Sugar (alternative) and Spice and Everything Nice....

Mmmm….sugar. It really is one of my favorite things in life!

It turns my coffee into a tasty delight, makes cookies delish and turns cream, milk and eggs into dreamy vanilla ice cream.  Yes, sugar, my BFF.

Now, even though my tastebuds love these sugary treats, my thighs happen to have some anger towards these carbon/hydrogen/oxygen molecules.  Which brings me to my next point of discussion- sugar substitutes.  I know it can be extremely confusing between the aspartame, sucralose, dextrose and others to understand which are the good, bad and ugly.  There are many studies linking consumption of some of these sugar substitutes to cancer, migraines, dizziness, among other adverse effects.  However, there are also many studies stating the safety of these sweeteners. There will continue to be positive and negative study results however none of these substitutes are natural.  And in my food choices and my lifestyle I strive to incorporate as few artificial and as many natural products as possible.  So, onto some positive news coming from the FDA.

As the newest kid on the (US) block, Stevia shows much promise for those seeking a natural sugar substitute.  It is a non-caloric sweetener derived from the stevia plant.  Stevia’s origin is as a South American plant where its leaves have been used for their sweetening properties for centuries.  Stevia, also known as rebiana on packaging, can be anywhere from 200-300 times sweeter than sugar and contains absolutely no carbohydrates, unlike some other sugar substitutes.  It has zero calories and dissolves like powdered sugar, even in a cold beverages.  Many natural food stores have been carrying tabletop versions of stevia for use as a sweetener for many years.  But most recently the government finally joined the bandwagon!

On December 17^th, 2008, the FDA approved stevia as safe to use in foods and beverages.  With this announcement came some  other news from a few big guys in the beverage business, Coca-Cola and PepsiCo.  Both companies announced they will be launching stevia-sweetened beverages in the near future.  PepsiCo has already placed one of their products on the shelves, Trop-50, an orange juice sweetened with stevia containing 50% fewer calories than it’s counterpart of traditional orange juice.

I believe the most exciting news about this sugar substitute is that it is natural, contains absolutely no calories and does not raise blood sugar levels, meaning it is a fabulous alternative for diabetics and people trying to lose weight.

So next time you are out to breakfast and you see a stevia packet (probably the brand Truvia) or you are in the grocery store and you see a stevia sweetened beverage, give it a shot.  See what you think.  And see how mother nature (may have) intended sugar alternatives to be!

Rooty, Tooty, Fresh and Fruity!!

Say this ten times fast – “Synsepalum dulcificum.”  Well, the easier name for the item at hand is “miracle fruit.”  I came across an article awhile back and was immediately intrigued.

The “miracle fruit” is the size of about an almond but otherwise looks similar like a cranberry.  So now, the crazy cool thing about this little nugget of curiosity is that when you eat one and the pulp rubs across your tongue it has an altering effect for the next 15-20 minutes.  It turns bitter, sour and acidic foods into sweet foods that taste like candy.  Turning fruit into candy? Yes, please!!  So, for foodies alike, of course this sounds fun, easily and safely changing how food tastes? It’s like the most fun science experiment, ever!!

But, here’s the part that I think is so unbelievable.  While this little fruit provides solely entertainment for most, for people with cancer this fruit can really earn it’s name.  For those bravely enduring chemotherapy, one of the side effects is a terrible metallic taste that remains in your mouth, so bad that many stop eating.  This can result in a dramatic amount of weight loss and can lead to malnutrition.  Enter the possibility of the “miracle fruit.”  According to Dr. Mike Cusnir, an oncologist at Mt.Sinai Medical Center, a majority of patients participating in a study that uses the “miracle fruit” gave good feedback that it improved the taste of food.  And while it is in the very beginning steps of investigation by doctors, I am very optimistic that this could help many people!

How does it work? Well, let me channel my inner Alton Brown (my college degree is in Food Science and Nutrition after all!!) and explain to you the science behind it. To put it simply (with information from Linda Bartoshuk, a professor at the Uof F Center for Smell and Taste) there is a protein called miraculin in the fruit which has sugar molecules that bind to the tongue.  Once an acid of a certain pH hits the tongue, the sugar molecules press into the sweet receptors, thus masking the sour or bitter taste.   Again, that was the simple explanation and for further detail simply Google “synsepalum dulcificum miraculim” and you will find plenty of articles to explain in much further detail (such as pH boundaries, temperature restrictions, histidine presence, etc.).

There is also some discussion of the possibility of using the fruit for weight loss, specifically for those with diabetes. Because the fruit is all-natural and has few calories, and because of the ability to turn the taste of healthy fruits into a candy-riffic experience, the researchers hope that will help curb dessert cravings so people can sub fruit instead.

So, next time your niece, nephew, son or daughter asks for some help with a science experiment suggest Synsepalum dulcificum.  They’ll come across as super smart and super cool.

 

"I shake my little toosh on the catwalk..."

Last week I had some professional photos taken by a beautiful and talented photographer by the name of Melissa Song.  It has been almost 2 years since I began Drizzle Kitchen and I realized it was about time that I do the big girl thing and get some well-done pics as the cannon just wasn’t cutting it anymore.

 

So I searched and searched and surfed and surfed and finally came across some inspiration on the Internet.  I knew I wanted some pictures that captured my personality and passion. Pictures that didn’t involve me in a chef coat behind a stove.  I wanted color, excitement and food love all the while in a very urban, crisp space.

 

Success!!

 

Melissa managed to coax out a fabulous photo personality from behind my nervousness and shot some great pictures!  Not that I ever doubted her talents, but I certainly doubted my ability to “perform” in front of a camera.  The first few shots I was certainly getting my bearings about me, but after about 10 minutes I began to enjoy myself! She did such a great job making me feel more comfortable than silly, and gave me some great tips from when she used to model.

 

If you would like some more information about Melissa and her photography (she also does family events, pregnancy photos and the most adorable children’s pics in addition to headshots) you can check out her website at www.melissasongphotography.com.  Also, if you want to see some more examples of professional shots (and more of my pics!) you can checkt out this site, www.gallery.me.com/songphotography/100819 .

 

Thanks Mel, it was fun and we’ll definitely be doing another shoot soon!