The Thingy With Evaporated Cane Sugar (A big thingy)

"It's in everything!"

 

 

(Left: Whole Natural Cane Sugar (looks like dirt almost, but it's the good kind).

Right: Refined Cane Sugar)

 

 

 

The Real & the Fake

 

Through a lot of articles and documents I read today about the low-down on this very sneaky cane sugar ingredient, I found some very interesting facts I did not know about.



I don't buy the commercialized healthy food products anymore so that's a reason why I haven't come across it so much. A  few friends recently brought up how they find that cane sugar is in everything they want to buy. After my younger sis asked me what is cane sugar and if it's good, I decided to give it deeper thought. I remembered that evaporated cane juice/sugar was an ingredient I saw listed on many of those healthy food products I was tempted to buy.

People are becoming aware that cane sugar is the natural kind of sugar with health benefits found in those sweet crystals. That's right, real sugar contains many nutrients such as phosphorus, calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, zinc, potassium, vitamin A, vitamin B1, B2, & B6. It contains fiber & is alive with digestive enzymes, making whole cane sugar a low glycemic food. Check it out. Refined sugar rates 64 which is mid-high on the glycemic index. Whole cane sugar rates 30-40. I could go into everything I read about the history and traditional uses of cane sugar, but I'll keep this info short & sweet for the readers.

Sugar cane grows like a tall grass similar looking to a bamboo, made of sugar, nutrients, & water. It originated in New Guinea and is now massively produced in South America and the Caribbean Islands. There are studies on cane sugar having possibilities to aid with weight loss, healing fevers and colds, balancing blood sugar levels with diabetics, preventing tooth decay, supporting the immune system, improving kidney function, & fighting certain types of cancer because of its alkalinity. It is known to strengthen organs such as the stomach, kidneys, heart, eyes, brain, & sex organs. Ancient Indians saw this food as a great source for energy. In India it is used to treat and heal infections and ulcers. Some studies say that cane sugar may be ranking high on the list as a first-aid.

As you have learned, cane sugar is health promoting and is being added to these so called healthy food snacks and beverages. But hold up... there is a catch.

(Oh, I hear you all sighing. Yes I know it's a bummer that the industry can't leave our food aloooone.)

Evaporated Cane Juice, of this modern day, listed on the back of food labels, is not the REAL traditional flowing with nutrients evaporated cane juice. The way manufacturers process it leaves it just a tinsy tiny tad better than refined white sugar. The evaporated cane juice in today's food products is so highly processed & devoid of nutrients that it acts just like refined white sugar digested by in the body.

 The traditional real way of making evaporated cane juice is by extracting the juice from the sugar cane and then heating it at a low temperature while stirring it to dehydrate it. It is then formed into a hard brick and then grinded by modern machines. Where modern techniques go wrong with the processing, is that the cane juice is boiled at high temperatures and looses its enzymes and nutrients. The nutrients get left in the Molasses syrup that is one of the two end results of boiling cane sugar. The crystalized sugar, the other end result, is devoid of nutrients and enzymes. In the traditional way, the molasses is still incorporated into the sugar. As the final touch, producers add Sulphur Dioxide & other harmful additives.

The end result of the traditional processing of cane sugar is called Rapadura, or Sucanat, which can be found at your natural health grocery store or if you shop online.

Rapadura, which later was changed to the name of Organic Whole Cane Sugar, is owned by a German company. Sucanat (Sugar Cane Natural) , is owned by a U.S company. Both names are the same good kind of cane sugar.

 

 

Unfortunately, those "healthy" food snacks and beverages on the market are using the refined unhealthy evaporated cane sugar/juice. It would not be a good idea to consume this type of sugar thinking since it is not white sugar that it is better. You will see many ingredient labels with "Cane Sugar", "organic cane sugar" , "evaporated cane juice", & "organic evaporated cane juice". For the product to have the healthy kind of evaporated cane sugar, it should say Organic Whole Cane Sugar, or Rapadura Cane Sugar, or Unrefined Whole Cane Sugar.

To share a thought of mine: many of these products containing evaporated cane sugar also have other sneaky and unhealthy ingredients in them. Keep an eye out for some Kombucha brands, "Natural" Lemonade/Juice beverages (on the shelf & refrigerated section), and energy bars.  Another great reason to ditch the commercialized heavily processed food products.

I'm not sure if I'd be allowed to post on here pictures of these "healthy" snacks and beverages on my blog, so I won't. But read your labels and don't let companies fool you.


