The average American consumes over 100 pounds of “white sugar” a year…
This amount does not include the amount of artificial sweeteners (like aspartame, saccharin and acesilfame-K) that are chemically processed and used to sweeten popular diet foods and soda pops. Particularly, sucralose (brand name, Splenda)– is produced by the chlorination of sugar. Yum, chlorinated sugar. Not quite!
As discussed in the article, pH and The Secret to Beautiful Skin, Beautiful skin starts on the inside. “Your pH and thus, your diet, is reflected in the health and overall appearance of your skin.”
If you remember from a previous article discussing acid and alkaline forming foods, White Sugar is HIGHLY ACID-FORMING. Even though, society tells us that “diet” and artificial sweeteners are better for dieters, or the “health conscious,” this is far from the case. In fact, studies have show that these calorie-free alternative may be even more debilitating and just as, if not more, acid-forming than sugar itself. YIKES!
Remember, we want to eat alkaline forming foods for a healthy body, and thus healthy glowing skin– sugar and artificial sweeteners are not part of this equation.
The good news! There is an alternative to sugar and artificial sweeteners called Stevia*. Stevia is a more pH-friendly (in fact, it can be alkaline-forming), non-caloric, “sweetleaf” or herb. I love cooking with Stevia, and concocting creative beverages and sweet treats with it. It is my favorite, “not-so-secret” ingredient and you are bound to find it in almost every one of my recipes.
the most amazing vanilla sweetener on the market 
Delicious!
CONTEST (and free giveaway):
I have tried many brands of Stevia and have been loyal to NuNaturals amazing NuStevia products for years (they are hands down the best tasting stevia products on the market). Guess what!? The amazing folks at NuNaturals brand have very generously offered to award four (4) of my readers: one (1) Free box of their NuStevia™ 50 packet boxes, plus one(1) Free bottle of their NEW Alcohol Free Vanilla Stevia Liquid, 2 oz. Size ($21 value). How fun!! I am sure that you will absolutely love their products and they have no funny aftertaste like other Stevia products I have tasted.
Contest Criteria: It’s easy!
1. Leave a comment with a creative or favorite recipe that you would like to make with your very own NuStevia products. It can be an experimental recipe! The Vanilla Liquid stevia is my personal favorite!
2. The contest starts now, and will end at Midnight on Monday the 11th. I will choose my four (4) favorite recipes on Tuesday morning! I will contact you first and then NuNaturals will send your prize directly to you!
Check out some of my recipes where I use stevia… this Sweet Guacamole has been a hit.
even guests who swore they hated avocado loved this one!
SO… the challenge is on! What would you make?
*Update: I feel I must point out, while Stevia is a better choice than sugar and artificial sweeteners, in addition to being acceptable for diabetics, I do think the closer we can get to enjoying “basic” foods, supplied entirely by nature, is always better (i.e. using sweeteners like agave, dates and raw honey)… That being said, I do still use Vanilla NuStevia myself, and use powdered NuStevia when cooking and in creating recipes for family and friends. I recommend NuNaturals powdered NuStevia to everyone using sugar and for those individuals looking for a “calorie-free” alternative to artificial sweeteners. Powdered NuStevia includes maltodextrin, a food grade carbohydrate derived from grain. I have found it to be easily digestible, in using it over the years.
I also love the Nuval products. My favorite is the liquid Vanilla Stevia.
I think I would use this to make a wonderful apple crisp.
Thanks for offering this great giveaway!
Ok… I am dying to try the vanilla flavor, my thought is to simmer almond milk with chai on the stove…. then I would drink it deliciously in a beautiful mug….
That’s all I got…. I just know I really really want to try the vanilla flavor…
Maybe I’ll come up with something else later? hhehehe
I would love to add some liquid vanilla stevia to my hot chocolate!!
[...] of products, there is a stevia giveaway going on here. And speaking of delicious snacks, I’m sending a giant hug to my dear friend Nelly, who made me [...]
How exciting, I didn’t know there was such a thing as vanilla stevia! I’ve only tried out plain stevia powder before. It’s a truly wonderful sweetener, too bad it started out with such a bad (unfair) reputation.
