naturalnews.com printable article

Originally published August 7 2012

Splenda soon to unleash 'Nectresse' - Here's what you need to know about this new 'natural' sweetener

by Jonathan Benson, staff writer

(NaturalNews) McNeil Nutritionals, LLC, maker of the artificial sweetener Splenda, is gearing up to introduce a new "natural" sweetener known as Nectresse that will cater specifically to those looking for a healthy alternative to artificial sweeteners and sugar. But is Nectresse really as natural as McNeil claims it is, or is the product just another example of tricky marketing hype aimed at health-conscious consumers?

According to the Nectresse website, the product is "100 percent natural," and is made from the heat-stable extract of an Asian melon known as monk fruit, or Lo Han. McNeil claims that Nectresse contains zero calories per serving, and that monk fruit is 150 times sweeter than sugar, which means that consumers do not need to use very much of it to effectively sweeten foods and beverages.

Nectresse contains other additives besides monk fruit

But monk fruit is not the only ingredient in Nectresse, nor is it even the primary ingredient. The first and most abundant ingredient in Nectresse is actually erythritol, a sugar alcohol commonly derived from corn, the vast majority of which has been genetically modified (GM) in the U.S. And the second ingredient in Nectresse is sugar, which is refined and more than likely comes from GM sugar beets.

The third ingredient in Nectresse is monk fruit, which McNeil explains is extracted using a natural process involving both water and heat rather than chemicals -- this is good. But the fourth and final ingredient in Nectresse is molasses, which once again is a sugar that more than likely was derived from GM sugar beets -- producers that use sugar from sugar cane, after all, typically indicate this on their ingredient labels.

Nectresse, not so natural after all

So three out of the four ingredients used in Nectresse appear to be derived from bioengineered crops, and two of these ingredients are refined sugars. And since erythritol is a sugar alcohol, as well as the most abundant ingredient in Nectresse, McNeil can legally claim under U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines that Nectresse contains zero calories per serving.

But the fact that Nectresse more than likely contains ingredients derived from GM sources means that it is hardly the "natural" product that McNeil is hyping it up to be. Sure, Nectresse contains a little bit of monk fruit which, like the stevia plant, contains compounds that are naturally very sweet, but that do not provide the body with calories in the same way as sugar. But the other ingredients found in Nectresse can hardly be considered natural.

According to MonkFruit.org, (http://www.monkfruit.org/monk-fruit/68/food-beverage-manufacturers) monk fruit can actually be up to 200 times sweeter than sugar because it contains natural antioxidants known as mogrosides that have a strong, sweet taste, but that are not actually considered to be sugar. These mogrosides are unique to monk fruit, and they also contain zero calories.

By itself, in other words, monk fruit appears to be viable as a healthy, alternative sweetener that, because of its heat stability, can work better than stevia in certain food applications that require baking, sauteing, or other forms of heat cooking. Nectresse, on the other hand, appears to be an adulterated version of the monk fruit that represents the corporate food industry's latest attempt at trying to cash in on the health-conscious.

Sources for this article include:

http://www.nectresse.com/

http://www.naturalnews.com/stevia.html

---

All content posted on this site is commentary or opinion and is protected under Free Speech. Truth Publishing LLC takes sole responsibility for all content. Truth Publishing sells no hard products and earns no money from the recommendation of products. NaturalNews.com is presented for educational and commentary purposes only and should not be construed as professional advice from any licensed practitioner. Truth Publishing assumes no responsibility for the use or misuse of this material. For the full terms of usage of this material, visit www.NaturalNews.com/terms.shtml

Hope this helps. I'll add stuff as we go along

This is the way I divide my plate – half of your plate should be vegetables.  Add a salad in there for that full feeling.  ¼ of your plate should be fruit and ¼ of your plate should be meat.  

If your desire is to eat starches then use the example below:

or you could use the following method:

-If you do not have measuring cups or a scale, gauge your servings by using your hand. The fist equals 1 cup when measuring rice, pasta, fruit or veggies.  The palm equals 3 oz. when measuring meat, fish or poultry.  The handful equals 1 ounce when measuring nuts or raisins.  Two handfuls equals 1 ounce when measuring chips, popcorn or pretzels.  The thumb equals 1 ounce when measuring peanut butter or hard cheese.  The tip of the thumb equals 1 teaspoon when measuring cooking oil, mayonnaise, butter or sugar.

-Weigh or measure all food.

-Write down in your food diary all the food you eat.  Even if you go over your calories for the day.  This is the only way to see what the food you put in your tummy does to your weight. 

