Anandamaya developes Zero Carb Astraya Dried Fruit Infusions with Stevia
Tuesday June 8, 12:36 pm ET
Source: Yahoo News
Stevia is a herb 200-300 times sweeter than sugar that is not only safe for diabetics but helps regulate glucose levels by strengthening the pancreas.
If there were a delicious tasting, naturally sweetened, Ready-to-Drink Beverage with no carbohydrates, no calories, no artificial sweeteners, no sugar, and no preservatives, it could directly lead to decreased incidences of diabetes, obesity, cancer, and heart disease in North America. This niche is now being filled by Zero Carb Astraya Dried Lime and Zero Carb Astraya Berry with Stevia developed by Anandamaya Inc., a Canadian company.
Sugar is directly associated with diabetes and obesity but is also a stimulant along with caffeine, taurine, ephedrine and guarana and directly increases the stress in our already stressful lives by over-stimulating the heart and adrenal glands and straining the liver and pancreas. And artificial sweeteners are associated with everything from shrunken thymus glands to cancer. Currently aspartame is under unprecedented scrutiny as evidenced by recent lawsuits filed in California against companies that use aspartame in their food and beverage products. The defendants include Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Bayer Corp., William Wrigley Jr. Company, Wyeth Inc., The NutraSweet Company and Altria Corp. (Kraft and Phillip Morris).
Zero Carb Astraya Dried Lime and Zero Carb Astraya Berry are both made in the same way as iced teas, with stevia extract added. Stevia is a herb 200-300 times sweeter than sugar that is not only safe for diabetics but helps regulate glucose levels by strengthening the pancreas. Stevia has been used in its native Paraguay for hundreds of years, and is common as a sweetener in Japan. Although numerous research studies have confirmed stevia`s safety and efficacy, the FDA still maintains strict regulations on stevia`s use in food and beverages. Consequently, Astraya products are not labeled as iced teas but as "stevia supplements" and stevia is not referred to as a sweetener.
Zero Carb Astraya is "The Beverage Alternative" to Pop, Juice, Energy Drinks, and Sweetened Iced Teas. These great-tasting infusions are ideal for diabetics, low-carb dieters or anyone who wants to decrease their intake of sugar and artificial sweeteners. Stacy Miller, the founder of Anandamaya Inc. says, "If health-conscious consumers get behind this product line, the sky`s the limit. I hope my kids (and everyone else`s) will eventually be able to buy Zero Carb Astraya at school." And she adds, "Just as it`s our prerogative to vote, we all can have a say in our food supply starting with asking for Zero Carb Astraya at your local health food store and even lobbying the FDA to allow stevia in food and beverages."
Zero Carb Astraya Dried Lime and Berry are now available at Boulder Co-op in Boulder, Colorado and in California at Rainbow Grocery, Berkeley Bowl, Sacramento Co-op, Mollie Stone`s, Oliver`s Market, Elliot`s Natural Foods, Lo-Carb Life and Other Avenues Market.