I practically live in the kitchen these days as I try to come up with new vegan and raw recipes. I’d love to turn one of my new tarts into a raw treat by making the crust with almond meal and dates (just enough dates to hold the crust together), and top it with grated apples and finely grated carrot. Throw in a couple of raisins, and sweeten it up with stevia. And with the excess juice of the apples and carrots, I’d turn it into a stevia-sweetened drink – Mmm, that sounds so delicious!
Hi Kate,
Would you please email me at lauren@inpurebliss.com with your information so that I may contact NuNaturals.
Thanks! Congrats!
Lauren
My favorite recipe featuring Stevia is a classic Cinnamon-Chocolate Coconut Shake!
1/2 cup of young thai coconut water
Meat of 2-3 young thai coconuts
2 tbsp of Organic Cocoa powder
1 tbsp of cinnamon
Stevia to taste (A LOT)
OMG I LOVE the liquid vanilla stevia, it’s my total fave and I can never have enough of it
I used it in my chocolate brownie protein oat recipes, in coffee, in salad dressings (just the powder, not the vanilla stevia!) but I have tons of recipes on my blog using NuNaturals and send them recipes actually
The chocolate peppermint donut holes that you sent Gena for Xmas…just wondering what and where you got the recipe b/c I posted my recipe for them in December and would love to know if you used my recipe or if you used your own..and what it is! b/c I love to see how other people make their treats, too!
What an exciting giveaway! I’ve always wanted to try Stevia, but have been put off by the cost of it. For a while now I have been addicted to chocolate avocado pudding (avocado, cocoa powder, sweetner-usually dates), and I would love to be able to use a healthier sweetner for this recipe.
I would love to try NuNaturals. I’ve tried other stevia in the past and have found that some of the taste is overpowering (especially depending upon what tea I am drinking). As weird as this may sound, I would love to try the vanilla in my kelp noodles with unsweetened almond milk, stevia and dried currants. I used to do this with white rice, 2% milk, butter and white sugar but have made the transition away from that combo awhile ago:)
Brandi,
Would you please contact me at: lauren@inpurebliss.com with your information!
Thank you! and Congrats!
Lauren
I think Stevia is a wonderful alternative to sugar!
I would love to try it in my healthy (almost-vegan) banana bread recipe which uses whole wheat flour, ground flax seeds, soy or almond milk, egg whites and a carrot and sweet potato puree. I have been using agave nectar to sweeten but think the NuNaturals vanilla Stevia would add a delicious vanilla flavor to this healthy treat!
http://whereineedtobe-marissarose.blogspot.com
What a great giveaway! I would love to try it in one of my fruit crisps or my granola bars.
I’ve been using stevia to sweeten my tea for years, but the brand I’ve been using definately has a bit of an aftertaste and if I use slightly more than the teeniest pinch it ruins the tea. I’m excited to try out a new brand that gets such rave reviews! I would try it in my morning chai tea.
I use splenda so much and would love to swap it out for stevia- especially when adding a little to my oatmeal or coffee! The vanilla stevia sounds so good!
Cool giveaway! I’ve tried stevia before, but I got little tabs that dissolve in your drink… They had a bitter aftertaste which was really disappointing. After that I haven’t used stevia again, because I thought that’s just how it tasted. Guess I’m wrong!
Anyhow, I would like to try using stevia to make my own gingerale. I love gingerale, but it’s so sweet and bad for you! I would modify this recipe (which is not my own):
http://biology.clc.uc.edu/Fankhauser/Cheese/Ginger_Ale_Ag0.htm
He also has a link for rootbeer, and I think the vanilla stevia would be a delicious alternative to sugar for that one!
woops. wrong wordpress account. I moved my blog to my own server but didn’t change what i was logged in as. haha
on the random chance i win something, my blog is http://eef-ink.com and my email is eeflynn@gmail.com
I would love to try out NuNaturals stevia! I’ve eyed it for a long time now. I would use it as a sweetener in my green juice! I’m trying to ween myself off using apples for sweetness but I can’t find a good tasting stevia. I also would us in chocolate avocado pudding and in a lemon, sea salt avocado dressing!!!
[...] Remember!!!! Don’t forget about the contest that ends on Monday the 11th at Midnight, for your chance to win Vanilla NuStevia by NuNaturals. See contest rules here!! [...]