-Eat a salad with lunch and dinner.  It helps to fill you up.

-Low or no carbs.

-Low or no sugar.

-Low or no flour.

-No soft drinks.

-Read labels extensively.  Make sure the portion size and the calories are what you are willing to eat.

-Be mindful of what is in the food you buy.  Too many additives and preservatives.

-Beware of sodium in canned products.  Fresh fruits and vegetables are better.

-Use Stevia instead of other artificial sweeteners.

-Use fruit water, you make it yourself.  Wash fruit, slice and put in a gallon jug, add water.  Refill water a couple of times until the water no longer tastes like fruit.  You can eventually do without the fruit and just use the water.  Water is your friend.  Drink an 8 oz glass before your meal and always have water with your meal.

-Use spices.

-Buy chicken or turkey and grind yourself.

-Grid your own cheese from the block.

-Make your own salad dressing with low fat vanilla yogurt or low fat sour cream.

-Eat slow and enjoy your food.

-Eat 3 – 6 meals a day.  Every 2 to 3 hours, keeps you going.

-Eat red meat once a week, the other times eat chicken, turkey or pork.  All lean.

-Use Advocare.  It helps regulate your body and make it more apt to loose weight.  And you will lose weight faster.

-In addition to writing your food down in a diary, use Livingstrong.com to also keep up with your calories.  There are a lot of benefits to using this site.  If you need help, please ask and I will walk you through it.  On the top of my food journal page I put the date, my weight, the time I check my blood in the morning and the amount of my blood sugar.  During the day I put the amount of the food I’m eating (like a cup or 3 oz), what the food is and how many calories are in the food.  At any time I can tell you how many calories I have eaten and how many I have left for the day.  This also helps you gauge how many calories you eat at meals and for snacks.  You can make adjustments in your plan as you go, if you write everything down.

Day 1.      NO SUGAR –   SUGAR INCLUDES, WHITE CANE SUGAR, WHITE BEET SUGAR, CORN SYRUP, HONEY, MOLASSES, PANCAKE SYRUP, BROWN SUGAR.  USE NO-CAL STEVIA INSTEAD.

For sugar cravings try:

·        Hydrating by drinking a glass of water, hot herbal tea, hot coffee, club soda, seltzer water.

·        Eating Nuts – handful of mixed nuts – unsalted and dry roasted.

·        Eating Cheese – a piece about the size of your pinky finger.

·        Eating Proteins like a hard boiled egg, ¼ cup of chicken or tuna, ¼ cup of chick peas, ½ cup of low fat yogurt or cottage cheese, 1 tablespoon of peanut butter with celery.

·        Eat Veggies like celery, radishes, carrots, bell pepper.

·        Brush your teeth and gargle

·        Cut back on caffeine

·        Don’t skip meals.

·        Sip low sodium soup.

·        If you can not resist sugar – eat 1 life saver or 1 Hershey’s kiss.

Read labels for hidden sugar in food such as:  Ketchup, mayonnaise, canned soups, spaghetti sauce, salad dressing, frozen dinners, commercial peanut butter, seasoned potato chips, sports drinks, bottled tea and energy bars.

Never eat food labeled as “diabetic”.

Diet drinks and “sugar free” food products confuse your body’s ability to know when it is full.

Steer clear of products that contain:

      Saccharine (Sweet N low, Sugar Twin)

      Aspartame (Equal, NutraSweet, Amino Sweet)

      Sucralose (Splenda)

      Acesulfame-K (Sunette, Sweet One)

      Tagatose (Naturlose)

      High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS), corn syrup or fructose

Agave Syrup

Day 2.         ADD CINNAMON TO LOWER BLOOD SUGAR (1 TEASPOON)

Cinnamon speeds the conversion of glucose into energy, quickly moving excess sugar out of your blood stream and into cells where it is needed.

Day 3.         NO SODAS OR SUGARY DRINKS.

This includes:  soft drinks and fruit juices, sports and energy drinks, sweetened coffees and teas, fruit drinks including those that say made from 100% juice and every drink that contains high fructose corn syrup.

High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is bad because:

Your body metabolizes it differently than sugar.  Your liver has to process it and your liver is already working overtime because of all the chemicals in food.  HFCS converts to fat quickly so the extra calories pile up faster.  It also elevates your triglyceride fats in your blood stream which is the leading cause of heart attacks and heart disease.

High triglycerides are bad news for your heart.  When they circulate in your blood instead of being put to use for energy, they clog up your arteries, impede blood circulation and force your heart to work harder which leads to high blood pressure and heart failure.

