STEVIA - TRUVIA WHAT ARE THEY? ARE THEY SAFE?

Ok, so there has been a lot of press regarding these sweeteners but do we actually know what they are? what are Stevia and Truvia?

The stevia plant is part of the Asteraceae family, related to the daisy and ragweed. Several stevia species called "candyleaf" are native to New Mexico, Arizona and Texas, so is Stevia safe? The FDA has allowed companies to use an isolated chemical from stevia as food additive, calling the chemical "generally recognized as safe." Now, products such as Truvia and others have the legal go-ahead to use Rebaudioside A, which is also found in stevia, in their no-calorie sweeteners.

But there are some health concerns surrounding the stevia plant. Stevia may cause low blood pressure, which would be of concern to some taking blood pressure medications.

"Caution is advised when using medications that may also lower blood sugar. People taking insulin or drugs for diabetes by mouth should be monitored closely by a qualified health care professional, including a pharmacist," Ulbricht said.

Our bodies are not designed or evolved to handle calorie-free sweeteners–be it natural or artificial. Experiencing a sweet taste from a food that is not going to provide glucose confounds our body’s sugar-handling process.

Stevia is “sweet” on the palate, so the body assumes it is receiving sugar and primes itself to do so. Glucose is cleared from the bloodstream and blood sugars drop, but no real sugar/glucose is provided to the body to compensate. When this happens, adrenaline and cortisol surge to mobilize sugar from other sources (liver and muscle glycogen, or protein, or body tissue) to bring blood glucose back up.

Stevia often contains other ingrediants - Natural flavors: a.k.a “this could be anything.” , Xylitol–Truvia is a popular sweetener made with stevia and xylitol. Although proponents bestow the title “natural” to this sweetener, I’ve never eaten Truvia because I’m not a fan of this uber-processed ingredient.while i was doing some research i found an artical regarding Xylitol here is an extract -

Xylitol


Xylitol is, after all, a naturally occurring substance. Manufacturers of xylitol market it as derived from xylan, which is found in the fibers of many plants including berries, oats, beets, sugar cane and birch. Sounds pretty harmless.The FDA has even granted xylitol GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) status. You can’t get any safer than that, right?

How Xylitol is Manufactured

While it is true that xylitol is a naturally occurring substance, manufactured xylitol is another matter entirely. Commercially available xylitol is produced by the industrialized process of sugar hydrogenation.   
In order to hydrogenate anything, a catalyst is needed, and in the case of xylitol, Raney nickel is used which is a powdered nickel-aluminum alloy.

Can we say heavy metal residue? 

Xylitol doesn’t seem quite so warm and fuzzy anymore, does it?
While there is currently no literature on any detrimental health effects of consuming hydrogenated sugar, it is important to note that hydrogenated fats and oils were used for many years before the very damaging effects to health became widely known.Given the violent industrialized process that is required to produce a hydrogenated sugar like xylitol, it would seem wise to avoid it based on the very poor track record of hydrogenated foods in general!

Truvia and Stevia were only licenced as a ingredient in the UK in 2011, do we really know enough about these sweeteners to say they are safe? you decide.

Happy Eating!

Follow me on Twitter@fudgegeezer


All comments in this blog are of my own opinion.

OLD JAMAICA CHOCOLATE

This morning while I was looking around the shops I spotted an old favorite I used to love, It was totally unrecognizable though and I personally thought it had been discontinued many years ago, It made me wonder how many other people knew it was still being sold??

 

I remember the old packaging and after looking on line I found an example from 1973, this is what iv been keeping an eye out for! Not the new ultra modern packaging Cadburys have today, In my opinion the new packaging is HORRID and says nothing about whats inside the pack at all, you can see this by just comparing the packs.
This is what really gets my goat about design company's, when someone wants to bring their products together in a uniformed way they also need to keep the products heritage, something that Cadbury's have passed over and probably lost sales in doing so! (Rant Over)

The chocolate itself smells wonderful  you can smell the distinctive dark rum flavour as soon as you open the pack, having a look at the fruit content there doesn't seem to be much in the bar and iv broken quite a bit up just to get a picture of a raisin.