A nourishing & hydrating drink is a blend of pure Sugar Cane juice, Ginger juice, Lime juice, & Coconut Water. This drink has been well known traditionally to aid in the treatment of gonorrhea, cystitis, nephritis, & enlarged prostate.

For more benefits of pure cane sugar juice, click here to visit this article.

http://hmtjournals.com/vol4_1/002.pdf
http://www.processedfreeamerica.org/resources/health-news/405-the-truth-about-evaporated-cane-juice 
http://nutrition.indobase.com/articles/sugarcane-juice-nutrition.php
http://www.oohoi.com/natural%20remedy/everyday_food/sugar-cane-benefits.htm
http://doctorschar.com/archives/sugarcane-sacharum-officinarum/
http://www.kew.org/plant-cultures/plants/sugar_cane_western_medicine.html
http://www.ehow.com/about_5422758_nutrition-sugar-cane.html
practicalaction.org/docs/.../sugar_production_from_cane.pdf

Raw Lemon-Poppy Seed Ice Cream (dairy free)

 

This recipe was inspired from the Lemon-Poppy Seed Ice Cream I tried at the Penny Ice Creamery in downtown Santa Cruz. If you are visiting downtown Santa Cruz definitely make a stop at the Penny Creamery to try some of their delicious ice creams. They focus on using local ingredients from the farmers markets. The line gets pretty long at night time! So I had my first bite of a Lemon-Poppy Seed Ice Cream and thought...hello new fav! I decided to re-create it with healthier sugars and get creative with a dairy-free version of it.

 

For the yellow coloring I used Tumeric, for the creaminess I used raw extra virgin Coconut Oil, & I garnished it with dried Candelula herb.

 

Spice up your life with Tumeric! It is one of the leading healthy foods one can consume. It is very potent in healing. In ancient Chinese and Indian cultures Tumeric was used as an anti-inflammatory food to treat many illnesses such as menstrual pain, flatulence, & chest pain. It has been shown in studies that it treats Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), brings relief for patients who have Rheumatoid Arthritis, aids in cancer prevention, protects the colon, strengthens the liver, protects against Alzheimer's disease, & the curcumin found in Tumeric helps to lower LDL (bad) Cholesterol. To get the medicinal benefits of Tumeric, make sure to buy Tumeric instead of "Curry Powder" which has less Curcumin concentration. Curcumin is responsible for the anti-oxidants & anti-inflammatory properties found in Tumeric.

 

I might make this again next week. I've fallen in love with this one! The flavors of every ingredient used seep out and all the natural ingredients make it taste so fresh.

 

Eat this ice cream

because Coconut Oil:

-is anti-inflammatory

-Has anti-oxidants

-is Fat-Burning

-Energizing

-has healthy Saturated Fats

-Its Medium-Chain Fatty Acids (MCFTs) help the body absorb nutrients

-Improves skin and maintains healthy skin

-Improves metabolism

 

because Cashews: (If you are not allergic to nuts)

-have anti-oxidants

-have been shown to reduce coronary heart disease

-Good source of Copper: improves nutrient absorption, removes free-radicals in body, strengthens bone & joints.

-Good source of Magnesium for bone strength

-aid in healthy body weight

 

because Raw Honey:

 -is rich in Vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, Vitamin C, magnesium, potassium, calcium, iron, manganese, sodium, zinc, & copper.

-Is made up of glucose & fructose, providing the body with energy & reduce muscle fatigue for endurance athletes.

-Is packed with anti-oxidants.

-supports the immune system & fights bad bacteria.

-aids in digestion by providing healthy bacteria in your gut (it has pre & pro-biotics).

-It heals inflammation

-Slows aging because of the enzymes it contains that rejuvenates the skin.

-Helps treat acne.

-increases Calcium absorption

-Treats constipation.

-Is great for hangovers because it increases the oxidation of alcohol.

-Keeps life sweet.  

 

 

Recipe:
-1 cup cashews, soaked for 2 hours.
-1/2 cup water
-1 tablespoon raw honey
-15 drops Stevia extract
-3 tablespoons raw extra virgin coconut oil, melted.
-1/2 teaspoon Tumeric powder
-1 1/2 teaspoons poppy seeds
-2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
-3 tablespoons lemon juice
-1/4 + 1/8 teaspoon of sea salt


In a high speed blender, add all the ingredients except for the Poppy Seeds and melted Coconut Oil. Blend well to get a smooth thick consistency. Then as the blender is running on slow speed, add slowly your warm Coconut Oil. Finally, add your Poppy Seeds and pulse them a couple of times, & then use a spoon to finish mixing them well into the mixture.

