insulin response. This makes it perfect for diabetics and children.

I called Pinky and asked her if this was the start of a "health wave" for Goldilocks products. She told me that Goldilocks has always been at the forefront of consumer-health promotion, being cited numerous times by the Department of Health for their contributions to micronutrient fortification. Nevertheless, she disclosed that their research and development team works in close tandem with their consumer feedback group. As soon as market surveys and focus group discussions verified that Filipinos were paying closer attention to their diets, they immediately went to work in making selected products sugar-free.

If the sugar-free mamon is any indication of how well they succeeded, I can’t wait for future installments. Imagine mamon goodness without the guilt… Talk about having your cake and eating it too!

Incidentally, my box of mamon came with a birthday card. I initially thought that Pinky had gotten her dates wrong (not likely, since she exemplifies the "How thoughtful, how Pinoy" tagline of Goldilocks), but upon closer inspection, I realized that it was Goldilocks that was celebrating its 40th anniversary. That’s pretty impressive for a company that started out as a small bakeshop on Pasong Tamo way back in May 1966. From just 10 employees and two display stands, Goldilocks has grown to 209 stores both here and abroad with almost 4,000 local employees. More importantly, they’ve become a true Filipino institution, becoming an integral part of Pinoy life and tradition. So, I would like to wish Goldilocks a very happy birthday, with many more sweet memories to come.