FAQs
Source
1. Where does it come from?
SugaVida comes from the sap of the blossom/inflorescence of the Palmyra palm tree, (Borassus flabellifer), found in South East India.
2. How is it made?
The nectar is tapped by climbing up the palm tree and cutting slits in the inflorescence and collecting the sap. The sap is then gently heated to prevent fermentation and then cooled. Next it’s dehydrated and granulated into a powder, using a proprietary process to preserve the nutrient content.
Technical
1. Do you have technical accreditation?
All our production facilities are HACCP registered.
2. Who is your organic certification body?
Ecocert in India and the Organic Food Federation in Europe. All our packers are certified by the Soil Association.
Nutritional
1. Does the nutritional value of SugaVida reduce when cooked?
There will be some loss of the nutritional value when heated and cooked. Our tests suggest a 5-10% loss. However, if you’re using SugaVida for its nutritional value, we recommend you consume it without heating, in a smoothie, in water or in milk.
2. What is the shelf life?
The shelf life of SugaVida is 18 months.
3. How does it compare on calories?
SugaVida contains between 375-397kcal per 100g, around the same as white sugar, although as SugaVida is naturally sweeter you will use less. And unlike sugar, SugaVida is packed full of valuable nutrients, so you’re not consuming empty calories.
4. How does SugaVida compare to Stevia/ Xylitol?
Stevia and Xylitol are both highly processed ‘natural’ sweeteners.
Stevia is highly processed using chemicals and in many cases uses the Rebaudioside A extract, which is made using solvents and then mixed with other chemical sweeteners. In addition, some of the new research into Stevia shows that it plays havoc with brain chemistry signals and metabolism.
Xylitol (and other fruit alcohols), may offer zero calories and be good for teeth. But they have shown to produce digestive disorders and discomfort in many people.
We think you should avoid any kind of food that has a negative effect on your body. It’s far better to have the best quality, natural, unrefined sweetener, which delivers the most nutritional benefits and use it in moderation.
5. What makes you say B12 is bioavailable?
Our studies show the bio-availability of B12, plus the feedback from our dieticians, nutritionists and doctors with their clients and patients also showing significant changes.
6. Is it raw?
It’s not raw but heating has been kept as low as possible.
7. Is SugaVida suitable for a paleo diet?
Yes, it is and it makes wonderful paleo desserts!
Cooking and Baking
1. Does it boil like sugar?
The melting point is lower than sugar, but it does not create a solid caramel. You can use it in all cooking, baking, hot and cold drinks.
2. Will it change the taste of my food or drinks?
SugaVida has a rich caramel- like flavour and enhances the taste of all food and drink.
3. How do I substitute it in recipes
Use around 30% less SugaVida compared to white sugar to achieve the same level of sweetness.
STBs
1.What are SugaVida Turmeric Blends?
SugaVida Turmeric Blends are expertly hand-blended powders, with precise amounts of black pepper and vegan fats to activate full bio-availability of turmeric, featuring our unique palmrya blossom nectar, with the recipes tracing back 5000 years. (a brief testimonial)
2. What makes our blends different, apart from the price, to other turmeric on the market such as pills, pastes and other turmeric blends?
Firstly, food will always be absorbed much better and faster by your body than pills. Also, the quality of turmeric is very important – supermarket-bought turmeric or that in pill form will only contain 1 to 3% of curcumin (considered to be an active ingredient in. turmeric) whereas turmeric that we use contains the highest natural percentage at 7% curcumin – to give you an idea as to why this is so rare, there are currently only 4 farms worldwide that can guarantee organically grown turmeric with 7% curcumin as it is so time-consuming and expensive to grow. We also supervise personally all our harvest to ensure it is the best quality. (photo of Kristina at the turmeric farm + a brief testimonial)
3. I take 95% curcumin pills – your 7% curcumin doesn’t sound too impressive.
The curcumin in turmeric is only one of many beneficial chemical compounds in the turmeric root, and it is our opinion that eating the whole root is far easily absorbed than extracts, after all extracts didn’t exist 5000 or even 100 years ago. . The problem also with curcumin extracts in pills is they can cause digestive discomfort and most extracts are “laboratory manufactured” and will be extracted using chemicals and other additives. 7% curcumin provides the best and most easily absorbed turmeric.