If you have an ice cream maker, I'm jealous. Okay, so add your mixture to your ice cream maker by following the manufacture's instructions. If you are like me and don't have an ice cream maker, you can freeze it for a couple of hours, take it out of the freezer, and let thaw to be able to scoop it out. For better texture resembling the ice cream maker, every half hour or so of being in the freezer you can give it a few stirs until you have achieved your desired consistency.

 

 

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=78
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/27/coconut-oil-benefits_n_1625631.html
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=98
http://www.benefits-of-honey.com/honey-nutrition.html
http://wakeup-world.com/2012/07/23/the-health-benefits-of-raw-honey/

Power Bites (raw snacks)

 

A way to win someone's heart is by being a little bit sweet...

 

 

I made these for the Medical Assistants and Doctors I've been practicing my externship with. I thought this would be a perfect recipe for them because:

-The healthy carbs from the Medjool Dates & healthy fats from the Hemp Seeds & Almonds will help sustain all the energy they are burning from all the thinking they do & walking on their feet for long hours.

-Sharing food with others breaks ice barriers and draws a community closer.

 

They devoured these.

 

I spent about 20-30 minutes forming these by hand. I put on my ipod and began to get creative with my hands.

 

Recipe:

 

-Medjool Dates

-Plain raw Almonds

-Cinnamon

-Hemp Seeds

-Sea Salt

 

Shape them up however you like. I cut the medjool dates halves in half and sprinkled a tad of Cinnamon on them. Then I topped them off with half an almond, hemp seeds, & sea salt.

 

Medjool Dates are great for instant energy. They digest quickly, aid digestion for good bowel movements (great against constipation), & are known as Nature's Candy.

 

Since ancient times Medjool Dates have been eaten to break the fast during Ramadan months.

 

They are great for the skin, they have Vitamin A to strengthen vision, & contain anti-oxidants.

 

They are a good source of potassium, iron, calcium, manganese, & B-vitamins.

 

They are great for bone health since they contain good levels of magnesium and vitamin K.

 

 

Find out about the amazing benefits of Hemp Seeds on my post by clicking here.

 

One of my favorite spices is Cinnamon. It regulates blood sugar levels, it provides anti-clotting benefits, it is anti-microbial, it stimulates the brain, & are a great source for calcium & fiber.

 

Stay sweet & keep it real.

 

 

 

http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/dates.html

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=68

 

Chaga-Vanilla Bean Mesquite Ice Cream with hand-made raw crust

Topped with Cacao & Maca powder

My first ever created Chaga dessert recipe. Then I got thinking...is this even dessert?! haha. Here is a nourishing recipe with filling natural fats, immunity boosting properties, balances blood sugar levels thanks to the Stevia & Mesquite powder, promotes healthy skin, & protects against infection.

I've come across various awesome creative looking Chaga recipes and have always wanted to try using Chaga myself for a delicious recipe.

Ok, ok, what in the world is Chaga? Chaga is a fungus found growing on birch trees. It is rich in a substance that destroys cancer cells. There are studies on Chaga showing that it protects our DNA & has protective antioxidants. It is one of the most potent medicinal mushrooms. It is loaded with flavonoids, vitamins, polyphenols, and polysaccharides. Polysaccharides are long carbohydrate molecules of monosaccharaides. These are health promoting sugars that strengthen the immune system. This fungus resembles charcoal. It is hard and dry. It has a black rough coating on the outside.

If you get your hands on some,  please don't give it mean ugly looks and poke at it. Get curious, take it in your hands, and let your eyes wonder all over this crazy amazing wild food. If you smell it very carefully you may detect a very mild vanilla aroma to it.

Chaga Chunks

 

This ice cream recipe has a delicious flavor and is mildly sweet. I really love the combination of Coconut, Mesquite, & Vanilla.

 

I did not have my food processor in the kitchen so I made the crust by hand and it came out so lovely! I was a little bummed out of not having my food processor with me  at first but it felt really good getting down and dirty with my hands and creating it all by use of my hands. Check it out!

 





 

 

Recipe:

Filling: (makes about 3 small ice cream balls)
-1 cup cashews, soaked for 2 hours.
-1/2 cup + 3 Tablespoons Chaga tea at room temperature.
-2 1/2 teaspoons Mesquite powder (if you don't have Mesquite you could try using Chocolate powder, Cacao is best for pure medicinal chocolate)
-8 drops Stevia extract
-3/4 Vanilla Bean scraped
-1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
--1/4 teaspoon Sea Salt
-2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, melted & set aside.

