HFCS Free - Diet Soda and Sweetener Subsitutes
Posted on July 10, 2008 by
NancyPearlWannabe said:
“I want a diet soda that doesn’t have artificial sweetener in it. I guess that’s called Soda Water. Or iced tea.”
Not big on plain soda water? EverydayHealth has a great idea. Chop up fruit and freeze to add flavor cubes to jazz things up.
Teas are a good option, but if the idea of plain iced tea is boring, you don’t have to cut out the sweeteners to keep low on calories.
I love making iced tea with agave syrup. A tablespoon of agave syrup is only 60 calories, and a little goes a long way. Putting a full tablespoon in a glass of iced tea would be overkill, but 20-30 calories worth would be about right. Add lemon or mint to give extra flavor without going extra sweet. And experiment with more than just traditional black tea. Rose hip tea or fruit teas make a great summer drink.
Sucanat, at 15 calories per teaspoon is another good sweetener option.
Wholesome Sweeteners also makes something called Organic Zero.
Wholesome Sweeteners Organic Zero is the perfect sweetener for those living a healthy lifestyle. Produced from Organic Sugar Cane Juice, which is naturally fermented and crystallized to create Organic Erythritol. Erythritol is a naturally occurring sugar alcohol that is found in our bodies, as well as in many fruits, vegetables and even certain fermented foods.
Zero Calories, Zero Glycemic Index: Organic Zero is virtually calorie-free (0.2 cals/gram) and has a glycemic index of zero, so while it sweetens, it does so without adding calories or spiking blood sugar the way other sweeteners often do. (Follow this link to more information about Wholesome Sweeteners Organic Zero in the Body.) Research indicates that for most people, it’s highly digestible!
Still, if you’re a soda drinker, you might be missing the fizz, and the ease of just grabbing a bottle or can out of the fridge.
Check out Zevia, a less than one calorie soda sweetened with stevia.
“Stevia is an herb native to South and Central America. For centuries, indigenous people of Paraguay and Brazil called it “sweet leaf” and used it to sweeten foods. The extract from the stevia leaf has no calories, no effect on blood sugar levels, and is hundreds of times sweeter than sugar. Stevia is used as a food additive in China, Japan, all of South America and elsewhere outside the United States.”
I haven’t tried Zevia yet, but I found a store nearby that sells it. It’s going on my shopping list. I have used stevia in tea, coffee, and hot cereal and enjoyed it. If you go to the Zevia online store, you can get a sample six pack for the cost of shipping.
Before we moved (we can no longer get plain soda water) our favorite was ‘juice and fizzy’, 1/4 juice 3/4 ‘fizzy’. Its deelish! And fizzy!
I like Whole Foods 365 sodas made with sugar cane juice. It’s not diet, but they’re all less than 200 calories. I only have one every so often so I don’t worry about those calories.
Thank you so much. I have been waiting for a product like this. I will be getting myself a sample.
This Website is awesome!! Where have you guys been all my life! I just got some bread from “Arnold”( which I’ve always respected)that said it was HCFS free,and I thought “wow how great!” turns out after reading the label, it has Sucralose which is just as bad as Aspertame! Why can’t they just use Honey, or Sucrose which are totally natural and don’t wreak havoc with our brain chemistry or metabolism? It’s not rocket science! To be honest, I’m a bit concerned about what hideous chemical they are going to come up with next! God Bless you Allie, just remember in your hunting for great products to consider our pocketbooks.
Happy Eating!