Choosing a Sweetener

… is undeniably one of our most important dietary choices. Until recently, refined sugar, corn syrup, and chemical sweeteners were the only options to satisfy a sweet tooth in need.  Today’s surging rates of diabetes, heart disease, and obesity – all preventable epidemics – are the unfortunate result.

As consumption of sweeteners void of nutrition (often GMO and paired with chemicals and saturated fat), were found to be undermining our health, demand grew for alternative sweeteners. The wisdom of indigenous cultures has supplied healthy sweeteners to meet this demand – agave nectar, and more recently coconut sugar. By examining the food habits, traditional preparations and medicines of ancient cultures, we have begun designing a healthier food space by incorporating their superfoods, functional foods, and medicinal herbs.
 
The new products routinely reaching shelves of health and gourmet food stores are widening consumers’ range of options. Though it is a a wonderful opportunity for all of us, it must also be supported by proper verification and consumer education to avoid misleading claims and false advertising.   

At Gnosis, we’ve assumed responsibility for keeping our customers informed of these advancements so they may choose wisely. It’s clear that people are increasingly aware that health is an investment made over a lifetime, and are willing to vote with their dollars for a more nutritious marketplace.

It’s time to fill  the shelves with only high integrity, high nutrient, organic, non GMO, functional foods that honor the beautiful temple that is our body, and the masterpiece that is Earth.

Your SweetChoices

Coconut Sugar, Agave Nectar, and Stevia come from indigenous cultures that have sourced multitudes of curative herbs and foods. Unlike unrefined sugar and high fructose corn syrup, agave and coconut palm sugar break  down slowly during digestion, avoiding the sugar spike that contributes to the development of diabetes.

Coconut Sugar’s glycemic index is 35, Agave Nectar’s is 27, and Stevia’s is 0 – all far less than most foods (honey’s glycemic index is 55-60 and high fructose corn syrup’s is 62).  It’s also lower than that of almost every fruit, for example: grapes (47), oranges (42), and papayas (59).

Unlike highly-processed sweeteners that offer no benefits to health-conscious and environmentally responsible consumers, both agave and palm sugar are grown and processed in ways that are truly healthy for us and for our planet. 

SWEETCHOICE: Coconut Sugar – Our NEW Primary Sweetener!

“Local populations can easily turn the nectar into coconut blossom sugar. It is a way to solve the world’s poverty. It is also an antidote against misery.” Ghandi, 1939

 This staple of Southeast Asian culinary heritage and herbal medicine has become the most requested sweetener in global health communities as a nutritious, sustainable, satisfying sweetener. It has certainly earned its spot in our hearts!

Coconut Sugar delivers a rich storehouse of nutrients: B  vitamins; minerals, including phosphorous, potassium, protein,  magnesium, and  calcium.   Cocos Nucifera trees yield 50-75% more sugar per acre than sugar cane and use 1/5th the soil nutrients and water.  These trees can produce nectar (then granulated into sugar) and coconuts for water and meat simultaneously, thus making it an incredibly sustainable crop. 

 In fact, The UN’s Food & Agriculture Organization called palm sugar the world’s “most sustainable  sweetener.” Our Coconut Sugar from Big Tree Farms even comes recommended  by Dr. Oz! 

 Vanessa visited Big Tree Farms in 2010 and 2011. Please read her report and check back for more info and videos coming soon!

http://www.GnosisChocolate.com/Coconut-Sugar

SweetChoice: Stevia – A little bit goes a long, sweet way!

Stevia has a 1,500 year history of medicinal use in South America, and at 28% growth rate since 2008, it is clearly in high demand. Stevia has no calories or  carbohydrates, its glycemic index is 0 (!)  and nutrients found in stevia leaves such as chromium, magnesium, manganese, potassium, selenium, zinc and niacin are known to help regulate blood sugar and blood pressure.  

 We have added just a tiny pinch to our bars (leaves are 30-45 times as sweet as ordinary table sugar!) to brighten up our dark cacao without adding any additional glycemic load to your super chocolate or waste to our majestic planet.  

We have also created a stevia-sweetened bar: our Freedom Bar! This bar is also infused with functional herbs that assist in blood sugar stabilization and the metabolism of glucose.

http://www.GnosisChocolate.com/Stevia

 

SWEETCHOICE: Agave Nectar – Where it all began…

Traditional Mexican medicine makes use of agave for antifungal, antibacterial, blood pressure lowering and anti-inflammatory purposes.  Agave nectar is extracted from the blue agave plant, a succulent that that grows chiefly in Mexico.  The nectar is rich in calcium, iron, zinc, magnesium, and vitamins E, C, D,  and E.

1.3 times as sweet as cane sugar, agave nectar imparts only its sweetness to the flavor profile of our chocolate – thus allowing us to highlight the flavor of the chocolate alone.  This is unlike Coconut Sugar and Stevia, which gift a unique flavor to our bars!

Vanessa visited our source of Agave in Jalisco, Mexico in 2010.

Please read her entire report of the agave making process, including a rebuttal to the “agave controversy”: http://www.GnosisChocolate.com/Agave-Report

Questions? Comments? Email sweetchoice@gnosischcolate.com or call 877-4GNOSIS