The taste seems to have changed as well from what i remember, it is still familiar but I think there has been alterations to the recipe, the rum flavour is still prominent but it just seems different in some way and I feel disappointed and deflated after finding this gem after such a long time.

Summing up.

Deflated and disappointed in the packaging and the amount of actual fruit in the chocolate, after thinking to myself yippee old Jamaica chocolate, I don't think I would ever buy this again a bit sad really because I used to love this product, see what you think?

Happy Eating!

Follow me on Twitter @fudgegeezer


All the comments in this blog are of my own personal opinion

FUDGE FANCIES.

This is a relatively new contender in the Gourmet Fudge marketplace, who I stumbled across while surfing the World Wide Web, It caught my eye because after working in the fudge industry for a number of years, I had never seen Fudge made in such a way!, Most of us think of fudge as a brown sugary confection we enjoy as a treat, but this “Small British Company” has taken that Idea, put it in a box, shaken it about a bit and ended up with the most wonderfully eye-catching, mouth-watering treat you will ever see!

Started in 2010 by Michael, a plasterer by trade, but with a passion for gastronomy, he tweaked and perfected his Grandmother’s family recipe and so Fudge Fancies was born.

The fudge is packaged beautifully in a plain white classic box with a hand tied black ribbon, you just know whatever is inside is unmistakably handmade, I can’t wait to open it to see what delights are awaiting inside.

I open the lid in anticipation and WOW the aroma of the delectable fudge hits you, it’s like you have just walked into the most wonderful smelling shop you could ever imagine!

Yours eyes are taken aback by the vision of the toppings, the colours and textures are the first things your eyes see as you focus on which one looks the most tempting

 “I want to eat everything in seconds”

My mouth is watering just looking at the little fancies that are just waiting to be taken out.

I have:  Sticky Toffee Pudding, Apple Crumble, Dark Chocolate & Orange Zest and White Chocolate Lemon & Lime, Oh decisions – decisions, which one shall I try first?

Let’s start with the apple crumble, (I've always loved it)

I take a sniff and “Oh My Word” it smells just like Freshly Baked apple crumble!! The topping is amazing with its rough pieces of different shapes.

I pop a piece in my mouth and the soft fudge just melts into a creamy explosion that ignites your taste buds, the white chocolate starts to melt and you find pieces of real apple hidden inside and a hint of cinnamon?, now I've tasted thousands of fudges in my time and have to say at this point this fudge has just gone straight into my top spot! I've never in my entire time in the confectionery industry tasted fudge so smooth but with a hidden depth.

Next is the dark chocolate & orange zest.

The aroma is again amazing, you can smell the fresh orange zest and the dark chocolate, I pop a piece in my mouth and the fudge again just melts away “it’s so soft” the zingy orange zest is a delight and the dark chocolate is not overpowering, it leaves you wanting more.

Now for the sticky toffee pudding.

The first thing you notice is the little bit of date on top of the white chocolate, the unmistakable aroma of the chocolate fudge, I pop a piece in my mouth and YEP it is sticky toffee pudding, the toffee, dates and chocolate all combine in that amazing pudding taste all en-robed in the delicately smooth fudge.

Lastly it’s the white chocolate lemon& lime. 

I love the lemon and lime zest on top of this fancy the aroma it defiantly of lime and brings back the memories of a fresh mojito, the fudge melts to perfection yet again and you get the freshness of the lemon & lime and the melting white chocolate it’s an amazing combination!

Summing up.

Today has changed my opinion on fudge as I know it, Fudge Fancies are on to a winner with this amazing take on this classic confection, it’s something no one else is doing, I think this small British company will go far, from what Michael has achieved so far, I have no doubt we will soon be seeing a lot more of these delightful little fancies, Top End high street stores I fear will be knocking on their door very shortly and if not should be! 

If you have not tried them yet you should, i assure you it will tickle your taste-buds.

Find Fudge Fancies Here http://www.fudgefancies.co.uk/

Happy Eating!

Follow me on Twitter @fudgegeezer

All comments in this blog are of my own opinion

STRAWBERRY LIQUORICE

Looking around for something different to try, I stumbled across Henry Goode's strawberry liquorice, something I have loved since a child but not had for what seems like decades, so iv decided to have a nibble and give it a review at the same time.