Blend all the ingredients on high speed except for the melted Coconut Oil. Once your mixture is well blended, slowly pour in the warm Coconut Oil as the blender runs on low speed. Freeze.

Melting the coconut oil in the small green bowl in med-low heat

Hand-made crust:
-6 soft Medjool Dates
-1 oz plain almonds (unpasteurized would be better)
-3 teaspoons Hemp Seeds
-Light sprinkles of Sea Salt

This crust had an amazing flavor and thick chewy texture

 

Chop your almonds into small pieces. Remove the pit of the Medjool Dates and rough chop them. Over a plate, combine all the ingredients together by hand to create like a dough. Once you have a thick dough mixture, flatten it out and cut it into thirds to shape up the mini crusts so your small scoops of ice cream can fit in them. This dough keeps in the refrigerator for a week. You can double the recipe and eat it as a snack. Or you can freeze it.

The ice cream takes about a half hour to thaw. Use an ice cream scooper and place inside your mini crusts. Enjoy!

Eating it as an afternoon snack throughout the week

http://www.naturalnews.com/036974_chaga_mushroom_anti-cancer_tonic.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polysaccharide#Bacterial_capsular_polysaccharides

Raw Cacao Bar Review: Rawmio

Rawmio

 

 

 

 

 

A week ago I saw this new cacao bar on the market. The words on the package caught my attention: raw, active superfood. I got excited about a new superfood cacao bar out on the market. I checked the ingredients to make sure it was all natural because companies are good at tricking you to buy their product! I loved all the ingredients and bought it. This is a 2 oz chocolate bar that was a little under $6.



 

Texture & Flavor: It was a little hard to bite. The flavor was very nice and deep. Perfect amount of sweetness too.

 

Ingredients: Organic raw cacao nibs, organic coconut sugar, organic raw maca powder, organic raw mulberries, organic raw chia seeds, organic raw mushroom blend (Chaga, reishi, cordyceps, lion’s mane), organic raw sprouted red clover, organic raw coconut sweetened cacao nibs.

Calories: 150 calories for half the bar.

They have various flavors such as:

 

Trail Mix ingredients: Organic raw cacao nibs, organic coconut sugar, organic raw currants, organic raw pumpkin seeds, organic raw mulberries, organic raw almonds, organic raw goji berries, organic raw pistachio nuts, organic raw golden berries, organic raw coconut sugar sweetened cacao nibs

Sprouted Cereal ingredients: Organic raw cacao nibs, organic coconut sugar, organic raw sprouted buckwheat, organic raw sprouted quinoa, organic raw coconut sugar sweetened cacao nibs

Sprouted Hazelnut & Fig ingredients: Organic raw stone ground dark chocolate (cacao nibs, coconut sugar), organic raw sprouted hazelnuts, organic raw sun dried black mission figs, Rawtella Silk (organic raw coconut, organic raw hazelnuts, organic coconut sugar, organic raw cacao butter, organic raw vanilla bean powder, raw Himalayan pink salt), organic raw coconut sweetened cacao nibs

Hehe now that I read the ingredients again I want to buy another one! Love all those blends.

Energy/Meal Replacement Bar Review: Core Defender Bar

 

Core Bars

 

 

 

Organic Raw Almond Raisin Oatmeal Bowl Bar.

 

(vegan)

 

 

(whey protein)

 

(whey protein)

 

This bar comes in handy when I don't have time to cook or soak raw oatmeal and pack it and keep it fresh in the car when I'm out and about all day. I eat one bar almost daily during the week in between classes. I've heard from others that this bar keeps them full and energized for hours. Agreed!

You don't have to consider these a meal replacement if you don't want that. I eat these as a snack and I rather eat something more fresh for a decent meal. However, these are great when you are on the go and need something satisfying and these will sure give you good lasting energy.

 

After about 3 weeks of having started eating these bars, I ran into Dave Eckel, who is one of the team members of Core bars. He was outside Aptos Natural Foods in Santa Cruz giving out samples to people with a big smile in his face. I approached him and of course bombarded him with questions about his products. (I eat a lot of these so hey, I wanted to know what they are all about!) He was so nice and very outgoing. He answered all of my questions with a lot of information and he seemed so excited talking about his product. I have come to appreciate this bar so much. The group of guys behind this bar really care about the environment and what goes into our bodies. They are fit guys who search for ways to properly fuel themselves. They have a raw vegan bar and a whey protein bar. They take good care of the quality of their core bars and keep it down to all natural ingredients consisting of oats, dried fruit, nuts and seeds, spices, and a good source of whey protein. I picked at him about the whey protein they used and he reassured me that their whey protein comes from pasture-raised cows with no hormones and antibiotics and all that good deal. Ooo another thing that was really great to hear was that they soak their oats. I thought they used plain dry oats, but Dave told me they actually soak their oats! That is so great because this bar is mostly made of oats. It is good to soak them in order to reduce the phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors found in oats in order to make them easy on digestion.