This would be a great addition to a homemade vinaigrette to sweeten it up, I’m thinking with some ginger, over mixed greens, some avacado… yum.
i’ve been toying of the idea with a low sugar, high protein pumpkin cheesecake.
i’m thinking of canned pumpkin, whipped cottage cheese, vanilla protein powder, and an egg or liquid eggs to bind. then cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger to taste. the vanilla stevia would be a great flavor enhancment.
i bet this could be served frozed (minus the raw egg) as in icecream like treat or add levener and microwave or bake depending on how patient you are.
Oohhh I’ve never heard of that stuff. But I’d love to use it in my “Pumpkin Pie” oatmeal for breakfast. I use rolled oats or steel cut oats, a plop of puree pumpkin (usually Libby’s brand), vanilla extract, a pinch of sea salt, and pumpkin pie spice. I usually use agave nectar to sweeten it or a tablespoon of banana baby food (yup…baby food haha). I’d love to see the type of taste it has if I add some Vanilla Stevia instead!
Mmmmm I’d love to use this to sweeten my homemade almond butter! YuM. Great giveaway!
I just discovered Stevia, and would love to try the vanilla liquid stevia.
I would try to make a pumpkin “latte.” Couple spoonfuls of pumpkin puree heated in a pan with some coconut or almond milk, a shot of espresso, and a drop or two of the vanilla stevia with some cinnamon on top.
Great giveaway- I’d add to some raw desserts I’ve been trying, most recently carrot cake. Green Smoothies, kabocha pudding (mashed steamed kabocha, chia ‘gel’, meat of young coconut, xanthan gum, cinnamon)
Might even be good in some dressings/sauces that call for a bit of sweet too!
I make carob/avocado/almond milk pudding all the time and would love to try it with some Vanilla stevia!
I would use the vanilla stevia in my raw choco-coco granola bars –
oats + unsweetened coconut + cocoa powder + protein powder + water
I have been using agave nectar, but I bet the vanilla would make them pop!
ooh. id love to win this. sugar doesnt sit well with me. I would make a hot chocolate with it. i love my hot chocolate!
emily
I would like to try the vanilla in a vita mix latte:
3/4 cup fresh coffee
2 tsp powdered soy milk
stevia to taste
blend until frothy and delightful
garnish with freshly grated nutmeg
The vanilla stevia would make a yummy vanilla latte, but any flavor can be achieved with the addition of things like cocoa powder, mint, almond or other extracts and spices. Yum!
i adore nustevia! apart from my use of it in green smoothies every morning, my sis and i are dessert queens…so i know we would be experimenting with it a ton in that way. there’s a chai cookie recipe i’ve been dying to make!
I sometimes make my protein pancakes with liquid stevia. I love it! I use the following recipe:
1 whole egg
1 egg white
1 T. flax
1 scoop of vanilla protein powder
5 drops liquid stevia.
mix and cook like a pancake!
I would use it to make homemade jam – it makes breakfast feel so special!
I would use the vanilla nustevia in my cherry walnut scones! Yum!!
I’ve never used Stevia before, and this would be a perfect opportunity to de-sugar my cranberry vanilla muffin recipe!
I’m thinking about using this as a sugar substitute in my green monster smoothie with kale, spinach, almond milk, and ground flax seed. I have used agave nectar but I want to give NuStevia a try!
Ooooh! I’ve been wanting to try the vanilla stevia!! I think it would be good in a lavendar-vanilla steamer (heat milk of choice on the stove, add some lavendar buds and steep for 5-10 mins. Add vanilla stevia to taste. Relax and enjoy!) or in the buttercup squash pudding I had for breakfast this morning (place 1/2 cup baked squash in blender with cinnamon, 1/2 c milk of choice, slice of fresh ginger, and stevia to taste. Blend until completely smooth and fluffy. So good!!!)
Hi Vegaholic,
Would you please contact me with your information at lauren@inpurebliss.com
Thanks! and Congrats!!
Lauren
[...] from Diary of a Nutritionist is running a fabulous contest with NuNaturals Stevia. FOUR winners will receive 1 box of their NuStevia 50 packet boxes AND 1 [...]
