3 Compelling Reasons to Replace Refined Sugar with Organic Stevia

Some centuries ago, Stevia was being derived from the Rebaudiana plant in Paraguay, which was later documented by a Swiss botanist, ‘sweet leaf’ and being brought to the modern world. Considering the modern fitness enthusiastic world, stevia is widely available in a number of forms. The most popular among them is the white extract powder. However, you can also purchase dried stevia leaves, stevia liquid extracts or the smaller pellets used for sweetening the coffee. 

The organic stevia sweetener is unique compared to normal sugar in a varied range of ways. Irrespective of whether you are diabetic in nature or simply want to lead a better lifestyle, consuming this ‘superfood’ is the ideal choice. Following here are some aspects discussed, which will state how it is a better choice than normal sugar.

It’s very potent

Raw leaves of the plant are 40 times sweeter approx compared to sugar and the powdered form extracted from them are up to 200-300 times more sweet. It means you just need a pinch of stevia to suffice while preparing the sugar-free recipes. The shelf life of sweet leaves is around 5 years and thus, it’s truly a worthy investment.                       

It has no calories

Refined sugar leads you to gain weight. Sine, sucrose comprises a lot of calories and the market is flooded with numerous sugary products as a result of which, it’s apparently a full-time chore to eliminate its consumption. Consequently, a substantial proportion of adults as well as children is gradually becoming prone to obesity. But, replacing refined sugar with this natural sweetener will allow you to cut down the calorie intake and promote a healthier life.

It helps to avoid the hungry pangs

Sugar is proven to be addictive. Though, artificial sweeteners like Sucralose and Aspartame might not come with any calories or the glycemic index, however, they compel people to have cravings for the sugary sweets. Moreover, more number of consumers are being reported to suffer from adverse side effects while using the artificial sweeteners. On the contrary, this natural sweetener is being proved to suppress cravings.

Wrapping up

Apart from these, organic stevia aids in improving the oral health, reducing the chances of diabetes, regulating the level of hypertension, helping with Candidiasis and much more. Thus, the bottom line is; though stevia’s taste might make you feel a bit different but, in the long run, you will surely be able to decipher the hidden promising benefits. It comprises of 2 sweet components naming Stevioside and Rebaudioside, both of which are collectively known to be Glycosides. You must find a product based on the latter one since, Stevioside comes with a bitter aftertaste which, you may don’t like. Thus, what’s the wait for? Incorporate stevia into your daily diet and lead a step towards wellness.

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4 Delicious Nopal Cactus Recipes to Cure Varied Health Problems

Mankind has always and will be in search of nutritious foods for deriving greater nutrition and wellness. Considering the fact, nopal cactus has being consumed by people since the ancient times and is now acclaimed as a ‘superfood’ by the contemporary food enthusiasts. Because of its many medicinal properties, it’s also enriched with calcium, fiber, minerals, vitamins and antioxidants.  Be it for preventing the possibility of hypoglycemia or controlling the level of blood sugar, this item is proved to be of high potential to cure multiple health problems.

Following here are some of the useful recipes which, aid in curing severe health problems including skin irritation, obesity, diabetes and hypoglycemia.

Nopal for weight loss

Ingredients

• 1 cup of alfalfa
• 1 medium sized cactus
• 1 glass of natural and fresh carrot juice

Preparation

Drink ½ liter of juice per day; one glass at noon and one glass in the afternoon. You should drink 2 litres of pure water per day for removing the toxins and fats. Make sure not to eat salty, fried or sugar or processed foods all the day.

Nopal for hypoglycemia, diabetes and skin problems

Ingredients

• 1 medium sized, fresh cactus
• 1 glass of pure water
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tbsp of flaxseed or chia seeds
• A little honey  

Preparation

• Place all ingredients in the blender and blend it for few minutes. Without much strain, drink the mixture slowly and chew if required.
• After drinking this juice, do not eat anything else for an hour. Drink one more glass before having main meal of the day.

Nopal for lowering blood sugar and combat obesity

Ingredients

1 medium sized cactus

1 glass of water

1 well-sanitized sprig of parsley

1 tbsp of flaxseed or chia seeds

Preparation

Blend all the ingredients and sip the mixture without strain.

Nopal for diabetes or weight loss

Ingredients

• 4 stalks of diced cactus
• ½ tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 clove of garlic
• 2 spring onions (finely-chopped)
• 8 clean spinach leaves
• 1 tbsp of cilantro (chopped)
• Salt 3 cups of vegetable broth

Preparation

• Boil cactus in one cup of water with garlic, cilantro, onion and salt. Cover the pot and sim it for a few minutes in low temperature. After being cooked, drain in the colander, thereby leaving it till it gets cool.
• Fry the garlic and onion with little oil, add the cactus and broth, thereby letting it to boil for around 10 minutes.
• Grind spinach in the blender with cilantro along with little broth, thereby pouring into the soup. Boil it for 5 minutes. Before serving, you need to add some brown sugar cubes and thereafter, serve it hot.

Well, thus the next time you are about to consume nopal cactus, make sure that you prepare in the right way to derive the rich extracts at their best.

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Some Splendid Ways to Savor the Goodness of Cacao at its Best

Can the highly nutritional elements of cacao really promote sound health? With this nutrient-powered super food which, originated in foothills of the Andes Mountains, termed as Raw Cacao, of course you can. The benefits of cacao are superfluous which, ends in improving the memory, increasing the bliss, shedding excessive fat, reducing heart diseases and creating loads of energy. 

Being packed with a series of health benefits, it can be mixed with a series of nutritious foods which, will end up in savoring the rich extracts of Raw cacao powder at its best.

Pudding

Here’s a recipe brought to you for Chocolate Cottage Cheese Chia Pudding which, is enriched with protein. Thus, it helps you to remain full for long hours which, also helps in adding the health benefits of Cocoa powder into the meal.

Another variation is the Raw Chocolate Super food Pudding, which can be consumed as a perfect snack or breakfast option. Another one is the Banana Avocado Pudding that falls somewhere in between a potential dessert and sweet breakfast treat.

Well, the following one might be a little rich for being treated as a breakfast. However, while considered as a healthy and sweet breakfast, you can try the Chocolate Avocado Pudding that is raw, vegan and filled with a pack of healthy fats and nutrients.   

Sprinkled over fruit

Another favorite snack which, can be consumed daily is a pack of frozen banana slices mixed with cocoa powder thereby, sprinkled over the top. This recipe typically falls somewhere in between a cold banana truffle and a chocolate-covered banana, this treat is one of the go-tos to satisfy a sweet tooth.

Taking it a step further, you can cocoa powder and frozen banana slices to a blender or food processor and blend it till it becomes smooth enough to prepare a creamy chocolate ice cream.

Granola bars

These are quite easy to make. Though, there is a list of granola recipes to prepare, but one of the healthiest and simplest is the 5 ingredient granola bar. You can simply add cocoa powder to the mix, thereby adjusting the moist ingredients to get sure of the fact that the mixture isn’t much dry. You can even simply add raw cacao nibs to the mixture of granola bars.

Apart from the aforesaid, you can also prepare a plate of delicious and nutrient-rich truffles, brownies and fudges, which will help you to gasp the varied flavors of raw cacao powder at its best. Thus, dive into the world of goodness of cacao with these appetizing recipes. Bon Appetit!

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