Your body doesn’t register the calories in HFCS so it doesn’t add to the satiety signal which tells the body it is full.  So you consume more calories than you need.

Many highly processed, low-fat foods that people eat in order to lose weight are often the ones highest in HFCS.  These foods may contain less fat, but because extra sweeteners are substituted in its place, these foods have the same amount of calories or more.

100% fruit juice spikes your blood sugar because of its natural fructose content.  Normally, the fiber portion of the whole fruit slows the conversion of fructose into glucose.  But with the fiber gone, drinking the fruit’s juice has the same effect on your blood sugar as drinking a soda.

Here is how sodas destroy your health:

            They immediately spike your glucose levels.  The sudden rise in blood sugar triggers your body’s insulin response.  Insulin converts any glucose you don’t immediately burn as fuel into fat for storage in fat cells.  When glucose and insulin levels are chronically elevated, these cells eventually grow resistant to insulin’s efforts, so your pancreas is forced to pump out still more insulin to get the job done.  Not only does this drench your cells with insulin, causing toxic overdose, but eventually your pancreas wears out and can’t produce any insulin at all.  When this occurs, you are officially a Type 1 diabetic.

            They make you fat.  As insulin transforms excess blood sugar into fat, your body usually stores it in the belly and buttocks areas.  Fat cells in these regions act more like glands, secreting enzymes which lead to serious complications such as heart disease and cancer.

            Elevated levels of sugar and insulin in your bloodstream produce inflammatory waste products called advanced glycation end products (AGEs), which accelerate the aging of all tissues in the body.  On the skin, they are seen as “age spots” and wrinkles.  It also affects your organs.

            They weaken your bones.  The phosphoric acid which leaches minerals from the bones leads to osteoporosis.  This acid also inhibits your body’s ability to absorb manganese.  Low levels of this trace mineral significantly weaken the stabilizing ligaments that support joints, making them unstable and subject to increased risk of osteoarthritis, dislocation and injury.

HFCS is included in everyday processed foods, including ketchup, tomato sauce, salad dressing, deli coleslaw, crackers, cottage cheese with fruit and even cough syrups.  From pickles to relish, applesauce to baked beans and yogurt.

Day 4.     DRINK THESE HEALING BEVERAGES INSTEAD.  WATER.  64 OUNCES A DAY.

Always order water in restaurants.  Drink a glass of water before your meal.  Add a slice or two of lemon.

Drink tea.  Black or Green. 

Green tea helps stabilize blood sugar.  Green tea also stimulates the metabolism and helps to burn calories at a faster rate.  It improves kidney, liver and pancreatic functions.  It alleviates arthritis, protects the skin from disease and improves gastrointestinal function.  It has been used to manage allergies, prevent bacterial and viral infections, and to treat a variety of other diseases that stem from inflammation (including diabetes and cancer), as well as improve psychological health.

The primary healing compound in tea is ECGC (Epigallocatechin gallate).  2 cups of tea per day reduces the risk of colorectal, esophageal, stomach and mouth cancer by 30% and are 60% less likely to get bladder cancer as well.

Drink tea that is brewed from the leaf or twigs of the plant.  Look for true Japanese green tea.  Black teas like oolong and other varieties of Japanese teach such as matcha, sencha and gyokuro all contain more ECGC benefits than Chinese tea.

Steep tea for 3 to 10 minutes in piping-hot water, but never boil the tea itself of you’ll destroy its nutritional value.  Drink within one hour of brewing for maximum benefits.  One to three cups of tea per day provides plenty of diabetes-healing benefits, while also triggering liver enzymes that detoxify your body of accumulated poisons.

Diabetes causes dehydration, a dangerous health condition that can lead to shock and death.  When glucose isn’t metabolized properly, the process of excreting it from the body requires extra fluid.  If you’re not adequately hydrated, this fluid is pulled from the tissues in your body.  This is why excessive thirst and frequent urination are symptoms of impending or existing diabetes.

Drink coffee.

Coffee contains magnesium, polyphenols and a substance called quinides, which help regulate blood sugar levels and insulin production.  It also aids in the metabolism of sugar in the body.

Add soymilk or a small amount of low-fat milk plus some no-cal stevia if you prefer it sweetened.  You can also use cinnamon for added flavor.

10 beverages to try:

            Water with added fruit, cucumber, mint or limes.

            Soda spritzer.  Add ½ to 1/3 sparkling water to your soda if you can’t quit cold turkey

            Chilled green or black tea.

            Iced ginger or herbal tea.

            Low-fat milk.

            Iced coffee.