I’m new to eating raw, and trying to increase the amounts of veggie juices & smoothies I make, as well as inspire my partner to partake in this healthy lifestyle. I think a non-sugar sweetener such as Stevia would be a great way to “sweeten” up the deal, and provide a healthy transition away from junk food sweets by adding it to the smoothies and juices.
Also working on perfecting my homemade chocolate, so I’m sure the vanilla Stevia would be quite useful there, too.
P.S. – got the downlow on this giveaway via Gena from Choosing Raw.
Gena is great! I would love to hear how your homemade chocolate goes! I love chocolate.
I love to make a bowl of cooked quinoa and mix with a few drops of vanilla stevia, cinnamon, grated star anise, sliced banana & shredded unsweetened coconut. =)
I would make this recipe using the vanilla stevia
Cherry Vanilla Smoothie
1 cup frozen cherries
1 frozen banana
1-1/2 cups almond milk
6 drops vanilla stevia
Blend and enjoy!
My favorite is the liquid Vanilla Stevia! It’s really good and easy to mkix in my food. i always add a couple of drops to my daily oatmeal and it makes it tastes better.
I dump ground vanilla beans in splenda and put it in EVERYTHING! But the vanilla is so xpensive! I would love to try nuval so I can get me some!!:)
2 cups milk + 1 scoop protein powder of choice + stevia +FREEZE = popsicle!( but healthier of course)
Great giveaway! I’m thinking this would be delicious in a brown rice pudding dish with some SoDelicious Coconut Milk and some spices!
Hi, Lauren, I would make healthy granola bars for my husband to eat as a mid-morning snack. I would probably use oats & dried fruit and sliced almonds. I’ll have to experiment.
Ooh I’m dying to make some almond/coconut milkshakes with the vanilla stevia!
Rawlmond coconut milkshake
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 frozen bananas
2 pitted medjool dates
Cinnamon
Vanilla Stevia
sprinkle with shredded coconut!
I would make hot cocoa for my grandpa in the hopes that trying NuNaturals stevia would convince him to give up his Sweet ‘n Low habit! I was kind of appalled when I went to visit him last weekend and he made a pot of tea with three packets in it. I think Stevia is so much more healthful…agave is my sweetener of choice, but I’d love the chance to experiment and maybe convert some of my (less healthy) relatives!
I have yet to try stevia! I have been eye-ing, though, and would love to try it in an adaptation of ricki’s chocolate pate (dark chocolate, avocado, fresh oj, and vanilla stevia)… yum
I would use the Vanilla Liquid stevia to make a vanilla hot chocolate! It would include milk, dark chocolate cocoa powder, and the stevia! A little TruWhip would make it divine also!
[...] And do not forget to enter in the NuNaturals giveaway for your very own Alcohol Free Vanilla NuStevia and box of NuNaturals NuStevia powder packets. [...]
I’d use the stevia to sweeten some fake “ice cream” made in the vitamix
Or some guacamole, like in the picture you have posted. I love me some guac!
I would use this tasty vanilla in my fave green smoothie recipe:
1 banana
1/2 cup almond milk
1/2 cup water (or more if needed)
2 cups baby spinach
1/4 cup frozen strawberries
1/4 cup frozen blueberries
1 tablespoon milled flaxseed
cinnamon & stevia to taste. blend it up!
sooo YUMMY!!
I’m dreaming of a sweet, orange, vanilla type biscuit.
Makes four biscuits
1c almond flour
1-2T coconut flour
1/4t salt
1/4t baking soda
2-3T dried cranberries
8-10 drops of vanilla stevia
1 egg
1T coconut oil
1t lemon juice or orange
1t orange zest
1/4t orange extract
Preheat oven to 350
Melt the coconut oil. Whisk egg and add the oil, stevia, lemon juice,orange zest and/or orange extract. Mix the dry ingredients in a separate bowel.
Combine the wet with the dry and stir in the cranberries. The batter shouldn’t be thin and runny. If it is add a touch of coconut flour. Spoon out the batter onto a parchment lined baking sheet into four biscuits. Bake for 10-12 minutes.
I have never had vanilla stevia before, I bet it is as good as it sounds.
Hi Valgal,
Would you please email me at lauren@inpurebliss.com with your information so that I may contact NuNaturals.
Thanks! Congrats!
Lauren
ooh, I’d love to use the vanilla in a hot chocolate recipe made with coconut oil!! Sounds devine!
