MANILA, Philippines - An organic certification provides assurance that no chemical food additives or processes that may prove harmful over the long run were used to produce a sweetener.
Unwanted pounds, obesity, and diabetes are some good reasons to avoid sugar and to find an alternative sweetener. But not all alternative sweeteners are the same.
A number of artificial sweeteners that have recently appeared on the market, for example, claim zero calories. The nutritional information to any product with zero calories, nevertheless, will reveal that these products likewise have zero or close to zero carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals — in short, no nutrients. As such, how can you consider these sweeteners to be healthy when in many cases you can’t even consider them to have any nutritional value, a number of health experts are now asking.
While other alternative sweeteners are plant- or fruit-based, they may cause side effects like bloating, nausea or dizziness. They are likewise highly processed and may have a bitter aftertaste, making them a poor alternative for the family. How can children appreciate, for example, a supposedly sweet-tasting dish with an unpleasant aftertaste?
The best sugar alternative fit for the whole family must not only be healthy and all-natural but must also be certified organic, according to Joey Villa, president of the Philippine-based Churner Group which produces Suchero. This alternative sweetener has an organic certification from the US Department of Agriculture – National Organic Program and a Certificate of Conformity from EU (European Union) Organic Products. Both certifications ensure that no synthetic inputs or chemical fertilizers and other harmful ingredients were used to produce Suchero.
After all, some sweeteners may claim to be natural because they are plant- or fruit-based. “But there is no assurance that they were not subjected to chemical and other harmful processes or do not include chemical food additives that may prove to be unsafe over the long run. An organic certification dismisses all those fears,” according to Villa.
The best proof of Suchero’s effectiveness and safety as a sweetener is in the tasting. Made from the sap of coconut trees, it has a rich caramel flavor and no aftertaste. It is also rich in amino acids and vitamins as well as minerals such as calcium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, iron, and manganese.
Explains Villa: “The human body does not produce minerals and these must be provided by food sources. Vitamins have little function without minerals. Minerals enable the vitamins to effectively accomplish their purposes.”
According to Villa, health buffs, especially those who join marathons, take Suchero straight from the packet to replace their energy after a strenuous activity. “Suchero provides them the extra energy they need but does not dramatically raise their glycemic index the way real sugar does.” After a GI spike, the body ironically feels lethargic and weak.
Better yet, Suchero behaves like sugar. “Thus, when a recipe calls for one cup of sugar, one may use one cup of Suchero without worrying about any deviations on taste. Preparing and cooking food is thus easy and hassle-free,” according to Villa.
Certified by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and recognized as organic globally by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the European Commission (EC), “you could say Suchero not only makes you look good because it is 100-percent natural with less calories but is also packed with nutrients to make you feel good,” says Villa.
Suchero is available in major supermarkets and drugstores nationwide. It is also being distributed in South Korea by a leading coffee shop chain and is available in supermarkets in the US, Canada, and Netherlands. It will soon be available in more countries around the globe — a recognition of its superiority as a healthy organic and great-tasting sweetener.