Fasting Toolbox - Pure Via Stevia
A month into the pandemic shutdown and social distancing protocols has resulted in a more sedentary lifestyle which has led to weight gain. The closure of the gym and other recreational facilities means my access to strength training equipment, spin classes and participation in weekly ball hockey has ceased with no immediate return in sight. Factor in my age and employment that is a chair based role has not helped keep off the extra pounds.
The arrival of Spring and the possibility of resuming bike commuting has definitely offered an opportunity to get some exercise. I also have some basic exercise equipment at home (bands, kettle bell, medicine ball) when used in conjunction with body weight exercises lets me complete a degree of weight training. It is not the same as a gym setting and motivation can often be an issue.
Knowing my exercise regimen is a shadow of its former self and my current employment sedentary by nature I have decided to focus on the one thing I can control - diet. I have remained somewhat active in the paleo/low carb/keto way of eating over the last decade but admit I had taken a more casual approach in 2019 being employed in physical jobs with increased gym attendance. The more calories being burned meant the more liberties I was able to take. I have also remained an intermittent faster but like my diet I was far less strict in regards to my eating window and the quality of food. As a result it has been a somewhat easier transition back to a more regimented way and time of eating.
I have started following a 18/6 window of eating Monday to Friday while at work. Weekends will offer some flexibility based upon my opportunity for activity and, frankly, enjoyment of life. In terms of nutrition I have begun to eat a more simple traditional diet of vegetables, fats and proteins while trying to avoid overly processed and commercialized products. I am also considering different strategies to make adherence to fasting at work easier of which one is the the use of artificial sweeteners.
The Case for Sweetener
I like coffee and tea. Unfortunately I also like lots of heavy cream in my coffee and tea. I love the texture and roundness that heavy cream adds to the brew. It is comfort food but the use of more than a smattering of cream will kick you out of ketosis. My workplace offers a selection of teas and has a professional grade automatic coffee machine that offers an assortment of coffee and other types of coffee derived beverages. I drink black coffee and tea when push comes to shove but I do not necessarily look forward to it nor overly enjoy it. So the challenge is to remain in a fasted state at work while still enjoying a variety of beverages (including water) to help facilitate the fast. Turns out that Stevia and Erythritol are both naturally based sweeteners that will not cause an increase in blood sugars or an insulin response to break a fasted state. My idea is to give up the cream but use a fasting friendly sweetener to help make black coffee and tea a little more palatable.
Stevia
"A sweetener derived from the plant species Stevia rebaudiana….The body does not metabolize the glycosides in stevia, so it contains zero calories....has the least bitterness of all the steviol glycosides in the Stevia rebaudiana plant. To produce rebaudioside A commercially, stevia plants are dried and subjected to a water extraction process. The various glycosides are separated and purified via crystallization techniques, typically using ethanol or methanol as solvent."
Note - crystalized stevia is cut with other sugars to make it granular so may possess some caloric value. Liquid stevia extract is the better option to remain caloric free.
Erythritol
"Erythritol occurs naturally in some fruit and fermented foods. At the industrial level, it is produced from glucose by fermentation with a yeast, Moniliella pollinus…..beginning with enzymatichydrolysis of the starch from corn to generate glucose. Glucose is then fermented with yeast or another fungus to produce erythritol..."
The majority of consumed stevia and erythritol is absorbed in the bloodstream and the remainder is excreted unchanged in urine. Both are also dental friendly and do not contribute to tooth decay. They have been approved by food and drug regulations and are widely available. Animal and human trials seem to indicate no adverse side effects, even when consumed in large quantities, but individual reactions could occur, including digestive issues of bloating and gas.
https://www.zerofasting.com/which-sweeteners-break-your-fast/
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/is-stevia-safe
https://draxe.com/nutrition/erythritol/
Pure Via
Found this product at the market. Produced by Pepsi it is a stevia/erythritol extract. Note - it does contain citric acid, potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate as preservatives. As a result it does not require refrigeration so perfect for the desk drawer at work. I picked up a couple 48 ml bottles to try. Selected serving is 1ml. My initial opinion is favorable - I do not possess a sweet tooth and since Pure Via it is not cloyingly sweet it works well for me. For someone trying to wean off cane sugars it might not be enough, at least in the recommended serving size. Added to liquids the subtle hint of sweetness mitigates the natural bitterness or astringency found in coffee and tea and partially makes up for the lack of richness and mouth feel that cream often provides.