The packaging is a brown paper bag style and just by looking at it you know its an old fashioned product, In fact Liquorice in the form of a candy has been around since the 1600s when it was first invented in Holland, In the UK we probably think of Pontefract as being the Liquorice producing capital, Pontefract's deep sandy soil makes it one of the few British places in which liquorice can be successfully grown. It still has a number of liquroice manufactures there today.

On opening the pack the dark burgundy liquorice sticks fall out, they glisten in the light, almost as if they have been polished before being packaged and im wondering if this is not a wax spray finish that has been added in the final stages of manufacture?

I decide to have a smell and am disappointed with the aroma, there is a small whiff of strawberry scent but not what i was expecting, but with this being a liquorice product and being a natural flavour it does not concern me in the slightest, I pop a stick in my mouth and chomp away.

The liquorice is chewy and sticks to your teeth, there is a distinct wax coating as i thought but this is probably added to stop the pieces sticking together, the strawberry flavour is there but not in your face, Its mild and tastes natural, there is no hint of aniseed at all but this is strawberry liquorice.

Summing up.

I like the packaging its old fashioned, the strawberry flavour tastes natural, I didn't like the wax coating, you can taste it and it leaves a coating on the roof of your mouth, would i buy again? I'm afraid the answer is no see what you think!

Happy Eating!

Follow me on Twitter @fudgegeezer

All comments in this blog are of my own opinion

DO SWEETS NEED A PRESERVATIVE, ARTIFICIAL FLAVOURING OR ARTIFICIAL COLOURING?

This is something iv been researching, products with a very high sugar content and high boiling point should not need any kind of preservative if made correctly. Sugar is itself a natural preservative and has been used as one for numerous years, Sugar in the right format can also be used as a moisture retainer so products that are meant to have a soft texture remain soft for the maximum amount of time so to extend the shelf life of a product.

Most of us think of sugar as the white granulated stuff we spoon into our tea or coffee but there are numerous combinations and formats sugar can be made into, here are a few to mention, Liquid, Powder, Syrup, Inverts, these are just a small selection of formats, sugar can be added to a product and called something else on the ingredient list, look out for Invert on an ingredient list you will be surprised in the amount of products this is in, another one is dextrose the name for a powdered sugar, dextrose, fructose and sucrose all are sweeteners in some shape or form

Why do sweets need artificial flavouring or colouring when we have natural colours and flavours we can use? The trend has started to change and big manufactures and producers have now started to realize us the general public want natural flavours and colours and have so started to change the way they make there products, we all like to feel we are eating healthy and in moderation a sweet treat now and again has become the norm for most households.

Artificial flavours and colours are used for cheapness and ease in the formulations of food products, but as the change from unnatural to natural starts to kick in manufactures are realizing there are quite good products on the market now days that make reformulation quite simple and easy, For anyone out there that thinks bringing a product to market is simple i have to say here it can take years before a recipe from the idea stage hits the shelf depending on how much money you have of course!


Happy Eating!


Follow Me On Twitter @Fudgegeezer


All comments in this blog are of my own opinion

IS SUPERMARKET FUDGE ANY GOOD?

Today I decided to look in the top 5 supermarkets for some fudge, all had it in stock but i had a criteria in my mind, The fudge couldn't just be in a plastic bag, it had to be made with butter and have NO artificial flavorings or colourings.
All the supermarkets met my criteria but which was the least expensive? and was it any good? lets find out!

The one i chose was Tesco, this was the least expensive out of the 5 and also was in a nice little cube box, it has no artificial flavorings or colourings and from reading the ingredients on the back I cant see that it has any artificial preservatives either, in fact the ingredients read and are the same as lots of other quality fudges on the market today which are a lot more expensive!

Opening up the box the fudge is packed in an air tight clear film bag which almost fills the whole size of the cube box its packaged in and from first impressions looks value for money.

After taking the bag out the box i decided to have a count up and see how many chunks of this wonderfully coloured, mouthwatering confection iv got, I count 15 good sized chunks and i cant wait to open the bag!.
Fudge is a typically English confection but rummer has it that it was the Americans who invented this tasty treat.