            Fruit spritzer.  Mix ¼ unsweetened pomegranate or blueberry juice with ¾ sparkling

                        water.  Check the sodium content in mineral water.  You don’t want a lot of added

                        sodium because of its blood-pressure risk.

            No-cal lemonade.

            Soy milk.  Check the sugar content of prepared soy milk.  Choose the lowest you can

                        find.

            Unsweetened fruit juice smoothies.  Mix a few frozen berries with unsweetened yogurt

                        and just a splash of apple or orange juice in the blender.

  

Day 5.     ELIMINATE ALL “FAST CARBS”

Stop eating white bread – and all other products made of processed, refined grains.  i.e. baked goods, bagels, muffins, pancakes and waffles, flour tortillas, bread sticks, pizza crust, noodles and pasta, white “minute” rice, dinner rolls, instant mashed potatoes, burger buns, flat bread, crackers, cookies and chops.  You will occasionally slip and eat a small portion of the fast carbs.    These fast carbs get into your blood stream fast and spike your sugar and then you are hungry again which leaves you wanting more.  Once you break the habit of eating fast carbs you will not be hungry all the time.  Give it at least 3-10 days and see if you lose your appetite for these foods altogether.

Use your knowledge and not your willpower.  Knowing that these foods are bad for your beats trying to not eat them because someone told you NO.

A diet of these fast carbs makes your cells resistant to all the insulin that pumps out when you eat them and your pancreas burns out from overproduction.

Fast carbs also creates inflammatory proteins called cytokines, which regulate the body’s inflammation response.  Inflammation makes your joints and muscles sore.  It causes your arteries to clog up with plaque.  It destroys brain cells.  And it raises your risk of all cancers.

Fast carbs are loaded with damaging fats.  Most processed foods, including buns, rolls, breakfast cereal, soft breads, crackers and chips contain refined vegetable oils, such as soy, corn, cottonseed or canola, which are high in omega-6 fatty acids.  They often contain trans fats (labeled as “hydrogenated oil” or “vegetable shorting”).  Omega-6s deplete omega-3 fatty acids which are anti-inflammatory – which results in higher inflammation throughout the body.

Fast carbs are highly-refined grain products that have a simple, short chain of natural sugar molecules which convert quickly into glucose in your bloodstream.  Fast carbs are also called “simple carbs” because of their simple chain of molecules.  Fast carbs also rank high on the glysemic index.

Slow carbs contain fiber and other components that slow down the food’s conversation to glucose in your bloodstream.  Slow carbs have a more complicated molecular chain, which is why they’re also called “complex carbs.”

Trans fats raise LDL (bad) cholesterol levels and lowers HDL (good) cholesterol and are directly responsible for arterial plaque and heart disease.

Bread products are loaded with gluten, a compound found in wheat, rye, oats and barley, which can be difficult to digest.  It causes inflammation of the intestines.  Some of the symptoms of gluten intolerance includes fatigue, weakness and general achiness, abdominal bloating and chronic diarrhea.  Gluten intolerance has also been linked to osteoporosis, anemia, cancer, lupus, multiple sclerosis and other autoimmune diseases as well as psychiatric and neurological conditions such as depression, migraines and schizophrenia.

Your body needs carbohydrates.  It is its main source of energy.  Your goal is not to eliminate carbs.  You want a carbohydrate that will enter your bloodstream slowly so it won’t trigger an overproduction of insulin.  The easiest way to choose a slow carb over a fast carb is to always choose a whole food rather than one that has been commercially refined and processed.

You are going to be loading up on fresh vegetables and meals made with beans for that good slow-carb energy, as well as plenty of nutritious protein foods, such as grass-fed beef, organic milk and dairy products and free-range eggs. 

Carbo craving is a very biological phenomenon.  When you eat a fast carb, your body breaks its down into glucose very quickly.  This sudden spike in blood sugar triggers a surge of insulin which, if it’s functioning properly, pulls the glucose out of your bloodstream.

Because glucose is the main fuel for your body and brain, the quick exit causes a sudden drop in your energy level.  Deprived of fuel, your brain feels foggy and your body feels tired.  You may have the urge to nap so your brain can consolidate the neurochemicals required for clear thinking and concentration.  What happens next is your body craves more of the same quick carbs.  If you continue along this trail, your body’s basic metabolic functions are upset and this leads to permanent damage in the form of diabetes.

For now, stop eating carbs.  Have eggs for breakfast with yogurt at mid-morning; vegetable soup and a big salad for lunch and lean protein with plenty of vegetables for dinner.

Day 6.     Breakfasts