The arrival of Spring and the possibility of resuming bike commuting has definitely offered an opportunity to get some exercise. I also have some basic exercise equipment at home (bands, kettle bell, medicine ball) when used in conjunction with body weight exercises lets me complete a degree of weight training. It is not the same as a gym setting and motivation can often be an issue.
Knowing my exercise regimen is a shadow of its former self and my current employment sedentary by nature I have decided to focus on the one thing I can control - diet. I have remained somewhat active in the paleo/low carb/keto way of eating over the last decade but admit I had taken a more casual approach in 2019 being employed in physical jobs with increased gym attendance. The more calories being burned meant the more liberties I was able to take. I have also remained an intermittent faster but like my diet I was far less strict in regards to my eating window and the quality of food. As a result it has been a somewhat easier transition back to a more regimented way and time of eating.
I have started following a 18/6 window of eating Monday to Friday while at work. Weekends will offer some flexibility based upon my opportunity for activity and, frankly, enjoyment of life. In terms of nutrition I have begun to eat a more simple traditional diet of vegetables, fats and proteins while trying to avoid overly processed and commercialized products. I am also considering different strategies to make adherence to fasting at work easier of which one is the the use of artificial sweeteners.
The Case for Sweetener
I like coffee and tea. Unfortunately I also like lots of heavy cream in my coffee and tea. I love the texture and roundness that heavy cream adds to the brew. It is comfort food but the use of more than a smattering of cream will kick you out of ketosis. My workplace offers a selection of teas and has a professional grade automatic coffee machine that offers an assortment of coffee and other types of coffee derived beverages. I drink black coffee and tea when push comes to shove but I do not necessarily look forward to it nor overly enjoy it. So the challenge is to remain in a fasted state at work while still enjoying a variety of beverages (including water) to help facilitate the fast. Turns out that Stevia and Erythritol are both naturally based sweeteners that will not cause an increase in blood sugars or an insulin response to break a fasted state. My idea is to give up the cream but use a fasting friendly sweetener to help make black coffee and tea a little more palatable.
Stevia
"A sweetener derived from the plant species Stevia rebaudiana….The body does not metabolize the glycosides in stevia, so it contains zero calories....has the least bitterness of all the steviol glycosides in the Stevia rebaudiana plant. To produce rebaudioside A commercially, stevia plants are dried and subjected to a water extraction process. The various glycosides are separated and purified via crystallization techniques, typically using ethanol or methanol as solvent."
Note - crystalized stevia is cut with other sugars to make it granular so may possess some caloric value. Liquid stevia extract is the better option to remain caloric free.
Erythritol
"Erythritol occurs naturally in some fruit and fermented foods. At the industrial level, it is produced from glucose by fermentation with a yeast, Moniliella pollinus…..beginning with enzymatichydrolysis of the starch from corn to generate glucose. Glucose is then fermented with yeast or another fungus to produce erythritol..."
The majority of consumed stevia and erythritol is absorbed in the bloodstream and the remainder is excreted unchanged in urine. Both are also dental friendly and do not contribute to tooth decay. They have been approved by food and drug regulations and are widely available. Animal and human trials seem to indicate no adverse side effects, even when consumed in large quantities, but individual reactions could occur, including digestive issues of bloating and gas.
https://www.zerofasting.com/which-sweeteners-break-your-fast/
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/is-stevia-safe
https://draxe.com/nutrition/erythritol/
Pure Via
Found this product at the market. Produced by Pepsi it is a stevia/erythritol extract. Note - it does contain citric acid, potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate as preservatives. As a result it does not require refrigeration so perfect for the desk drawer at work. I picked up a couple 48 ml bottles to try. Selected serving is 1ml. My initial opinion is favorable - I do not possess a sweet tooth and since Pure Via it is not cloyingly sweet it works well for me. For someone trying to wean off cane sugars it might not be enough, at least in the recommended serving size. Added to liquids the subtle hint of sweetness mitigates the natural bitterness or astringency found in coffee and tea and partially makes up for the lack of richness and mouth feel that cream often provides.
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