The Bottom Line on Sweeteners for your Wu-Yi Tea

August 24th, 2008 lara Posted in Health, Wu-Yi Tea, organic |

Want to sweeten that cup of Wu-Yi tea if you must?  There are a plethora of sweeteners to choose from, resulting in refined, unrefined and organic products.   The big question herein lies – Which sweetener is the healthiest and best to consume if even possible? 

Top of the list is, Rapadura as it is the only product that is “whole” cane juice.  Second on the list as the healthiest to consume is Sucanat; both are evaporated cane juice and the only out of all sweeteners that have the “most” nutritional value.  These are the most natural ways to sweeten your wu-yi tea and wu-yi cleansing tea.

Sweeteners to keep your wu-yi tea away from-Refined sugars such as white sugar, brown sugar, honey and fructose corn syrup reach the body in a highly concentrated form and go directly into the bloodstream.   Hence, these sugars are best to avoid at all costs as high amounts of these sugars can lead to pre-diabetes and diabetes.   Basically, the sugar rush is caused when consumed and the sugar is dumped into the bloodstream of fast burning glucose, which the body must process with insulin.  Overusing your insulin can deplete your body of this naturally occurring process causing disease.  Of the previous sugars, white table sugar and corn syrup are highly processed containing no nutritional benefits.  Naturally occurring and unrefined sugars contain minute amounts of nutrients.

White Sugar – When white sugar is made, molasses (black syrup) is removed entirely and a bleaching takes affect with bone char.  You should avoid white sugar for your tea is possible.

Brown Sugar -  White sugar that has had molasses added to it.

Raw Honey – a popular sweetener with small amounts of B vitamins and enzymes and is believed to have medicinal properties.  This is a great way to sweeten your tea.

**Agave Nectar**- This is simply the nectar from the Agave plant (which also gives us tequila!).  It is great tasting and is a natural way to sweeten your tea safely.  It is my favorite natural sweetener that I use in my Wu-Yi Tea.

Blackstrap Molasses – also has nutrients but the strong flavor is not as popular with most.

Organic Sugar – Approximately 50% less processed than white sugar.  It is considered unrefined and comes from evaporated juice.  *Great way to sweeten your tea.

Minimally processed sweeteners – Sucanat and Rapadura are evaporated cane juice powders and are even healthier choices than organic sugar because these sugars believe it or not contain nutrients and minerals! 

AVOID:  Nutrasweet, Splenda, Sweet and Low and other artificial sweeteners.  You are better off using a bit of Agave Necatar or nothing at all as these products are made up of unatural ingredients to stick to your body and some actually consider them toxins.

The following is a guide of food/drinks to avoid with unhealthy sweeteners

1.        Soda’s laden with concentrated forms of refined sugar.

2.        Desserts loaded with hydrogenated oils (also known as trans fats).

3.       Highly saturated oils.

4.       Corn syrup; and

5.       Artificial colors, preservatives and processed foods.