[...] here for details! Contest ends tomorrow (Monday) at [...]
I would use this to make the cheater/lazy apple or pear crisp that I’ve been having for breakfast EVERY DAY lately.
First make a pan of baked oatmeal. You need: 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce, 2 eggs, 3 cups old fashioned oats, 1 tb baking powder, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp ginger, 1/4 cup raisins, 1 tbs of chopped up candied ginger bits, and NuNaturals vanilla stevia to taste (since I’ve not yet made this w/ the liquid stevia, I’d have to play w/ this a bit). Mix the liquid ingredients in one bowl and the dry in another, then combine the two. Spread mixture in a greased 13×9 pan and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.
Once you have the baked oatmeal, you cook the fruit. Take one pear or apple (or one of each), chop into small bits, and place in a small microwave safe bowl. Add cinnamon and NuNaturals Vanilla liquid Stevia to taste. Microwave for two minutes and top with approximately one-quarter cup of the baked oatmeal.
This recipe is very simple, very tasty, economical, and good for you. Even better, the one pan of baked oatmeal and a bag of apples or pears can provide you with breakfast (or dessert!) for the whole week.
Excuse me. I need to go chop up a pear now…
What a wonderful give-a-way! Thanks for the chance to win!
I would use the vanilla stevia DAILY for my morning coffee / protein creations:
1 scoop Jay Robb vanilla rice protein
2 tbs extra dark cocoa powder
2 tbs decaf instant coffee
water and almond milk to you get your desired tan “shade”
Drops of vanilla stevia to taste (read: A MILLION)
YUMMY YUMMY ! I currently make this recipe using (bad for me) sugar-free syrups. Having the Stevia would make me feel a lot better about the nutritional stats of this drink!
THANKS!!!!
I love vanilla stevia, but I haven’t been able to find this brand, though I hear it is the best one out there. My favorite recipe is for Orange Creamsicle Pudding – 1 whole orange, 4-5 ounces silken tofu, and 5-6 drops of vanilla stevia; blend until smooth. I eat this all the time! I also used it in my homemade pumpkin butter – flesh of one whole sugar pie pumpkin (roasted and pureed), 1 T each cinnamon and ginger, 1 tsp each salt, nutmeg, and cloves, 2 T maple syrup, vanilla stevia (to taste). Simmer everything on the stove until thickened (30-60 minutes, depending on how juicy the pumpkin is). I add a splash of lemon juice at the end. Makes a ton and it freezes really well!
I would love to try it in a chia pudding!
Pumpkin waffles!
mmm…
first i would try that amazing guac recipe of yours.
then, i would make some pumpkin chocolate chip muffins…
then, i would probably go through my entire recipe collection and use it in as many recipes as possible
I would use this to make mini-muffins of some sort!
Finding your website is a godsend. I recently found out that I am gluten intolerant, so I have been focusing on learning to live gluten-free. The problem is there’s a host of new local bakeries, etc. making gluten-free foods, but they contain sugar and high fructose. I know sugar is as bad as gluten, so I need to make my own gluten-free, sugar-free foods. Trying to convert recipes to stevia sweetened is challenging. Haven’t seen the brand you are offering. I have this great recipe for gluten-free peanut butter cookies, which are essentially PB fudge with an egg and baking soda added. I would love to make them sugar-free.
YUM!! I would probably make…ANYTHING!!! I have a hard time with sugar (my stomach hurts everytime I eat it) and so I usually just for-go my favorite treats, but with THIS I would be able to make so many of them! Not to mention adding it to my daily eats of Protein shakes, pancakes, muffins!!
[...] (12:00 am is the cutoff) is the last day of the NuNaturals Stevia giveaway (Click here for details and to enter). Many of you have commented with some stellar recipes. To make this [...]
Been searching for information just like this thanks for getting it out there.
[...] cocoa powder with your own nut milk (and/or hot water), and sweetener. I prefer to use NuNaturals Brand, Vanilla NuStevia, to sweeten. If you use an instant packet of hot cocoa, you will be mixing in [...]
[...] something dense like eggs, it becomes even more difficult for the body to digest, and breakdown. Sugar is a whole other story, in itself. It is no wonder to me that people complain that mayonnaise [...]