Soft drinks are the greatest source of calories for us fat americans. We get more of our daily calories from soft drinks than any other category of food. More than ice cream, more than fries, more than meat, more than bread. Think about it, all these calories, very little nutritional benefit.
Over the same period, companies like Pepsi and Coca-Cola have thrived. Warren Buffet must know a lot about American habits to have invested in Coke 20 years ago. Now Coke is doing the same thing to the rest of the world. And surprise, the rest of the world is also becoming fat.
In order to curtail this problem, big pharma has come up with all kinds of prescription drugs to deal with the symptoms of obesity. The most readily available are the artificial sweeteners concocted by the likes of Monsanto and ADM. These artificial sweeteners (sucralose, sucrose). These significantly reduced the caloric value of soft drinks.
The concern with these sweeteners is that like many man-made miracle solutions, they carry unknown risks. Much research has been done linking these artificial powders to cancer. While this research is by no means complete, many individuals are critical of big industry and seek more natural options.
One such alternative is Stevia. It's been used for centuries in ancient cultures around the world. From India to Brazil to China and South Africa. Stevia has also been used as a natural low calory sweetener for diabetics. There is research suggesting that Stevia could reduce the onset of Type II diabetes. For most of us, Stevia is a good alternative to artificial sweeteners to reduce our caloric intake.
Sadly, our dear US government, in its wisdom, has opined that Stevia could potentially be unsafe. Although the studies they point to have been publicly denouced, what it comes down to, in my humble opinion, is this: Its hard to make money off of a natural product like Stevia. You cannot patent it and without a patent, anyone can produce and sell it. Not good for commercial outfits like Cargill (HFCS) or Monsanto (Aspartame) or Tate & Lyle (Splenda).
Because of this, it is extremely complicated to produce good, naturally sweetened soft drinks or energy drinks. As surprising as it may seem, very few Stevia-based products exist in the US (unlike Japan). But luckily there are a few alternatives. I've listed below a soft drink and an energy drink that I've tried and like.
Carbonated Drinks: Virgils: Not easy to find online. They have a few flavours (Cola, Root Beer). Good taste. Promising if they become more available. http://www.bevnet.com/news/2008/8-25-2008-Diet_Real_Cola_Virgil's.asp.
Lo-cal Energy Drink: GURU All-natural Drink: A great alternative to the usual chemical cocktails. Contains Stevia and other natural ingredients. I enjoy the taste and it definately give me energy. I buy it at their website : Natural Energy Drink.
Over the same period, companies like Pepsi and Coca-Cola have thrived. Warren Buffet must know a lot about American habits to have invested in Coke 20 years ago. Now Coke is doing the same thing to the rest of the world. And surprise, the rest of the world is also becoming fat.
In order to curtail this problem, big pharma has come up with all kinds of prescription drugs to deal with the symptoms of obesity. The most readily available are the artificial sweeteners concocted by the likes of Monsanto and ADM. These artificial sweeteners (sucralose, sucrose). These significantly reduced the caloric value of soft drinks.
The concern with these sweeteners is that like many man-made miracle solutions, they carry unknown risks. Much research has been done linking these artificial powders to cancer. While this research is by no means complete, many individuals are critical of big industry and seek more natural options.
One such alternative is Stevia. It's been used for centuries in ancient cultures around the world. From India to Brazil to China and South Africa. Stevia has also been used as a natural low calory sweetener for diabetics. There is research suggesting that Stevia could reduce the onset of Type II diabetes. For most of us, Stevia is a good alternative to artificial sweeteners to reduce our caloric intake.
Sadly, our dear US government, in its wisdom, has opined that Stevia could potentially be unsafe. Although the studies they point to have been publicly denouced, what it comes down to, in my humble opinion, is this: Its hard to make money off of a natural product like Stevia. You cannot patent it and without a patent, anyone can produce and sell it. Not good for commercial outfits like Cargill (HFCS) or Monsanto (Aspartame) or Tate & Lyle (Splenda).
Because of this, it is extremely complicated to produce good, naturally sweetened soft drinks or energy drinks. As surprising as it may seem, very few Stevia-based products exist in the US (unlike Japan). But luckily there are a few alternatives. I've listed below a soft drink and an energy drink that I've tried and like.
Carbonated Drinks: Virgils: Not easy to find online. They have a few flavours (Cola, Root Beer). Good taste. Promising if they become more available. http://www.bevnet.com/news/2008/8-25-2008-Diet_Real_Cola_Virgil's.asp.
Lo-cal Energy Drink: GURU All-natural Drink: A great alternative to the usual chemical cocktails. Contains Stevia and other natural ingredients. I enjoy the taste and it definately give me energy. I buy it at their website : Natural Energy Drink.
About the Author:
About the Author: Dr. Jones is an expert in matters of and advises natural food web sites and companies. He is an authority in natural and organic food and drink topics. For more, read his blog at Natural Energy Drinks or on Squidoo at Organic Energy Drinks.
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