Product Review and Giveaway
NuNaturals

Natural Low-Carb Sweeteners

Erythritol

Those of you who follow my blog know that I frequently use Erythritol in my recipes. It's a fantastic alternative for diabetics and those seeking to lose body fat while enjoying the occasional keto and paleo treats.

If you are new to low-carb eating, Erythritol is a natural low-carb sweetener, almost zero-carb and zero-calorie. It's not as sweet as sugar (only about 70%) but I don't mind that because I don't like my desserts too sweet. As always, you can adjust the amount to your liking. NuNaturals Erythritol tastes great and is non-GMO.

NuStevia Drops and Lo Han Drops

Stevia, which I listed at the top of my Guide to Low-Carb Sweeteners, is another excellent natural sugar-free alternative. NuNaturals drops are some of the best I've tasted. I mostly use the "clear" unflavoured drops but I also like the taste of vanilla drops.

Depending on the flavours you like, all are great for making any keto and paleo treats. The drops do not taste bitter and the sweetness is pleasant provided you use the recommended amount, which is in most cases 2-5 drops per serving. They last for months, especially if you keep them refrigerated after opening.

Ingredients in NuStevia drops: NuStevia extract (stevia Reb-A), water, vegetable glycerine and natural flavours. Clear NuStevia also contains 20% alcohol.

Lo Han Supreme is made with monk fruit, aka Lo Han Guo. Monk fruit, also known as longevity fruit, is native to China and northern Thailand. It's 200-300 times sweeter than sugar and has been used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat obesity and diabetes. It's as sweet as stevia and has no bitter aftertaste. Just like Erythritol, NuStevia drops and Lo Han extract Supreme are suitable for diabetics.

Ingredients in Lo Han Supreme drops: Lo Han Extract, vegetable glycerine, alcohol and water.

NuStevia No-Carbs Blend Packets

NuStevia powdered packets are made with stevia and Erythritol. Whether you like to add a hint of sweetness in your takeaway coffee or you are planning a trip, these packets are convenient keto on the go. One packet is as sweet as 2 teaspoons of sugar and has no bitter aftertaste.

Sugar-Free Syrups

NuNaturals syrups are 4 times as sweet as sugar and come in three fantastic flavours: Simple Syrup, Cocoa Syrup and Cocoa Mint Syrup. You can use NuNaturals syrups just like any other sweeteners.

Ingredients in NuNaturals Syrups: glycerin, water, stevia extract (plus additionally NuNaturals Cocoa Powder and peppermint oil in the flavoured syrups).

What is glycerin?
Glycerin(e) is a simple polyol (sugar alcohol) that is made either from plants or from animal fat. In culinary use, glycerin prevents crystals from forming and makes treats like ice-cream smooth and creamy. Although glycerine has a minimal effect on blood sugar, I would use it with caution and only in small amounts. It contains 4 calories per gram, as compared to Erythritol that has only 0.2 calories per gram. When using glycerin, I count at least half of the amount as carbs.

Other NuNaturals Sweeteners

• NuStevia Reb99 is pure extract from the stevia plant where 99% of the Reb-A is extracted from the stevia leaves. Make sure you only use a very small amount. Pure stevia extract is 200-300 times sweeter than sugar!

• LoSweet is pure extract from monk fruit, as sweet as stevia and has no bitter aftertaste.

• NuStevia No-Carbs Blend (erythritol and stevia blend). This is the same blend used in NuNaturals packets.

Are All Products with Stevia Bitter?

You all must have experienced the unpleasant bitter aftertaste many stevia products have, especially if you use more than the recommended amount. NuNaturals state that all their stevia-based products are non-bitter. I was intrigued and wanted to verify that claim myself so I tasted all of them. Please, note that not everyone's palate is the same.

I used the recommended amount for each of NuNaturals stevia-based sweeteners and dissolved them in water. To my surprise, even when I doubled the recommended amount, the taste was not bitter - just way too sweet.

Gelatin and Collagen

NuNaturals Gelatine and Collagen are fantastic for making healthy treats, smoothies and for adding protein to your diet. Both products come from hormone-free pasture-raised cattle.

For those who are new to collagen and gelatine, here's some basic info:

They're found in the skin, bones and connective tissues. From a health perspective, both gelatine and collagen (aka hydrolysed gelatine) are equally beneficial:

• They can keep your joints, ligaments, tendons and bones healthy and reduce joint pain.
• They are good for your gut and help with intestinal permeability aka "leaky gut".
• They are great for thyroid health and help fight adrenal fatigue.

There are differences when it comes to their culinary uses. Gelatine only dissolves in hot water and causes liquids to gel - remember, that's what makes your bone broth gel! Collagen dissolves in both hot and cold water and does not cause liquids to gel.

I mostly use collagen in smoothies and keto coffee. Gelatine is great in keto desserts like panna cotta, creamy ice-cream, pies and even low-carb marshmallows!

NuNaturals Cocoa Powder (Dutch Process)

Sugar-free cocoa powder is low in carbs and perfect for a keto diet. Although Dutch process cocoa doesn't have the same nutritional benefits as  raw cacao, it's less expensive and still offers some of the health benefits.

Cocoa is perfect for keto brownies, hot cocoa (or threats like these iced cocoa coolers), cookies, chia pudding and even smoothies.

Other "Non-Keto" Products

Apart from low-carb & keto products, NuNaturals also offers a variety of products for those following a paleo, but not ketogenic diet: Coconut Sugar and Organic Green Banana Flour.

Note: Although green banana flour is a resistant starch (if not heated), the carb count is still too high for a keto diet.

Giveaway

Don't forget to join our giveaway! Just follow the instructions below and you could be one of the four lucky winners! :-) Each winner will get a package from NuNaturals each worth $70! The packages will include:

• Vanilla Alcohol-free NuStevia Drops
• NuStevia No-Carbs Blend 50 Packets
• NuNaturals Gelicious Gelatin
• NuNaturals Gelicious Collagen
• In addition, all 4 winners will receive a free bonus item

Which NuNaturals product would you like to try most? :-)

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