The New Sugar Substitute ‘Nectresse’ – Is It Really Healthy?
Are you wary of artificial sweeteners? The makers of the artificial sweetener Splenda will be debuting their newest innovation ‘Nectresse’ soon. This sugar substitute will cater to those who want a sugar substitute that is a healthier alternative than the blue, pink or yellow packets.
This, then, begs the question, is Nectresse as healthy as the makers of Splenda (Mcneill Nutritionals) say it is? If you follow my blog, you know how I feel about sugar. Sugar is inflammatory. So, of course I don’t want you indulging in sugar and because of this, I went to investigate this next generation of sugar substitutes.
According to the website, Nectresse is “100 percent natural,” and is made from the extract of an Asian melon known as Monk Fruit (or Lo Han). McNeil claims that Nectresse contains zero calories per serving, and that monk fruit is 150 times sweeter than table sugar, which means consumers do not need to use very much of it to effectively sweeten foods and beverages.
The main ingredient of Nectresse is Erythritol, a sugar alcohol that is routinely derived from corn that is in most instances, a genetically modified corn product. Is that 100% natural? I think not.
And the second most abundant ingredient is…ready for this? Sugar! I know…
The third ingredient? A very small amount of Monk Fruit and The fourth ingredient is molasses, again, another sugar component.
Monk fruit is a very healthy melon that packs a sweet healthy antioxidant punch if eaten in its natural calorie-free concentrated powder form (it is a mild sweetener and some say better than Stevia) without the added genetically-modified ethyritol (which can cause bloating) or sugars.
Remember that with every choice we make, we are making a deposit to our ‘Healthy Bank’ account or a debit. Also, make it your practice to read the ingredients of any product and avoid relying on food manufacturer’s to determine your healthy life choices – and ultimately your health.