The Big BLOB Weight Loss Blog

LO HAN

What is it?

Lo Han sweetner is extracted from a plant that is a member of the cucumber and squash family. It is a fruit that is grown in the mountains of Southern China. It is supposed to be 250 times sweeter than sugar.

Just a bit of a tangent here. Sugar is pretty sweet … so if something was twice as sweet how would you know that? So how on earth do they measure that something is 250 times sweeter than sugar? By weight? By volume? Or do “they” just say, “Oh this is soooooo sweet, it must taste 250 times sweeter than sugar!” I’m OK now, sometimes I just wonder about strange things!

The really interesting thing about Lo Han is that it has been used for centuries, in China, for congesting, colds and sore throats.

Where can you find it? You’ll have to visit a BIG city health food store for this, since it is not nearly as well know as Stevia or a few of the other alternatives. I’ve also included some links for you to purchase it over the Internet. It comes in liquid and powder form. It can be used as a cooking alternative.

Taste Test: OK … so here’s were some of your genetics come into play. Some people say it is metallic and bitter. Other people say it has NO after taste at all! So if you are trying it for the first time, get the smallest container you can, because metallic and bitter is NO fun at all. Brings licking copper pipes to mind!

Is it safe? According to the Chinese it is. According to the FDA, it hasn’t been approved.

For those that know what this means … Lo Han has a LOW glycemic index, so this along with Stevia is a good alternative for Diabetics.

Lo Han is stable in heat so you can use it in cooking and baking.

Two alternative names you might see … lo han kuo and luo han kuo

Lo Han Sweet 80 Grams

AGAVE

Madhava Raw Agave Nectar, Organic, 17-Ounce Bottles (Pack of 12)

What is it? Agave is a cactus like plant that is found growing in Mexico. In fact … it is what gives Tequilla the tequilla taste!

The Nectar extracted from the Agave plant is mostly fructose (fruit sugar) and is absorbed into the blood stream more slowly than regular sugar. It is MUCH sweeter than sugar so you need less of it.

Where can you get it? I’ll include some Internet ordering links below, but also check out your local health or natural food stores.

The taste test: Agave is very sweet and tastes somewhat like maple sugar. No reports of an aftertaste.

Is it safe? It’s been used for eons and there are no reports on problems associated with its use. However the lack of negative reports could be because very few studies have been done. As with everything, use in moderation.

Here’s more information about agave from the Wikipedia

Order Agave Nectar and give it a try.

Madhava Raw Agave Nectar, Organic, 17-Ounce Bottles (Pack of 12)

Raw Revolution Organic Live Food Bars, Coconut Agave Nectar, 2.2-Ounce Bars (Pack of 12)

I was in the organic food store the other day, checkout out their “natural” sweetners section. There is huge controversy on the artificial sweeteners … aspartame vs saccharin vs splenda etc.

The “natural” line of sweetners have been around for eons, but are they safe and which ones pass the taste tests?

I’ll start off by doing mini-reviews, recaping my research findings on the following four. By the time I’ve finished with them, I’ll probably have found more.

Agave

Whey Low

Stevia

Lo Han

I’ll start with STEVIA because I have used it for years and it seems to be the most publicized.

What is it? Stevia is an extract from a South American plant. It is billed as being 300 times sweeter than sugar.

Where can you find it? Most health food and natural food stores carry several versions (liquid and tablets … and I’ll provide some Internet sources below.

Taste test. Yes it is very sweet, but can leave a bit of a metallic aftertaste in your mouth.

Health benefits or concerns: Some studies have found that Stevia lowers blood sugars and helps control blood pressure. Studies indicate that it is safe for humans, but high doses have caused fertility and metabolic problems in animal studies. [In these animal studies “high” means really HIGH!]

In Japan they are using Stevia commercially in food products and in diet drink products. So why isn’t it as prevalent here? The sugar and aspartame lobbies are doing their best to keep this natural product out of the main stream.

For more information: Check out CBC’s Marketplace report

Stevia Sweet Recipes: Sugar-Free-Naturally

Order Stevia and try it!

SweetLeaf Liquid Stevia, Vanilla Crème, 2-Ounce Bottles (Pack of 2)

SweetLeaf SteviaPlus Fiber Packets, 100-Count Boxes (Pack of 2)