I empty the bag and start to explore the chunks, all look to be different sizes although some are uniformed, this gives me the impression that the fudge looks like any other fudge iv seen and tasted in typically English seaside shop, the colour is good a light brown not too dark and i can see little surgery Crystals on the fudge which form as the fudge starts to set.

 I can resist no longer and pop a chunk in my mouth, The first thing that hits your taste-buds is the smooth tasting butter quickly followed by that glorious fudgey toffee flavour all lovers of this confection like, the fudge just seems to melt away in your mouth its not at all hard or chewy, Its soft and the sugar crystals are so small they evaporate on impact of hitting the inside of your mouth. Id say this fudge has been well beaten after the initial boiling stage to get it this smooth.

Summing up!

Now im a fudge connoisseur or should be after making the stuff every day for well over 10 years and iv got to say this fudge is good fudge, it don't leave an acrid taste at the back of your throat you sometimes get with less expensive ingredients, or badly made fudge.
This fudge makes your taste buds explode in a mouthwatering array of buttery toffeeness and you just want to pop the next chunk in just to make sure your senses are right. Have to say Iv only got 3 chunks left!!

If you want to have a mouthwatering fudge experience then Id run along to your nearest Tesco and pick up a pack today i assure you, you wont be disappointed!


Happy Eating!

Follow me on Twitter @fudgegeezer

All comments in this blog are of my own personal opinion.

JAM TEACAKES

Looking back on what my mum loved for a mid morning or afternoon treat with her cuppa, iv decided to review jam teacakes, I still love these today (probably because i ate so many as a child).
These sweet treats are often overlooked I feel, but seem to still be loved by the older generation, lets give the humble jam teacake a boost!!.

I decided not to buy my regular brand so I give a fair review this is what I found!!

Id never heard or to be honest even looked for anything else except my normal brand but spotted Lee's Teacakes and thought Iv give them a review, the packaging is quite simple and plain, the teacake looks appealing and full of jam.

Opening up the packaging you see the teacakes huddled together in there plastic tray, not very appealing but it looks like any other to be honest.
The teacakes smell nice and I decide to have a coffee to wash one or three down.

The teacakes look appealing, the chocolate on top is shining and id probably get a couple of bites out of one before its gone, you can make out the biscuit base through the chocolate coating and I cant wait to tuck in. I decide to cut one open to see what its like inside

WOW!!! that has totally surprised me, now im no good with a knife and have just cut the teacake in half but it looks almost exactly the same as the picture on the packaging!! How often do you buy something these days and what you actually get looks nothing like the picture on the packaging?, I'm impressed and that's before iv eaten it..

The biscuit base is soft but has a little crunch to it, love the marshmallow all squidgy and soft and WOW that hit of jammy goodness mmmm im in heaven, I cant believe the amount of jam in these teacakes their AMAZING!!.

I have to say I will definitely be buying these again, At 59p for 6 they are nearly half price of my normal brand, i loved the amount of jam and was impressed by the picture on the packaging and what you actually get inside, Well done LEE'S


Happy Eating!

Follow me on Twitter @fudgegeezer



All comments in this blog are of my own opinion.

85% COCOA DARK CHOCOLATE

Today i thought i would do a comparison test on 85% COCOA Dark Chocolate to see how a brand leader compared to a supermarket own brand?, After looking around i found 2 worthy contenders whose ingredients were nearly identical apart from a couple of things.

  

So how would Lindt a master chocolatier fayre against Tesco a supermarket own brand?.

I decided to judge on these things.

1, Packaging

2, Appearance of the chocolate

3, Aroma of the chocolate

4, Taste test

Lets start with Lindt

The packaging screams out quality, from its gold embossed writing to the way the light catches the piece of chocolate on the front highlighting the corner as if its waiting to be nibbled, The white background is simple yet elegant to complement and it does just the job!

The appearance of the chocolate is dark and rich with a subtle glimmer of sheen, the unmistakable Lindt name sitting gracefully in the top left hand corner, the squares have ridges running from corner to corner and the chocolate can easily be broken along these so you can taste a small piece if you so wish.

