Review: SugaVida

SUGAVIDA

A NATURAL SWEETENER THAT’S PACKED WITH NUTRIENTS? CONSCIOUS FOOD INTRODUCES SUGAVIDA™ TO U.S. MARKET 
~ Popular in Europe and Used in Ayurvedic Medicine for Centuries, SugaVida™ Offers the First Plant-Based Sugar Alternative With a Low GI and High in Vitamin B12 and Iron ~ 

London, England —Is it possible that a natural sweetener could actually be a super food that’s good for you? Today, Conscious Food, a pioneer in organic farming and providers of award-winning gluten, wheat- and dairy-free snacks, healing teas and nutritional supplements across Europe and Asia, announces the American debut of SugaVida ™, a natural, safe, organic sugar substitute that sweetens naturally while providing significant health benefits.

For consumers, SugaVida offers a healthy, nutrient-packed alternative to processed sugar, high fructose corn syrup, stevia, agave and synthetic sweeteners in their cold and hot drinks, snacks and for cooking and baking. For U.S. food manufacturers, SugaVida offers a finished sweetener ingredient with a lower melting point, which means substantial savings on energy bills. SugaVida is fully organically certified and is grown in pesticide and herbicide free environment, providing food manufacturers with an opportunity to penetrate the rapidly growing US market for verifiably healthier food products.

“SugaVida stands for ‘sugar of life’ and is a delicious tasting natural sweetener with a distinct difference from the others: it’s packed with vitamins and minerals,” said Conscious Foods Founder and CEO, Kristina Locke. “And you only need to use half the amount of SugaVida to achieve the same level of sweetness as other products. Americans will appreciate that this is one organic sweetener that doesn’t have the aftertaste that’s associated with highly processed or chemical sugar substitutes.”

SugaVida is derived from the sap of the Palmyra palm tree (Borassus Flabellifer), which is grown organically and harvested sustainably in Southeast India, supporting local producers and biodiversity in Indian farming communities. Of the three types of palm trees that provide nectar, Palmyra contains the highest sources of B Vitamins and minerals and is the only known bioavailable plant-based source of B12 found in nature. Flavorful and nutrient rich, SugaVida contains 15 essential vitamins and minerals, including calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, sodium and phosphorus—all of which are retained in SugaVida without the addition of preservatives or chemicals in the plant-based production process.

“While we believe all sugars should be consumed in moderation, we’re changing the mindset around sweeteners in America by introducing one that actually provides nutritional and medicinal benefits. SugaVida has been widely used as a body cleanse in Ayurvedic medicine to reduce bloating, water retention, and improve the digestive and respiratory systems. We’ve found that those who constantly desire sugar sweets and drinks have actually seen their cravings diminish by simply replacing sugar with SugaVida,” added Locke.

Conscious Food’s all-natural line of products, including SugaVida (formerly called Palmyra Jaggery), sweet and savory power snacks, healing teas and its popular digestive aid, DMix; are available in ten European countries, where sales have doubled for the past two years.

In the US, SugaVida will be on select store shelves nationwide in late summer/early fall of 2014. It retails for $13.50 for 8.8 ounces/250 grams. 

About Conscious Food
Conscious Food UK Ltd launched in the UK in 2008, by creating a range of exclusive gourmet gluten and dairy free snacks and partnering with Conscious Food in India to manufacture them. The company has pioneered organic farming and food in India since 1990; developing and nurturing relationships with small organic farms and communities, ensuring the highest level of quality and fair trade. The multi award-winning range of gourmet gluten, wheat and dairy free sweet and savory snacks have won several Great Taste and FreeFrom Awards (UK Food Oscars). In 2011, the company introduced D ’Mix, the revolutionary digestive wellness product and a line of therapeutic teas. Conscious Food is debuting in America with its healthy sugar alternative: SugaVida, called Palmyra Jaggery in the U.K.

More information can be found at http://www.consciousfood.co.uk/

	sugavida	white sugar	honey	coconut sugar
calories	397	405	311	375
iron	8.5 mg	0	.4 mg	2 mg
calcuim	208 mg	0	6 mg	8 mg
vitamin c	20.1 mg	0	0	0
vitamin b1	7.3 mg	0	0	.41 mg
vitamin b6	33.2 mg	0	240 mcg	384 mcg
vitamin b2	11.9 mg	0	4 mg	12.2 mg
vitamin b3	40.1 mg	0	2 mg	29 mg
vitamin b12	20mcg	0	0	0
potassium	1011	0.1	4	1030
magnesium	31 mg	0	2 mg	29 mg

Our Thoughts
We eat paleo here, so I like to try new (to me) natural and organic foods that keep in line with our way of eating.  SugaVida is made from the sap of the palmyra palm tree and is rich in B vitamins.  I love that they provide the chart comparing SugaVida to other common sweeteners.  We don't use white sugar here, but do on occasion use honey, coconut sugar, sucanet sugar, washed raw sugar, molasses, and maple syrup, depending on the flavor the dish needs.

SugaVida has a low melting point and a moisture level between 0.5 - 1.5%. so it's a dry sweetener unlike honey, maple syrup, agave, molasses, etc.

I tested SugaVida out in two things: apple butter, and apple pie - since it's that time of year!  My apple butter was  made with very tart apples (Harrelsons, my fave for apple butter & pies), and for fun I put in some of the season's last rhubarb.  I wanted to test out just how much less sweetener I'd need using SugaVida over the maple syrup I normally use for apple butter.   This was one tart sauce, and I found SugaVida wasn't quite up to the task.  I did use a lot of it, to the point I could actually discern the flavor of it by itself in the apple butter.  I ended up going back to maple syrup to round out the flavor and to get the desired sweetness.

Next up was my apple pie.  Same tart apples, but no rhubarb, thinking the too-tart rhubarb may have been the problem with using SugaVida in the apple-rhubarb butter.  I like that SugaVida is a dry sweetener, because the apples create a bit of juice which can make for a soggy pie crust.  Again, I ended up using as much SugaVida as I would have any other sweetener.  And again, it was to the point I could taste it.  So, back to using maple syrup to round out the flavor and sweeten it up a bit.

Now, SugaVida tastes somewhat like coconut sugar, which has more of a brown sugar flavor - except there's just something a wee bit different about the flavor.  No bitter aftertaste, no, but it does have a flavor all its own.  And while I think it would be fine in baked goods, the flavor on its own was just not my favorite.

On to it being rich in B-Vitamins - while this would most likely be awesome for the majority of the population, SugaVida did invoke a side effect with my son, who has a metabolic disorder.  Extra Vitamin B12 is generally recommended for nonverbal children - and B12 does affect my non-verbal son, except for him, any extra Vitamin B12 makes him more vocal but definitely not verbal.  Think bleating and shrieking.  I found that B-Vitamin rich SugaVida did affect him in that manner with just a one-time little tiny sprinkle of it on his food - I was hoping that tiny amount wouldn't affect him that way . . . but alas, it did.  Being as my son is SO sensitive and reacts to so many things - while we can't use it, other families with non-verbal children may possibly enjoy the B-Vitamin rich benefits of SugaVida. 

In conclusion, I do think SugaVida is a great product - I LOVE that it's organic and sustainably harvested - and I'd personally like to experiment more cooking & baking with it, but due to my son's metabolic disorder SugaVida is just not a good fit for our family.  I'll be labeling the apple-rhubarb butter so that I remember my son shouldn't have it.  The pie?  LOL, that's already gone. Apple pie never lasts long around me! :)