 

My favorite one is the Almond Raisin Defender Bar.

 

I've tried all of them. I sampled the Cashew Cacao bar with Dave and I didn't like that one at all. I thought it was too dry, bland tasting, and a little bitter. Some people do like it though. 

 



Texture & Flavor : Delicious, mildly sweet, and chewy. It is like eating a big healthy oatmeal cookie.

 

Calories: Each bar ranges from 300-400 calories with good carbohydrates, good fats, and good protein.

 

Ingredients: Ingredients vary depending on the flavor you buy and whether its vegan or not: Oats, Almonds, Raisins, Flax, Whey Protein, Cacao, Cashews, Banana, and Spices.

 

Here is a fun recipe. I sometimes eat it for breakfast, lunch, or after a workout.

 

 

 

Topped with Goji Berries, Hemp seeds, & Macadamias

Recipe:



-1 cup plain yogurt (I like St. Benoit Creamy Yogurt, they have Jersey Cows, they semi-pasturize their dairy, and the taste and texture is amazing.)
-2 teaspoons Mesquite powder (You can also use Cacao powder, Carob powder, Acai Powder, a flavored protein powder, or any flavorings that come to your mind.)
-1 Core Defender Bar crumbled into small pieces.
-Sweetner is optional. For me it tasted sweet enough.

Toppings: Add some nuts of your choice, fresh or thawed berries, chopped banana, etc.

Mix yogurt with Mesquite powder, or your choice of powder.  The Goji berries and the Core bar give enough sweetness for my taste buds. You can add some stevia, honey, or maple syrup for extra sweetness. Mix everything in a bowl. Then add the Core Bar pieces and your toppings. Enjoyy :)

 

Almond Raisin Core Bar crumbled into chunks with Hemp Milk.

You can buy hemp milk from the store with no added sugar or make raw homemade fresh hemp milk.

 

For Hemp Milk:

-1 cup water

-3 tablespoons hemp seeds

-sweetener to taste: raw honey, maple syrup, stevia.

-optional: 3/4  vanilla bean scraped.

 

Blend in a highspeed blender until it turns milky.

 

Check them out here:
http://www.corefoods.com/pages/about-us
https://www.facebook.com/COREfoods

Raw Cacao Bar Review: Chocolatl

 

Chocolatl Review

 

 

 

Sell me something with foreign food products and I'm all over it! I love trying food with exotic ingredients. Especially Cacao bars. I'm a sucker for raw pure cacao infused with herbs, medicinal earthy mushroom extracts (mushroom extracts have a coffee/chocolate flavor so it goes perfect when making chocolate), exotic fruit powders, and superfoods. Chocolatl is a bit expensive compared to other raw cacao bars you find on the shelf, so this one I consider a treat for me. I buy it once in a while, and always look forward to it. The way the company consciously processes their cacao bars, the exotic an potent blend of ingredients infused with the cacao, and all the amazing health benefits that tie up this bar, makes for the $7 dollars it costs for a 3 oz box of decadently healthy cacao. Grocery stores in Santa Cruz (my area) sell them for about $7 and are on sale at times for around $6. 

  

Texture: There is something very unique about the texture of Chocolatl. It is very rich and I love the way it melts in my mouth. They create a very flavorful experience because of the way how they melt slowly in the mouth. It's almost like it's impossible to focus on what you are doing while eating this cacao bar. Everything stops, and you seriously get seduced by this bar.

 

Flavor: So there.

 

Ingredients: Chocolatl has different varieties of cacao products. They are all made of cacao beans, cacao butter, coconut sugar (low-glycemic), raw cacao powder, vanilla bean, and Himalayan salt. I believe they all have a dose of Maca powder in them too. Each flavor depends if they added earthy mushroom extracts, superfoods like Mesquite powder or blue-green algae accompanied with mint oil, and Lucuma, which is an exotic low-glycemic fruit powder.

 

Chocolatl makes products that you can indulgence in and feel happy and nourished.

 

I love keeping a box next to my bed drawer and eat a piece in the morning to start the day....and maybe another one at night too.

 

I don't work for the company, I'm just a big fan and writing this review from myself.

 

You can visit Chocolatl: http://www.flowfoodschocolatl.com/products/