The aroma of the chocolate is unmistakable, you get that fine chocolaty sweet smell and then the undertones of the raw cocoa itself, It just wants you to eat It - Its begging you too.

The chocolate has a firm snap as i brake some off the corner and pop it in my mouth, the smooth yet unmistakable dark cocoa taste is the first thing you notice as the chocolate starts to melt slowly on your tongue, a sweet hint of vanilla in the background and then comes the drying of the pallet from the cocoa solids, Oh this is good chocolate!! 

Now for Tesco lets see how a supermarket own brand compares!

The packaging is quite plain but funky i love the shimmer of the printed text and the colours are eyecatching, 

Its unmistakable of whats inside from how big the text is, but when your sitting on a supermarket shelf with thousands of other products yours has to either be eyecatching or have big bold text to set it apart from everything else, The chocolate picture on the front is quite appealing and i like the fact Tesco has the traftic light system on the front, I also like the way the colours merge and how it explains to you where the cocoa is from, Just by looking at the colours you could imagine yourself sat on a lazy beach on the Ivory coast nibbling Its contents.

The First thing i notice about this chocolate is the sheen its positively glowing with a dark richness to it, you can probably see it in comparing the pictures, The colour of the chocolate is a little lighter for some reason, the squares are nicely formed and also have ridges which allow you to break a small piece off.

The aroma of the chocolate is unmistakably dark and rich, it has a raw aroma about it, Almost as though you could imagine the cocoa bulbs being broken open to reveal the beans inside, or smell the beans being roasted releasing that dark raw chocolaty smell.

The chocolate has a good snap as you bite into it and is smooth as it starts to melt on your tongue, there is a sweet hint of a flavoring which i think is vanilla, then you get the drying of the pallet from the raw cocoa which is unmistakable in dark chocolate, i have to say this is good chocolate and not what i would expect of an own brand.  

Today has totally surprised me, the quality of the chocolate from both company's is excellent, i like the richness and smooth darkness of the Lindt, I also liked the dark rawness and smooth melting taste of the Tesco Chocolate.

So lets give some price comparisons Lindt 100g bar cost £1.85, Tesco 100g bar £1.00.

Lindt - Worth every penny, loved the packaging, the aroma, the taste would i buy it again yes for sure! i have seen other brands that cost a lot more.

Tesco - loved the colours on the packaging (very funky), liked the aroma and the taste would i buy again? at that price - Defiantly!

Happy Eating!

All comments in this blog are of my own oppinion

What Does 10P Buy In 2013

Answer - Not a lot!

After scouring the shops on a mission to rekindle my school days, remembering running to the corner shop to buy my sweets for mid morning break, I must say I was disappointed on what i could find today, I suppose it was 30 odd years ago when my 10p bought what seemed like a mountain of candy treats.

Today i visited 5 run of the mill high street stores and this is  the best of what i found for my 10p budget.

Refreshers have been round for what seems like an eternity and still seem to be going strong, I remember when these were 1p and a more boxy oblong chew, the packaging does say New Giant Refreshers, but im wondering if they have not just squeezed out the rollers to make the original chew bigger and longer, It certainly looks better value for the money which is properly why i chose it in the first place.

Drumstick lolly pops were also a must in my bag on my school days, these were also 1p and i remember stretching it off the stick with my teeth, I fear these days it will probably pull out a filling or something, the packaging does not seem to have changed in all those years and it still looks the same size as i remember, It just goes to show if something works then keep the style and packaging the same.

Haribo Star mix are a relatively new contender but on inspection of its contents i see things i recognize from my school days, (cola bottles, mini fried eggs, gummy rings, gummy bears) all were firm favorites for a mid morning treat.

I suppose although these confections have increased 90% in price in the 30 odd years since my school days, they are all still quite good value, and to say there only 10p they make for a perfect sweet treat.

Happy Eating!

After a hectic day shopping im sat in the kitchen having a Nescafe AZERA http://www.nescafe.co.uk/product_details_en_co_uk.axcms?Id=561 got to say Nescafe are onto a winner with this one its the best so far iv tasted, it smells just like proper coffee and tastes like it too - well done Nescafe ill be buying this again