4. Turmeric upsets my stomach and gives me headaches – is yours any different?
There are a couple of reasons why turmeric or more specifically curcumin extracts can cause digestive discomfort. See above for the first reason. This is a very important point to explain and that is where the difference of organic farming can be felt by your body almost instantaneously: the reason why so many people experience these problems, as well as seeing their skin, hair and nails deteriorate is due to high toxicity in non-organic turmeric: over the past few years the demand for turmeric has shot up due to its increased popularity in the West. With farmers struggling to cope with the increased demand for turmeric they started to resort to fertilising the earth with increasingly toxic fertilisers containing mercury and lead, and because turmeric is a root, all these exceptionally toxic metals get absorbed by the turmeric root and then leach into your blood-stream giving you all these health problems. These toxic chemicals cam also be a cause in many people developing issues with high-blood pressure. With our high-quality, organic blends your body will not experience such health problems – quite the reverse. (blood-pressure testimonial)
5. The first ingredient in your turmeric blends is sugar – that you list as SugaVida – but we are told that sugar is toxic and bad for human health so, if this is the case, how can you claim that your turmeric blends are good for human health?
As we mentioned before, our Ayurvedic turmeric blends are blended to an unchanged 5000 year old Ayurvedic recipe and SugaVida being an Ayurvedic medicinal sugar is an essential part of these blends. SugaVida is a brand name for 100% unrefined Palmyra Tree Blossom Nectar. It is the only alkalising, anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal nectar found in Nature and the only plant source of bio-available Vitamin B12 – essential for vegans and vegetarians as well as those past the age of 30. With regular use of either SugaVida or SugaVida Turmeric Blends you are likely to see normalisation in your blood-sugar levels and experience less desire for sweet things. SugaVida has an approved application patent for blood-sugar regulation and inflammation in the EU. (a testimonial from people who quit wanting sugar after using SugaVida or SugaVida Turmeric Blends)
6. How do I use your turmeric blends and how quickly am I going to see benefits?
Our turmeric blends are very easy to use – put a teaspoon in your morning tea, coffee or sprinkle a teaspoon over your yoghurt or cereal. For overall health maintenance we recommend using a teaspoon daily, and for more severe, arthritic and rheumatic conditions, we recommend using 2 to 3 teaspoons daily. Timing of the positive results vary as there is. O such thing as 100% in Nature. Some people start seeing positive results almost straight away whereas majority of our customers start seeing positive improvements within the first 10 days of using our products regularly however, we do recommend using them for at least a month.
7. How do I substitute it in recipes
Use around 30% less SugaVida compared to white sugar to achieve the same level of sweetness.
8. Will it stain my teeth?
Our blends do not stain the teeth. Often teeth-staining is caused by using inferior quality turmeric that has been cut with yellow dye?
9. Is it vegan and gluten free?
Yes our blends are both vegan and gluten free. In addition they contain bioavailable B12 making it an essential for vegans all over the world. How often do I need to take the blends? We recommend for general health maintenance 1 heaped teaspoon every morning mixed with whatever liquid of your choice – either hot or cold. Even your coffee or tea. Or you can sprinkle it on your porridge or yoghurt. Whatever way fits into your daily routine. For those in greater pain or inflammation then you can up your amount to 2-3 teaspoons per day until you start to see relief. For those wanting a more peaceful and restful sleep or if you have difficulty falling asleep then you can take a small teaspoon in warm water or milk/mylk 40 minutes before bed. You say these blends will give me energy in the morning and sleep at night? How does that work? I don’t want to fall asleep in the morning? Our blends are adaptogenic which means your body knows what right for it at the right time. To explain further: They literally help the body to adapt, adjust and recalibrate itself depending on our emotional and physical surroundings. So, for example, they can help calm in times of stress. They can bring peace to a racing mind in the middle of the night. They can give clarity when everything around is in turmoil. They can give energy when we are tired. Broadly, an adaptogen must have the four ‘Ns’
1. Nourishing - bring nutritive strength
2. Normalising - raise what is low and lower what is high (eg energy, stress)
3. Non-specific - act on multiple parts of the body at the same time
4. Non-toxic - be completely safe when used over extended periods of time.
10. So, how do adaptogen herbs work?
Adaptogens relieve stress by modulating the release of stress hormones from the adrenal glands. As biological response modifiers (BRMs) adaptogens restore the body’s innate immune function and help the body adapt to different stressors. This gives them preventative and protective as well as curative activity in compromised immunity.
