Happy December and Holiday Season!
HIGH QUALITY SWEET TOOTH TREATS
9 ways to indulge your sweet-tooth high-quality style!
During the holiday season brings a time of celebration around the table. Delicious homemade treats may also be part of the celebration and just because sugar isn’t good for you, doesn’t mean you have to kiss your sweet tooth goodbye forever!
Let’s talk about high quality sweeteners.
We’ve all heard that too much highly processed, refined sugar can have devastating effects on your metabolism and contribute to all sorts of diseases. This is no joke… Here’s why:
- Sugar equals tons of calories with no essential nutrients. All it does is cause tooth decay by literally feeding harmful bacteria in your mouth!
- If you eat high quantities of refined, processed sugar but do no exercise you are at risk, for the fructose derived from an excess of sugar, to get lodged in your liver and cause non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
- When you consume too much sugar, it can cause resistance to the hormone insulin, which can lead to diseases like metabolic syndrome, obesity, cardiovascular disease and type II diabetes.
- An excess amount of sugar can have a devastating effect on your metabolism, which is now known to lead to cancer.
- Sugar is highly addictive because after ingestion it causes a huge release of dopamine in your brain.
- Sugar is a major contributor to heart disease, which is the number one killer in the world.
But what many people don’t realize is that there are healthier, alternative sweeteners out there that won’t affect your health as much and taste just as sweet, if not more!
So, what are some of these high-quality sweetener alternatives to processed sugar?
- Stevia—a plant used by the Guarani people of South America for more than 1500 years:
- Tastes about 300 times sweeter than table sugar
- No calories, no impact on blood sugar and may reduce blood pressure
- Make sure to buy only 100% whole leaf stevia… look for RebA
- Xylitol—a sugar alcohol that is neither sugar nor alcohol but is actually an organic compound:
- About the same sweetness as table sugar
- Comes from a non-GMO plant source
- Low in calorie and no effect on blood sugars
- Erythritol—also a sugar alcohol like Xylitol
- About 70% as sweet as table sugar and tastes just like it
- It is 100% Erythritol
- Nearly non caloric, doesn’t spike blood sugar and is easily digested
- Coconut palm sugar—from the sap of cut flower buds of the coconut palm:
- Same sweetness as table sugar
- Look for labels that say coconut sugar, coconut crystals or coconut palm sugar
- Has a low glycemic index and contains some nutrients and fiber
- Agave—produced from the leaves of this Mexican succulent plant
- It is about one and a half times sweeter than table sugar
- Make sure to buy organic agave
- It lowers the glycemic index more than table sugar does
- Honey—bees, bees, bees…:
- Slightly sweeter than table sugar
- Buy raw, local and organic honey
- Can help boost immune system and seasonal allergies and sooth sore throats
- Lucuma powder—produced from this subtropical fruit native to South America:
- Sweet, maple flavor
- Make sure it is 100% lucuma powder
- Can help boost immune system, no effect on blood sugar and contains nutrients
- Maple syrup—made from the sap of sugar, red or black maple trees:
- About 3 times sweeter than table sugar
- Buy organic pure grade B maple syrup
- Lower fructose content than table sugar but don’t be fooled it’s still sugar
- Monk fruit (lo han gou)—made from a green melon that grows in the mountaintops of Asia:
- About 200 or 300 times sweeter than table sugar
- Buy pure monk fruit or pure lo han gou sweetener
- Non caloric, no impact on blood sugar and may be anti-inflammatory
How can I use one of these alternative sweeteners in my cooking?
Here’s an awesome, healthy and sweet recipe for Candied Walnuts to get you started:
Prep time: 5 mins; Serves: 4
1 cup raw walnuts, chopped or whole
1 tsp cinnamon
2 T coconut oil
1 T honey
salt to taste
In a medium hot frying pan, add coconut oil, walnuts, salt and cinnamon. Cook until toasted, about 10 min. In the last couple minutes, add the honey for a sweeter taste.
Yoga Studio News
Work has finally begun on our beautiful studio!! This is exciting news, and we have all waited patiently for this! During the reconstruction, we are offering limited classes at alternate locations.
A BIG thank you to Yarnology, Temple Harmonics and Longevity Boxing Club for so generously offering to temporarily host our classes.
December 2021 Yoga Studio Schedule
Participants must pre-register by emailing infinitywinonayoga@gmail.com and pre-pay by calling 507-453-7941. Students may purchase a one-time class or a punch card.
Monday
8:15am Forrest Inspired Vinyasa- Elle- via Zoom (in-person class is full)
Tuesday
5:45pm Fall Flow: Embracing Transition with Sarah @ Temple Harmonics-370 W 3rd St
Friday
7:45am Forrest Inspired Vinyasa- All Levels with Elle – via Zoom (in-person class is full)
**Mama and Me Yoga with Katie K will resume in 2022!
Happy Holidays!
In Health,
Infinity Yoga Studio Staff