Skip the sugar...

We have lots of customers heading in asking for low-carb and sugar-free options.   While we have a section devoted to low-sugar or sugar-free items, there still are not a lot of ready-to eat-options available that meet our standards. We do not carry any products with aspartame or acesulfame potassium in them.   Many commercial "sugar-free" products are laced with these ingredients that may actually do more harm to a person's health than sugar.

There are a lot of healthy, natural options.  Xyltiol, agave nectar and stevia provide natural alternatives for sweetening beverages and in recipes.   We have several new books in the store that are chock full of low-sugar recipes, including "Quick Cooking for Diabetics," "Diabetes Snacks, Treats and Easy Eats," and "Quick & Easy Low-Sugar Recipes" and our favorite," Ani's Raw Food Desserts." 


To get you started, here is a sugar free option for chocolate chip cookies that uses xylitol:

Chocolate Chip Cookies 

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup xylitol
• 2 TBSP unsweetened applesauce
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup plus 2 TBSP spelt flour or whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 4 ounces maltitol sweetened dark chocolate bars, chopped

Directions:

In large bowl, cream butter with xylitol until fluffy. Gradually add applesauce during creaming process. Beat in egg and vanilla extract. In another bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. Gradually stir flour mixture into batter, and fold in chocolate. Drop 1/2 TBSP of dough for each cookie onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until light golden brown. Cookies are soft when taken from the oven, but become firm when stored overnight.
Yield: 3 1/2 dozen cookies.
Per cookie: Calories: 41.8 Carbs: 6.7g Fiber: 0.5g Fat: 2.2g Sodium; 33.5g Net Carbs: 1.8g